The easiest way to wear a fur collar is close to the neck, on top of a coat with a simple neckline, in a colour from the same family as the coat. From there you can move it to a fine roll-neck, a blazer or an evening dress, as long as the rest of the outfit stays plain enough to let the fur lead.
A fur collar is the most useful fur piece you can own, because it changes every coat and jumper you already have. Here are six ways to wear one, with the details that make each work.
What kind of fur collar should you choose?
There are two main types, and they wear differently.
- A standalone collar that you put on like a snood or loop round your neck. You can move it between coats, knitwear and dresses. Our Lumi Collar is this kind.
- A detachable collar that belongs to one garment. It gives that piece two looks, with and without fur, and lets you wash or wear the base plainly. The Fjell Collar Set and the Nordlys Down Jacket both have one.
The fur matters too. Long-haired fox is full and dramatic and moves as you walk. Rabbit is lighter with a shorter pile, so it looks neater and sits closer to the neck. Our fox fur and rabbit fur pages explain how each one behaves.
- How do you wear a fur collar with a coat?
Wear it over the top of the coat, sitting at the base of the neck. The coat should have a collarless, crew or small notched neckline. A large lapel or a hood fights the fur, and you end up with two collars competing.
Formula: black or camel wool coat, buttoned or belted, a collar in the same colour or one shade lighter, leather gloves and knee boots. Keep jewellery to small earrings, because the collar is already doing the work at the face.
If your coat has a shawl collar, fold the collar flat first and let the fur sit just inside it, close to the neck. It looks layered rather than piled on.
- Can you wear a fur collar with a roll-neck?
Yes, and it is one of the most elegant combinations, but only with a fine-gauge roll-neck. Fold the roll-neck down so it sits low on the neck, then wear the collar over it. Match the colours: a black collar on a black roll-neck, or white on ivory. A tonal match looks deliberate. A strong contrast at the neck can look like two separate ideas.
Skip this with chunky cable knits. Two thick textures at the throat add bulk and shorten the neck.
- How do you wear a fur collar with a blazer?
A blazer and a fur collar make a sharp, slightly unexpected pairing that works well for the office, a gallery or lunch. Wear the collar with a simple crew-neck top or a silk shirt buttoned to the top, then put the blazer on and let the collar sit above the lapels.
Formula: navy or black blazer, cream silk blouse, straight trousers, loafers and a black or white collar. In a warm office the collar comes off and goes in your bag, which is the beauty of a standalone piece.
- How do you wear a fur collar with an evening dress?
For evening, the collar replaces a necklace and a wrap. Choose a dress with a high or bateau neckline, or a simple slip dress with a fine knit over it, and wear the collar on its own at the neck. Bare arms and fur at the neck is a classic old-Hollywood line.
Keep the rest very quiet: small earrings, a clutch and plain heels. If the dress is embellished, skip the collar. If you are dressing for a ceremony, our guide to winter wedding guest outfits covers how a collar compares with a stole or a coat.
- Can you wear a fur collar as a headband?
Some collars can be pulled up and worn as a headband on a cold day, keeping your ears warm without flattening your hair. It works best with a soft, short-pile collar and hair worn down or in a low bun. If you have a larger head, the fit will be snug, so think of this as a bonus rather than the main use. If you want something made for your ears, earmuffs or a fur headband are better, and our comparison of fur earmuffs vs a fur headband explains the difference.
- How do you wear a detachable fur collar?
A detachable collar gives you two outfits in one piece. On the Fjell Collar Set, a large fox-fur collar sits over a plain knit polo top that comes with matching wide-leg trousers. With the collar on, the set looks dressed up enough for a long lunch. With it off, it is an easy knit to travel in, and you can wash the knit without worrying about the fur. The collar is matched to each colour, so a grey set comes with grey fur and a camel set with beige.
The Nordlys Down Jacket works the same way: a short quilted down jacket with a large, round, standing fox collar that comes off. Down keeps your body warm and the fox keeps the wind off your neck and face. Take the collar off on a milder day and it becomes a neat everyday jacket, with its narrow mink trim along the front still giving it a finish.
What should you not wear with a fur collar?
- A hood up, or a big scarf. Pick one thing at the neck.
- Statement necklaces. The collar is your necklace.
- Heavy, shiny fabrics at the neck, such as satin puffers with big collars.
- A shoulder bag strap pressed over the fur. The Fur Institute of Canada notes that shoulder-bag straps can break fur hairs and leave bald patches, so carry the bag on the other shoulder or in your hand.
How do you look after a fur collar?
Shake it gently after wearing and hang it or lay it flat somewhere cool, dark and airy, never in plastic. If it gets damp, let it dry at room temperature away from radiators. Rabbit is more delicate than fox in heavy rain, so tuck a rabbit collar into your bag in a downpour. A little light shedding in the first few wears is normal with rabbit and settles down. For the full routine, see how to care for real fur.
Which fur collar should you start with?
If you only buy one thing this winter, make it a fur collar you can move from coat to coat, because it will change everything you already own. Ours is the Lumi Collar. It is made from hand-knitted strips of rabbit fur, so the pile is short and soft rather than fluffy, and it sits as a snug tube from the shoulder to just under the chin. It comes in Black, Natural Grey and White, and it is rated 4.9 by 27 customers.
Start with the colour closest to the coat you wear most. Black goes with everything dark, white lifts camel and ivory, and Natural Grey sits beautifully on grey and navy. Whichever you choose, keep the rest of the outfit simple and let the collar lead.
