Hairy Styles

When it comes to the hairy styles of calf/pony hair, it’s something I was not always a big fan of. It was either leather or fur for me, and nothing in between. But then these Phillip Lim loafers came into my life while in London, and next thing I know there’s another pair of pony hair shoes on my feet and I’m writing a blog post about this furry material that I used to ignore.

So today I’d like you to join me in a conversation not about One Direction but about some other hairy styles…

Although I’m sure there’s something that occurred in that crazy brain of mine before I discovered the Phillip Lim loafers, there’s a lot going on up there (mostly involving clothes, food and my dog) so I can’t exactly pinpoint what made me start to like pony hair. But I do think it has something to do with mixing textures. Some of my favorite pieces of clothing and accessories involve different textures and materials. I know it’s a lot of work on the designer’s part so I not only appreciate it but it looks pretty cool too. So with calf hair (which is apparently the real name for pony hair…no ponies are actually involved in the process of making this material), I actually prefer it mixed with leather (obviously) or another material but of course I’m willing to take on the fashion challenge of a full-on hairy look.

Now with all this talk of leather and fur, I’m really hoping I don’t have any PETA readers and if I do I apologize…and there are some faux calf hair options if you have any interest (thanks to Derek Lam). But if you’re into the real deal, you’re in for a REAL treat.

We typically see pony hair in shoes and bags but designers like Gucci, Derek Lam and Victoria Beckham really took it to the next level for Fall ’13. Now we’re doing pony hair shirts, gloves, belts and even baseball hats. So, will you be getting all hairy styles this Fall?

Image via Net-a-Porter