About 4 months ago I split up with my girlfriend. My self esteem was at rock bottom. Heres the dilema. I saw a leather jacket which was the nicest, coolest jacket I'd ever seen. I tried it on and even my mum said "wow you look so handsome, it was made for you". I tried to justify it in my mind but couldn't. It was the old self esteem booster vs principal argument. My principles got the better of me and I never bought it. I put it out of my mind. However, could I have justified it? I think not but its almost irresistible. I mean the cow wasn't killed specifically for its skin, surely the skin was a by-product of the meat trade. I would be appreciative of any feedback although I've got a feeling I know what you're all going to say. I've been strict vegetarian for 4 years (and no, I don't eat fish like I've been told I'm 'allowed' to). I simply couldn't justify it and to have bought it would have taken away my sincerity. Thanks in advance, Cor!!
Leather is not always a by-product. Depending on the quality of the leather, some cows are raised for the leather trade. Also, even if leather is a by-product, it is a profitable by-product, one of the things that the meat industry can sell to keep the price of meat affordable and therefore in demand.
Cor: If you ask me, leather jackets are way out of style anymore these days. (I didn't even like them before I was vegan.) There are plenty of other fashions out there. Me, I wear a nifty dragon overshirt, studded NON-LEATHER belt (yes, you can get those, if you like), a chainmail necklace that I made myself, a bandana, and VEGAN nylon/rubber rod laver tennis shoes which are modified for footbag. There are tons of options out there ... leather is one of the lesser-fashionable things.
I don't know much about style, but I do not like the way I feel when I wear leather...even before I was veggie. It just doesn't feel right to wear someone else's skin...*shudders*
I don't see the need for a leather jacket unless you ride a motorcycle on a regular basis. My hiking boots are leather but thats because non-leather hiking boots are inferior quality.
We've had this round and round before and general concensus is one of three opinions: no leather, no way, only if you owned it before or you bought it second hand.
