Of all the trends to jump back in the mainstream, who would've believed sheepskin is one of the most popular for this winter. Well, with oil prices you can appreciate its practicality. But UGGS is really to blame. Look around - you can't find a boot this season that is not an UGG rip off or trimmed in sheepskin. Not only does DR. Scholl now do a sheepskin clog, but also UGG - the sheepskin boot that you wear barefoot that was originally worn by Australian surfers has even expanded - adding scuff slippers, several more versions of boots in an array of pastel colors and now sheepskin clothing and a hobo sheepskin messenger bag with fleece and inside for two cell phones for $285. (uggsaustralia.com)

SO we can thank UGG boots for the variation that we now have for clothes and accessories lined in nubby natural sheepskin wool. Still, when I think of sheepskin, I think of Steve McQueen 's leather flight jacket in that movie the War Lover - He and Robert Wagner wore brown leather bomber jackets with sheepskin lining and collars. They were HOT and the coat was HOT. (fyi: you can find this jacket on lostworldsinc.com)

For fall 2005, there were many attempts to recreate this look and some are bad. If you're going for the Steve McQueen/Robert Wagner look, both women and men have some good options. Hermes did the best coats for women. Jean Paul Gaultier almost exactly recreated the McQueen shearling bomber jacket. He made a longer version with a wide sheepskin lapel and then used long belted sheepskin waistcoats worn over dresses that did not have the same tough-guy effect as McQueen but were pretty cool!

Burberry and D&G both did q short sexy version of this same coat but by far the best is Christian Dior's perfect rendition. Dior showed a knee length, distressed chocolate leather with wide lapel collars and a wide 70's belt...it was fabulous. Worn with lace up boots. It's the ultimate McQueen jacket for a woman...get in line, I'm first!!

Ok. Men have a good choice in McQueen bomber jackets too and leave it to Michael Kors to do a nearly exact replica. His strength in American classic styles lends itself well to his very respectable version of the authentic shearling bomber coat - the only difference is that the coat comes in a paler shade of caramel brown. But Dolce and Gabbana managed to make the sexiest coat (maybe it was the guy wearing it with his ripped jeans and bad attitude) , still, after seeing this coat at Dolce and Gabbana, I challenge a man in NYC NOT to buy one!!!

So if you want the whole matching sheepskin outfit, then buy the Yves St. Laurent sheepskin lined clogs, an UGG sheepskin bag and lie on your sheepskin rug. Who says you have to pay more for fuel this winter?

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