PETA's Got Its Eyes on Baby North West

I get it, New York City winter is cold. We have things called Polar Vortexes. And there are days when I just want to live in a Snuggie. Totally appropriate office wear, right? So it's no surprise that Kim Kardashian West has bundled North in a fur coat on Wednesday while leaving their Soho apartment in NYC. And it's also no surprise that PETA caught wind, and expressed their disappointment in Baby North's fashion choices.

PETA's Vice President Lisa Lange told Page Six that “Kids are naturally drawn to animals and sympathetic to their plight, and there’s no reason to think that North is any different. If the fur coat that she’s been dressed in is real, animals have suffered for vanity, something that we’re sure neither North nor any little girl her age would support.”

Though we're not sure if the coat is real or faux, a family publicist claims it was a gift, and released no further details. Sounds like real fur to me. And is approximated to be $3,500 by Kaufman Furs, according to Page Six.

And before I spark a debate of "who the hell cares," consider this: You may not care about the Kardashians—babies included—but millions of people do. You can't deny it—the reality TV family has garnered unparalleled attention and have even gained the respect of fashion powerhouses like Riccardo Tisci and couture house Balmain. Trends form, they're followed, and they endure. Especially when you've got an audience as large as this family's. And if this fur is in fact real, it sends a message that sure, why the hell not skin an animal for a jacket that'll be grown out of in a month or two.

I understand the appeal of fur—its beautiful, warm, luxurious—all things we can't deny that we love. But if you're going to rock a real one, I would at least hope that it's a secondhand that will last a lifetime. Not something with a shelf life of a couple of months. And, why not try to opt for a faux? Easier to maintain, and a fraction of the real thing.

Kim, I love North's Bean Boots, baby Timbs, motorcycle jackets, and leather skater skirts. Let's stick to those, okay? I'll admit, she looks adorable in that coat, but let's take a step back and think about the message we're sending.