IT’S THE STRANGEST THING. The popularity of fake fur has risen alongside—and perhaps as a reaction to—the newfound acceptability, in some circles, of wearing the real thing. Among designers and celebrities, it feels like the genuine article has never been more in favor; Anna Wintour ’s wearing Prada and Lily Allen goes out in origin-assured fur by British brand Hockley.  Yet in the real world, fake fur is so fashionable that both the high street and the high end are rammed with offerings. This means that you are odds-on to bump into, if not your exact fur, then a similar one at a party this holiday season.  So what to do right now if you want to wear fake and look a bit different to the others? Style your fake fur up or down, depending upon the occasion, and veering toward the counterintuitive to make you stand out from the crowd.  First, though, it’s important to find the right fake. If you want the real thing, you’ll a need a Shrimps coat (from £450; shrimps.co.uk ). British designer Hannah Weiland ’s first collection, which has a much higher quality look and feel than is usual with fake fur, has been a game-changer: Everyone from Net-a-Porter boss Natalie Massanet to Alexa Chung is wearing her coats, which are resplendently in-your-face with their vibrant colors and classic shapes. They work for weekdays and weekends, they wear well, and won't look out of place in the next few seasons.  But for evenings, be daring. Other than Shrimps, I don’t recommend spending over £500—fake fur coats are made for fun. If you’re going for a monochrome look, try Oui Odile’s black-and-white Aurore wave jacket, which has a boxy fit (£390; liberty.co.uk ), or Marks & Spencer ’s ombre-effect coat in cream and black (£95; marksandspencer.com ). But if you’re feeling bold, embrace color. Zara’s short sherbet lemon-colored coat takes the drama up a few notches (£70; zara.com ), as does Henry Holland ’s hooded “curly red” coat (£67; debenhams.com ). A more moderate choice would be a swing coat in a black or caramel shade with a cozy high wrap-over collar (£170; johnlewis.com ), or one of Zara’s fur vests (£60), which add an easy casual-luxury twist to your weekend basics.  Sport your fur with Made in Heaven’s laid-back jeans (£185; mih-jeans.com ), a basic T-shirt (£30; jcrew.com ) and pointy flats like these, by Whistles (£115; selfridges.com ). Add a frothy bag like this sequined minaudière (£68; anthropologie.eu ).  Wear your fur over a shorter-than-normal skirt like Zara’s (£30; zara.com ), 15 denier black silk tights and Gianvito Rossi ’s kitten heels (£520; harrods.com ). Team with a simple button-up cardigan (£15; uniqlo.com ) and pearls (£450; astleyclarke.com ).  Try a tweed skirt like Jigsaw’s A-line style (£85; jigsaw-online.com ) with Martin Margiela ’s baggy sweatshirt (£98; matchesfashion.com ), bright tights, Philip Lim ’s suede hi-tops (£315; liberty.co.uk ) and Armani’s beret (£125; selfridges.com ).
A traffic-stopping fake fur is a sure way to put fun into your winter wardrobe. Our guide to the best of the season.