Fight the cold weather with faux fur - fabulous and cruelty-free!

It can be tricky to look stylish in wet, windy weather. Rain and snow ruin hair and make up, and our favourite glamorous skirts and shoes must be put away for the winter months, and replaced by sensible boots and layers of warm clothes. However, there are some pros - the chilly weather is a great excuse for us girls to treat ourselves to cosy coats, cute scarves and gloves. My personal favourite winter accessory for 2010 is faux fur - not just the elegant jackets, but also faux fur bags and accessories. In simple colours like cream and grey, faux fur adds class to an outfit; for a more edgy look, go for bold animal print. Nicky Hilton shows us how its done in this classic leopard coat.

Many celebrities now choose to shun the real fur industry and wear cruelty-free faux fur. Wonderful as this is, it can be difficult to imitate celebrity fashion - the Hilton sister's clothes tend to be a little bit out of the average woman's price range! However, luckily for us, there are many great, affordable high street options available. River Island currently has a wonderful range of faux fur jackets and gilets in stock, which can be bought in stores or online.

The River Island faux fur range includes classically beautiful items, such as this gorgeous cream coat...

...or, if you prefer the quirkier look, you could opt for this edgy grey boyfriend cardigan, with its unusual eyelash pattern.

Oh and remember, sleeves aren't essential either - to mix it up a little, you could always throw this gorgeous gilet over a long sleeved top!