Faux fur is a no-brainer for winter, but now we're the wrong side of Christmas, natural tones and animal prints can feel a bit too, well, wintry.

Cobalt, mint or pastel pink fur, on the other hand, feels anything but.

Still toasty warm but with the added benefit of being mood-boostingly hued, these fake fuzzies are like a force field against Seasonal Affective Disorder.

They don't have to be fur, either. There's a bright fluffy knit to suit every shape in the shops right now, inspired by the autumn catwalk collections.

Even better, many are in the sales, but you'll need to act quickly before the unwearable (only thanks to the current chilly weather) spring/summer collections start to drop.

From cuddly coats to strokable scarves, here's how to fluff up your look without channelling the Honey Monster...

GO FUR IT

Let's be clear: a rainbow-bright faux fur coat is not going to be the most practical thing you'll purchase this year.

Yes, it's warm, but it's definitely not waterproof, and depending on how conservative your colleagues are, you might not feel comfortable wearing it to work.

But that's beside the point.

A colourful fur coat feels - and looks - amazing on, and if you go for a pastel hue, you'll have more matching potential with the rest of your garments - pink is practically a neutral, after all.

A fluffy jacket will come in handy for keeping warm at winter weddings, too, especially if it's a neater short fur texture.

Plus, with so many reduced in the sales, it's easier to justify a slightly bonkers buy.

Examples are Autograph faux fur coat, currently reduced to £78 from £149 (marksandspencer.com), pink long fur coat £39.99, TK Maxx (available in store) and Marc Cain cosy outdoor jacket, currently reduced to £201 from £335 (marc-cain.com) and River Island light blue faux fur gilet, £60 (riverisland.com)

JUMPER JOY

Think a regular woolly jumper is cosy as can be? Try a doubly fluffy knit and you'll be in comfort-dressing heaven.

That doesn't mean 'eyelash' knits are only reserved for slobbing 'round the house, though. Wear a boat neck jumper over a pale Peter Pan collar shirt or silk tunic and you'll still look neat and tidy.

If you're worried about a fuzzy sweater adding bulk where you really don't want it, steer clear of cropped shapes, tight waistbands and furry panels. Instead, look for longline jumpers with side splits that allow a sleeker silhouette.

Similarly, tone down the grungy associations of an oversized cardigan by wearing over a cute minidress, with black opaque tights and pointed ankle boots,examples are Limited Edition fluffy ribbed longline jumper, £39.50 (marksandspencer.com), Wallis blue fluffy v-neck jumper, currently reduced to £27.36 from £36 (wallis.co.uk), French Connection feather knits fluffy cardigan, currently reduced to £45 from £90 (houseoffraser.co.uk) and Dorothy Perkins Rose faux fur jumper, currently reduced to £17 from £29 (dorothyperkins.com)

FUR FINISH

There are two ways to tackle furry accessories. There's the less-is-more approach, taking one perfect pelt piece to set off an otherwise fur-free ensemble - draping a long, chunky stole over your shoulders, say, or clutching a fluffy evening bag.

Then there's the carefree pile-it-on strategy, resulting in a playful mishmash of textures and colours.

Faux fur aficionados will take the latter route, of course, but if you're after just a hint of joy-inducing fuzz, then a scarf, hat, or even a pair of ear uffs, will do the trick. Look at Blaze Faux fur multi vixen scarf, £120 (helenmoore.com), and Topshop faux fur roll-top clutch, £32 (topshop.com). See also Dorothy Perkins Pink Faux Fur Stole, £16 (dorothyperkins.com) and Jacques Vert Shiraz Fur Cossack Hat, currently reduced to £29 from £49 (jacques-vert.co.uk).