Animal heaven

Gabrijel Gelic is a sophomore majoring in finance.

For decades, mink has presided as the diva of furs. With its radiant outer coat and dense, soft underfur, it is available in a variety of natural colors and may be sheared for a more casual look.

Fur, especially mink, is a top trend this season, be it a fur cape at Peter Som or a one-of-a-kind mink coat with long-haired fox sleeves at J. Mendel. And while trends tend to vary from London to Paris to New York, fur seems to be a fixture for most designers.

Cleverly crafted, single-breasted jackets came to life with yeti-like sleeves at Proenza Schouler. The glamorous jackets and chic skirts are flashier with accents of shaggy fur. Unconventional forms, oversized shoulders and bold colors rule the fur offering this season.

Miss Sixty featured winter-wonderland, flowy dresses paired with cream and brown fur vests, while Narcissco Rodriguez mesmerized the audiences with a fur-lined, knee-length skirt paired with a leather corset button-up, proving yet again that you can’t go wrong with fur.

The fall Gucci collection screams fur with dozens of fur jackets and vests taking this season’s furry award.

Nervous about the four-digit price tags that accompany most fur pieces? Well, you are in luck,

This season, fur has crossed over to bags, accessories and even shoes. You don’t have to go for a $5,000 vest or jacket: Go for a more affordable scarf or a fur-accented purse. Those will still set you back a few hundred dollars, but at least you’ll have something to keep you warm.

Fur-accented shoes are probably the hottest thing this season. Pair a knee-length jacket, opaque leggings and fur-accented ankle boots, and you’ll look like you just came off the runway.

Fur is versatile. You can wear it with almost anything.

Take a suit, for example. Add a hint of femininity to any suit by wrapping yourself with a mink scarf. If you don’t want to pack up that new floor-length dress you just bought at Saks, you don’t have to. For the cold months, pair it with a fur vest or jacket. For more ideas on how to wear fur, check out style.com.

Unfortunately, Bloomington will rarely offer a Gucci fur jacket or even a fur scarf, but if you dig around, you might find something vintage, which is better than no fur at all.

Luckily, you can always catch a plane to NYC and get a couple (or five) fur pieces at Barneys. Or, check out a local thrift store. Either way, just get some fur!

As always, stay classy IU.