Sienna Miller's Topshop faux fur coat looked amazing on her (as does Anja Rubik's, left), but it reminded me that faux fur coats often overpower. A while back I bought one, a faux rabbit, and now I know why I haven't given it much wear — it makes me feel gaudy. Thanks to the cold weather recently, it hit me: I couldn't just let that gorgeous brown faux fur sit there, alone. I took matters into my own hands — or rather, gave the matter to my tailor and let her work her magic.

To hear my solution to an overpowering fur, read more.

Because fur makes such a statement, it can be overwhelming if it covers your entire upper body. At first I thought, I'll chop off the sleeves and make it a vest. Though that would look cool, it wouldn't keep me as warm. A friend suggested trimming the sleeves down to three-quarter length, just like Dree Hemingway's Adam Lippes For Mango Chubby ($129). It wasn't a huge alteration, and that's the beauty — just a small tweak like taking the sleeves up a few inches totally transformed the look from madness to modern.

What's more, I didn't have to pay a ludicrous dollar amount for it. The lesson is, when a coat, faux fur or not, feels outdated, think fast — chop the sleeves. It'll make a world of difference without costing the world.