At this time of year there always comes a day when the winds are too icy and the rain too wet. We no longer care how we look, and simply want to wear enough clothes to make it feel like we’re still snuggled under the duvet. But these days are no excuse for turning fashion out into the cold. In fact, we can use them as a chance to experiment with many a luscious layer: cute thermal vest under pussy-bow blouse, finished off with super-soft v-neck jumper. Yes, piling on the tops is fab, but also a little easy. Instead, what we should be focusing on is how to keep our lower halves warm in fun and fashionable ways. Enter the knee high sock: the leg warmer’s stylish sister has been on the up since last season and now is the time to embrace this new and most versatile part of your sock draw.

Like most  trends, there are dos and donts when trying to reach the heady heights of sock heaven. So here are some rules to send you on your way…

DO! Wear over tights. The layers will keep your legs snug plus it’s an easier way to tackle the trend for anyone nervous of flashing the flesh.

DO! Experiment with pattern. Anything other than horizontal stripes (Camden teens are not style icons!) can look great. Think golfer diamonds, a winter alpine print or, for the true brave of heart, some Scottish tartan.

DO! Keep hem lines high. Not Jodie Marsh high, but unless you hitch your hem a little you may as well wear tights, and that’s no fun at all. If the fear of a chill gets too much, go for an extra chunky knit – you’ll have forgotten about the cold in minutes (kind of!)

DO! Wear with heels and a dress. This trend works best when worn with a subtly sexy winter dress and some Mary Jane shoes or stacked ankle boots. Alexa Chung wears this look to perfection, often completing her look with a winter cape or coa; warm, quirky and perfect.

DON’T! Wear them knee-high. The absolute key to this trend is over-the-knee and not knee-high. Go below and you’ll look like a school girl who’s lost her way.

DON’T! Hate your legs. If you do then this isn’t the trend for you. Nothing ruins an outfit more than a lack of confidence. Just like wearing PVC leggings, wearing over-the-knee socks is letting your legs make the statement in your outfit. So if your thighs are not your friend then love them with a pair of tights instead.

DON’T! Assume the mini skirt is their friend. While the right skirt can look amazing with over the knees (again check Ms. Chung) the wrong one will kill your cool. These socks will have you treading a very fine line – be careful not to tumble into Slutsville.

DON’T! Be odd. The final rule may seem a tad obvious, but unless you wish to channel two separate outfits (err?) then make sure your socks match. What may be acceptable under a pair of jeans will never win you a gold in the winter fashion Olympics.

Whether you want it cute and cotton for layering, or wooly and weighty as an alternative to a coat, here are the cream of the cardi crop.

1. Topshop
A firm favourite guaranteed to solve all your fashion woes, Topshop has an extensive range of cardigans in all colours from black to acid yellow. You’ll find long ones, short ones, roll neck ones and even the odd cherry motif thrown in for good measure. If you’re looking for a cover-up with a certain je ne sais quoi, then there are ruffles, crochet and embellishment for you to muse over. What more could a girl want?

2. Topman
There is no need to steal from your boyfriend anymore. If more is indeed what you want, then go for super-size with a man-sized cardigan from Topman. Nothing says winter warmth better than an XL grey cardigan to curl up in when it’s raining outside. Great for classic winter colours, popping on a Topman cardi feels like a piping bowl of soup and a big warm hug all rolled into one.

3. Primark
Perfect for those who love to layer, see a cardigan you like in Primark and you can have it in every colour. With prices from as low as £3 you really can’t go wrong. As well as its standard short ones, every season Primani will produce a couple of real winter must-haves. And the prices are so purse-friendly you wont have to suffer the guilt of sending it to Oxfam, if by this time next year you are no longer a fan.

4. French Connection
Always super-hot on knitwear, French Connection is perfect for any fan of woodcutter chic. Big chunky knits in classic patterns, this is the place to look for your cardi coat. Also currently available in store are Pringle style cover-ups for anyone after the designer golfer look for less (really not as bad as it sounds, SJP rocked it in the SATC movie!)

5. Urban Outfitters
Feeling flush after payday? Then there is no better place to splash the cash than Urban Outfitters. As well as unique in-house cardigans to keep you warm, if you feel like going all-out then take a trip to their boutique where you will find over sized pieces from Filippa K, classic cable knits from Paul & Joe and cute Dennis The Menace style stripes from Sara Berman.

Black sequin leggings: worn only by myself and Victoria Beckham in September. Of course this is not exactly true. I will grudgingly accept that I was not the only person other than Posh to have tracked down these sparkling wonders. But seeing as I found them on an Australian website, I felt confident in the fact that I had an item of clothing that would set me apart from the gaggle of high street fashionistas.

But silly me, I was wrong. On a recent trip to Topshop, I was greeted with a rail of sequin leggings being swarmed by hordes of young girls desperate to get their hands on the newest addition to a growing list of “individual” and “daring” seasonal “must-have” trends.

These trends, which are proclaimed in every women’s magazine one cares to open, are becoming more and more popular. People think that wearing French Connection’s fab lace dress puts them at the top of the fashion tree because Glamour magazine loudly proclaimed that lace was a top ten trend. In fact we are losing any kind of originality and personal style, and to me that is the essence of real fashion.

Yes, wearing high waisted tartan trousers may seem daring (and maybe not a wise idea), but if every high street store has a plaid-covered mannequin in their window then you may as well be wearing a normal pair of jeans. So is the high street taking all originality out of the way we dress?

Well it sure isn’t making it easy. When Kate Moss is seen wearing a stunning vintage dress, it is a fairly safe assumption that said garment will be then put through media scrutiny, appear on every best dressed page, and within six months end up in her latest fashion range for Topshop. Everyone will have seen it in the newspaper, therefore everyone will want to buy it. However, the original magic that made the dress so unique and special will be gone.

To combat the high street effect, the obvious answer (if you care enough to try) is to dig a little deeper, almost literally. Delve into charity shops, vintage stores, suitcases of clothes put up in the attic for rainy days and get an eBay account. These are all well-tapped sources in themselves but instead of buying a garment that you know will have been reproduced a million times, spend a little more time searching. And while what you find may be similar to what H&M is offering, your new garment may have that little extra something that won’t make it quite the same as what everyone else has.

It would be silly to think that shopping in a second hand store is a new idea, but it certainly involves using a bit more originality and creation than choosing that oh so on-trend ”must-have”. Especially if it’s a body-con dress that within a matter of weeks will be stretched across every Big Brother reject’s body as she tries to demonstrate the latest trend while falling out of China White.