Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I am really liking the faux furs I am seeing at the stores. I hope they catch on even more next year. I bought one at Target for $48 and it is so cute. I wear mine with jeans and short boots for a casual look. My question: Are the faux furs suitable for more dressy or formal occasions like a party or a dinner date?

— Pam I.

Dear Pam: Why not? As you point out, faux furs are getting better and are reasonably priced. Depending on the model, they can be as warm or even warmer than the real thing. And the faux fur that used to scream “cheap, shiny, polyester” has improved to the point that it’s hard to distinguish between fake fur and the genuine animal fur.

Meanwhile, there has been an uptick in the sale of genuine pre-owned furs, which some wearers feel is OK because the “used” fur already existed so the wearers can argue that they weren’t responsible for the animal’s demise.

The anti-fur movement has had great success in persuading big-name fashion brands and trendsetters to abandon genuine furs. Furriers across the country have shut down for lack of business. Which is why once-costly fur pieces can be had at bargain prices at resale, consignment, vintage and thrift stores — as well as from your auntie’s closet.

We’ll see if genuine fur clothing roars back to stigma-free status. My bet is that the fake stuff will continue to prevail and multiply as more former wearers learn they can be warm and stylish without the real thing.

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Help!! I have inherited my mother’s eye bags. Not huge or droopy, but annoying. I have tried several products with no success. There is difficulty using moisturizer or other concealer products because they and/or my oil-free foundation erode my efforts to conceal them. Additionally, I often get a rough gritty or white area when trying to conceal the bags.

— Terry M.

Dear Terry: This isn’t what you want to hear, but I have never found a product that flawlessly — or even adequately — covers dark under-eye circles or their tougher-to-hide sister: eye bags.

The closest I’ve come to a concealer that hides my worst flaws is Glo Oil Free Camouflage (gloskinbeauty.com, $35). The New York Times Wirecutter site tested 41 concealers and recommended Dior Backstage Flash Perfector (sephora.com, $32). My other recommendation, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser (drugstores, under $15), was “a let down” and “a pain to use” in the Wirecutter test. I still like it.

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: My kindergartner soon will need to wear an eye patch to strengthen his “lazy eye.” I fear that his classmates will hurt his feelings no matter how his kind, sensitive teacher handles it. Are there any tips to make it “cool”?

— Benedict P.

Dear Benedict: I was heartened to see a huge number of designs that any kid, boy or girl, would love, starting at $2.28 for a four-pack of disposables (amazon.com): a weird alligator eye, candy, flowers and butterflies, baseball and race car themes, dinosaurs, spaceships, tiaras and rainbows.

Reader rant

From Joan C.: “I needed a sports bra and I wandered into a nearby Victoria’s Secret, not expecting they carried them. But surprisingly they had a nice selection and I headed to the dressing room to try on four or five styles. Several felt like what I was looking for but, and this is a huge but, the romantic ‘boudoir lighting’ in the dressing room made it impossible to see anything. ... They lost a sale. Put in a dimmer to enable shoppers to crank the lighting up, for Pete’s sake!”

Send your questions and rants — on style, shopping, fashion, makeup and beauty — to answerangelellen@gmail.com.