But fear not fellow eco-heads, Kellie’s publicist has just confirmed that the coat was indeed faux and from Cincinnati-based Donna Salyers’ Fabulous Furs.

But here’s the question: is faux-fur REALLY a good idea? Sure, you and I know it’s fake, but what about the millions watching who might justify buying real fur after seeing their favorite star decked out in what appears to be the cruel stuff? Drama, right?

Well here’s a suggestion: grab yourself one of the HSUS’s Fur-Free pins (or find me on the street – I always have a few extra in my pocket that I’m eager to share) and wear it proudly on all your faux-fur coats. This way you’ll not only be promoting your badass cruelty-free lifestyle, but also helping a really great organization get some free publicity.

So in spirit of Beyonce’s hit song Single Ladies, always remember that when it comes to faux-fur: if you wear it then you shoulda put a pin on it.

So, fresh info in hand, Pickler turned to her pal Carrie Underwood for advice. The country singing sensation — and 2005 winner of PETA’s World’s Sexiest Vegetarian — gave her little more than three days of survival. However, five months later Pickler is still going strong — with Underwood giving her support every step of the way. “We have this little vegetarian thing going on. I’ll text [Carrie] and be like, ‘Is fish considered a meat?’ And she’ll be like, ‘Well, different people look at it differently.’”

No word on whether Pickler is a Pesce-Vegetarian (yes, I had to look that up) — but kudos to her for making the switch. Nice work, Carrie!