Let’s face it, skiwear has never been the sexiest of outfits. High-performance logos, high-visibility colours and a good chance that you’ll end up looking like a fashion faux pas in an anorak.

As Victoria Beckham will tell you, skiing is as much about working the look as it is the slopes, and a furlined cape from Chanel is essential to prevent sartorial nightmares.

Which is all very well for anybody with Posh’s millions, but does that mean the credit-crunched masses are doomed to fashion Siberia? And what about those who, unlike Mrs Beckham, actually ski and therefore require some use from their clothes? Rodeo, C&A’s classic ski range, was a one-stop hit for practical kit but since the store went off-piste in 2001, finding good-quality pieces at bargain prices has proved difficult. Now, at last, the high street is brimming with ranges designed for comfort and style. These are the stores hoping to fill C&A’s furry snow boots.

Matalan

Well loved for its designer-inspired, affordable outfits, it is no surprise that Matalan has come out with a ski range. Its new line, Glacier Point, arrives in store at the end of October. “All our jackets have underarm venting zips, which allows the control of body temperature, and they are mesh-backed to prevent snow getting in,” says Liz Major, Matalan’s brands buyer. The men’s fleece is only £10, a pair of women’s gloves is £6, and you could kit out your child from head to toe for £33.

Sara Hassan, Sunday Times fashion editor and self-confessed ski bunny, says that although the range has pretty good style and price points, it is for first-timers and bargain hunters only. “Matalan specialises in great-looking but disposable clothes,” she says. “If you’ve never skied and want to just have a go and see if you like it, then the Glacier Point range is brilliant.” www.matalan.co.uk

TK Maxx

There’s an urban legend about the woman who went to TK Maxx and found a whole Cavalli outfit for £10, but it is hard to summon up the energy to start sifting through all those rails. However, for bargain skiwear it is worth taking a deep breath and heading to your local branch as this season the store is adding skiwear to its stock for the first time, with its usual discounts on label prices of about 60%. Because it relies on other brands’ castoffs, there is no guarantee of what you’ll find, but rumour has it that if you’re very lucky you may unearth offerings from Prada, Gucci and even Fendi for about £500.

More reliable, and currently in store from various British and American labels, are on-trend ski looks for men, from pinstripe and herringbone to camouflage. Prices for jackets start at about £40. TK Maxx does a good line in accessories, too. The £24.99 goggles it is stocking feature antifog double lenses. www.tkmaxx.com

Marks & Spencer

You could do a lot worse than M&S for your preski smalls shopping. Its thermal underwear is perfect for the slopes. “The important thing when you are skiing is to keep cosy,” says Hassan. “M&S does the best cashmere on the high street and you always feel assured that its thermals are good quality, too.” For £10 you can get a child’s long-sleeved thermal vest, a woman’s thermal leggings or a man’s thermal T-shirt. Juliet Kinsman, editor-in-chief of boutique lifestyle and travel guide Mr and Mrs Smith, says: “Style is essential and practicality is paramount, but warmth and comfort are also priorities.” www.marksandspencer.com

Debenhams

As every fashionista knows, it is not so much the clothes you wear as how you accessorise them, and no matter how dowdy your ski pants are, an artfully placed chunky knit will lift the look firmly into this season. John Rocha’s £15 Sherpa ski hat for Debenhams looks equally at home on the streets of Hoxton as it does on the French Alps, and the rainbow-striped hat and gloves embody the current multicoloured take on the Ali MacGraw trend.

Handy science fact: mittens are better than gloves at keeping your hands warm as they have less surface area for heat to escape from. The £10 woollen pair at Debenhams won’t keep your hands totally dry if you’re making lots of snow-balls but are ideal for wearing en route to the après-ski. www.debenhams.com

Woolworths

As if taking to the slopes wasn’t expensive enough, taking the children with you is only going to increase your clothes bill. Woolies is doing a roaring trade in little girls’ snow boots for £8 and bomber jackets for £10. True, they don’t look like they have been crafted by Italian artisans, but they will keep out the snow and therefore prevent you from having to deal with cold, wet children, which is always the prime objective. www.woolworths.co.uk

Adams

For the most comprehensive and bargain-filled children’s ski collection, Adams wins hands down. Brand new and available only through its website, the range starts with hats for £1 and the boys’ hooded ski jackets are £10. It seems foolish to spend hugely on children’s skiwear, yet there is no point buying something that looks so bad they will refuse to wear it. Even the most style-conscious tweenies shouldn’t object to the gorgeous brown girls’ salopettes at £7.50. Adams’s ski pants are a top buy – children are likely to fall over a lot, and this range has extra fabric on the knees and buttocks, meaning less chance of the waterproofing getting ripped and leaking. www.adams.co.uk