The Best Under-$500 Winter Coats 2026

Elsa Hosk wearing a white coat and black bag in NYC

(Image credit: @hoskelsa)

When it comes to investment pieces, especially outerwear, I usually err on the side of timeless over trendy. That said, the two winter coat trends that feel less fleeting that I've been into are those with funnel necks or faux fur. My current go-to wool coat is the Oversized Coat by Filippa Hagg, but because it doesn’t button all the way up, I find it better suited for fall, or temperatures that aren’t quite as brutal as a New York winter. Lately, that’s left me searching for a higher-neck option that feels both practical for the cold yet still put together.

Then there’s vintage or faux fur. I love how it instantly elevates any outfit, no matter how simple what you have on is. It’s undeniably glamorous and always makes me think of Cate Blanchett in Carol.

With outerwear top of mind, I decided to look through retailers and brands like Nordstrom, Net-a-Porter, Saks Fifth Avenue, COS, Rue Sophie, and more to see what I could find. Below are the best under-$500 options I found while searching.

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Audry Hiaoui is a writer based in New York. For Who What Wear, she specializes in emerging designers, independent labels, and brand discovery, as well as interviews both on and off camera. Her writing has appeared in AnOther, Wonderland, Office, Interview, Love, and i-D, among others, with multiple cover stories and features in print, and she has worked as an editorial producer for Vogue during fashion months. She holds a master's degree in journalism and documentary filmmaking from City, University of London, and has an extensive background in film, having worked for Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, and Vice UK as well as on various projects including documentaries and music videos and most recently as a writer's assistant on an upcoming HBO/A24 series.