This weekend winter fully descended onto New York City. We got our first big snowfall for the year, and the temps dipped into the teens. So even though I’m not really ready to give up on my cute fall jackets, there’s no denying it: Coat season is officially here.

Every year, when winter really hits, the questions about coat shopping start rolling in.  So this year, I wanted to put together a big, comprehensive guide to plus size coat shopping as a resource for my readers.  I’ve included a variety of styles and budgets below, so I hope you find what you are looking for to keep you chic and cozy this winter!

As always, if this guide is helpful and you do end up shopping any of these places, I would love if you could use my links – doing so supports the blog and helps me be able to dedicate time to writing more in-depth plus size guides like this one!  

My number one tip for plus size coat shopping is to do it as early as possible! Year after year, I’ve seen the best coat options completely sell out by mid-January. In NYC, this is just the beginning of the real depths of winter cold, but the weirdness of the fashion calendar means that a lot of companies are already thinking about spring, and thus aren’t restocking outerwear.  So don’t get caught out in the cold (literally or figuratively) by waiting too long to shop if you are looking for a new coat.

Now onto the guide!  When I’m looking for a new winter coat, these are all my recommended places to shop:

If you are looking to invest in a chic and timeless coat:

Baacal for coats that are stylish, timeless, and truly high quality.  I have been a Cynthia Vincent fan for years, so when she announced her plus size label Baacal a few years ago, to say I was excited is a vast understatement. Coming from the creator of fashion darling labels like St. Vincent and luxe powerhouse Vince, my expectations for Baacal were sky high – and Vincent somehow still managed to surpass them.  Now some of my most treasured pieces of clothing are Baacal, and I actually wear them year after year (the cost per wear on many of my Baacal pieces is now lower than fast fashion things I own).  And her luxe, sustainably made wool car coats are even more striking in person.  No exaggeration: Every single time I wear mine I have strangers stopping me to tell me how beautiful of a coat it is. This is the quintessential investment piece, in the best way. If you are buying something, try my reader discount code CURV15 for 15% off.

If you are looking for on-trend options with good quality:

Eloquii is one of my shopping go-tos for statement coats and trends. Their head of design is a plus size woman with a great sense of style, and that shows in the product. I have moto jackets from them that have lasted years, and this year’s selection of winter coats has been great. They do sell out very fast though – two of my favorite styles from this season are already off the site entirely – so if you see something you like, definitely don’t wait and be sad like I am (I’ll be mourning missing the checkerboard faux fur for a while).  P.S. They almost always have a significant additional percent off their prices, so don’t be daunted by the prices below, and don’t forget to check their Sale Outerwear section too.

If you aren’t quite sure what style is calling to you:

Nordstrom has a great selection of plus size outerwear, and they keep stocking coats longer into the season than many other stores.  They also have a good selection of classics (like Barbour and Ralph Lauren); high end contemporary labels (like 11 Honore and Vince); full-on luxury (like Marina Rinaldi and Lafayette 148); and budget friendly, trendy options (like BLANKNYC and house label BP), all available in plus sizes. They even have this incredible Zelie for She two tone faux fur (one of the best plus size coats I’ve seen this season!)  Plus, their return policy is excellent, so if you are unsure about sizing, this is one of the best places to shop.  Tap through to see some of my other coat picks available from Nordstrom now:

If you are coat shopping later in the season (or off-season), definitely check out the plus coats at Nordstrom Rack too – sometimes the markdowns are significant.

Dia & Co. also has wonderfully easy returns, and is a plus-focused site with sizes up to 5x. I’ve been eyeing Avec Les Filles coats for a while now, and I finally decided to go for one from Dia, knowing that if I didn’t like it, it wouldn’t be a pain to return it.  That ended up being a non-issue, because I LOVE this coat: It is incredibly warm and cozy, and it has soft jersey cuffs that keep all the heat in – very key now that the temps are frigid in NYC.  The large puffs are right on trend, as is the faux leather. This isn’t the first year I’ve gotten winter coats from Dia either: I took this packable puffer with me to Paris on my last international trip pre-pandemic, and I still have it on hand for when we can travel again (it packs up so small – perfect for a week out of a carryon!)

If you want something unique, fashion-forward, designer, and made for plus:

Tamara Malas is one of my favorite plus size designers, and the fact that Tamara herself is plus size too makes it even better.  Since she first launched her eponymous label, I’ve been a big fan of her fashion-forward designs, and love that she’s part of the fashion cohort setting the trends, not just following them.  This incredible reversible quilted coat from a recent collection is a perfect example, and is another piece that gets endless compliments.  And with this and the other reversible coats available now, you are basically getting two coats in one (the otherside of this pink one is the multicolor coat in the lead image!).  These are designer pieces, and priced accordingly (though I’d say still relatively reasonable compared to her straight size contemporaries), but I have a Curvily reader exclusive code if you love a discount like me: Just use CURVILY on the Tamara Malas site (discount not limited to coats, either!).

If your style errs on the side of classic:

J.Crew is a good option for nice quality wool coats and parkas in sizes up to 24/3x.  They don’t carry every style they offer in plus sizes, unfortunately, but the more timeless coat styles typically make it to their extended size range.  Filter by your sizes (both X and numeric) for the most accurate selection.

Macy’s definitely skews towards more traditional cuts and styles, but if that is what you are looking for, their coat section is definitely worth perusing:

If you are looking for trendy coats and hard to find UK labels:

ASOS has been one of my faves for trendier pieces for a while (almost a decade now!), and their winter coat selection has some gems too.  Their own ASOS Curve and Collusion lines have some really great pieces, and they also stock a lot of European brands that don’t ship to the US anywhere else, like Simply Be, Sixth June, Wednesdays Girl, and more:

If budget is top priority:

Target has a really great plus size coat selection, with options up to 4x at prices as low as $25. I definitely just bought myself this lavender puffer while writing this guide (this shade of purple is going to be huge for 2022 too).  I’ve found that Target brand coats hold up well too – I have a  gold Wild Fable puffer that I’ve worn a ton over the last couple of years, and it still looks basically new.

Other plus size coat options to consider:

Anthropologie is another place where some of the best styles sell out really fast, but they still have some good options in plus as of now, including unique options like this multiprint sherpa:

Ulla Popken has a surprisingly large selection of coats, with lots of different styles of wool, puffers, parkas, faux furs, and prints. Most of their selection is available in sizes up to 30, with some styles up to 34.  I just wish they’d show more of their coats on visibly plus size models.

Mango‘s plus size collection (formerly known as Violeta) also has a good selection of on-trend coats, including wool and real leather options.  I haven’t tried any of their recent season items, but my European blogger friends have consistently liked the quality of their outerwear, and there are some great looking options available to shop now:

Old Navy recently made the smart decision to start carrying their full size range (up to 4x) in all items, and to stock all sizes both in stores and online. This led me to take a second look at their selection, and I found that they actually have some cute stuff, including in their outerwear section.  Their puffers come in a good variety of colors, and felt nice and cozy when I tried one on this weekend:

Fashion to Figure doesn’t have a huge selection of coats, and their availability is very seasonal (i.e. when they’re gone; they’re gone), but the coats they do have tend to make an impact:

Boohoo is very much fast fashion, and the quality and sizing is not incredibly consistent, but they do have some really fun styles in coats:

Lane Bryant has a more limited selection of winter coats as of now (they are another place where some styles sell out early), but the ones they do have are going to be true to plus sizes, and most of them are on sale right now too.

Athleta is best known for their activewear, but they actually have a decent selection of coats too, with a variety of warmth levels and performance features, all in sizes up to 3x.

Universal Standard is a good option if you are looking for quality and one of the most inclusive size ranges out there (00-40). I haven’t tried any of the newer puffer styles, but the ones I’ve tried in past seasons have always felt great on.

H&M has a very limited selection of plus size outerwear at the moment, but their style turnover is high, and sometimes there are great deals to be found.

Ashley Stewart has some great colorful puffer jackets, along with fun (but less practical) options like sequin fringe and pearl trimmed capes.  Don’t forget to check out their Sale Coats section too – the clearance items don’t show up in the main Coats section.

Bonus: This plaid Girl with Curves Collection coat by blogger Tanesha Awasthi is an incredible option if you are in a place where the winters aren’t quite as bitter, but you still want a wintry vibe.  And it is available in sizes up to 36!

 

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If you have any questions about sizing or have a specific coat recommendation you are still looking for, follow me on Instagram or TikTok (@curvily on both!) and leave your Q as a comment – I love chatting with my readers!