Like it or not, it’s time to start thinking about winter coats. As painful as that may be for some, let’s at least look on the bright side: There’s a great outerwear trend brewing. If you buy just one this year, make it a cloud coat. Truth be told, the trend started heating up last winter, and it’s gone full-force for F/W 21. So what is a cloud coat and how is it different from a puffer, you ask? Let’s discuss.

In general, a puffer is a very warm, casual coat style that usually zips up and often has a hood. It’s quilted but the quilting is using large and simple. Cloud coats, on the other hand, are usually thinner than a puffer, and often feature smaller quilting, such as diamond shapes, hourglasses, or even flowers. It also is typically a bit dressier than a puffer, and usually has buttons or snaps as opposed to a zipper. As for the neckline, it may be collared or resemble a bomber jacket. And like puffers, they’re typically made of nylon.

Cloud coats have been trending all over Instagram as of late (since it doesn’t have to be freezing to wear one), and we’re inspired to get one of our own. Scroll to see how fashion girls are wearing them and shop the best ones.

Seeing as we’re in peak fall and a (long) winter is getting closer by the day, there’s no time like the present to make sure your cold-weather wardrobe is all set. That means not only touching on a few of the season’s most important trends but also having your basics such as jeans, sweaters, and button-downs covered. If just the thought of this task is sending you into a sartorially induced tailspin, don’t worry because this is the moment where I come in to, well, save the day. 

To make things as easy as humanly possible for you, I turned to three of our favorite and most convenient shopping sites to bring you everything you need for the months ahead in just one roundup. Including jackets, coats, boots, and bags, there are so many amazing cold-weather finds on Shopbop, Nordstrom, and H&M at the moment that I actually had trouble narrowing down my favorites to just 42 items. Nonetheless, I did it, so to shop my range of picks from each site, no matter what your wardrobe needs, just keep scrolling.

I’m not going to lie—amidst home renovations, my toddler starting pre-school, and an uncertain global pandemic—I’d say my shopping budget this fall lies in the scope of slim to minuscule. Luckily, however, as Who What Wear’s market editor, I’ve become quite the expert at weeding out which trends and styles are worth spending your hard-earned cash on—and how to acquire them for less.

With a whole host of new trends to get excited about this fall, today I wanted to share the pieces I’ll be prioritizing with my limited budget. From cool sweater vests to lug sole boots and knit cropped tops, scroll below if you’re looking to find some of this season’s most fashionable finds for under-$100.