The holidays are here and we're in Full Winter Mode, which means you should absolutely bundle up with a beanie on your noggin. Though I'm admittedly more of a summer gal, I do look forward to the cozy feeling of a soft hat covering my forehead and ears—and coordinating my beanie with a statement coat or jacket. While you do not lose most of your body heat through your head (that has been debunked, but who else thought this was a thing?!),it still does a lot to keep you warm in frigid temps.
If you're a bit confused about how to pull one off or you want to see all the ways you can wear a beanie, I went ahead and demonstrated five styles using some I had lying around in my closet. I might not look as chic as the street style star above, but I did my best, okay?! Once you get over your aversion to hat hair (it's a process, I know), you'll love how the simple addition to your headwear can completely transform your look—and the tips below will definitely help you out.
How you can wear them also depends on the types of beanies you have, like if they’re long or short, cuffed or uncuffed, etc., so you should play around with the shape until it sits exactly how you want it to. (To get the lowdown on all the other types of hats out there, click the link.)
When you inevitably feel inspired by all the comfy and beanies, I also included some to shop ASAP so you can pair them with all your cute winter coats. Go bold with bright hues and thick knits or keep it more subdued with neutrals and minimal designs. May you stay bundled up and v stylish this cold winter season.
Sticking Straight Up
It’s all about finding the right beanie with this style. You want one that’s more thick and structured so it’s able to stay up straight rather than fall backward behind your head. It’s one of my favorite ways to wear a beanie since you don’t have to spend ages fiddling around with it to make sure it’s laying the right way like you might do with other slouchy styles. Just throw that sucker on, walk out the door, and you'll look fab.
Pushed Back
To quote Regina George, your hair beanie looks sexy pushed back. If you have bangs or generally don’t like covering all of your hair, you can opt to wear your hat this way. Lay the front of the beanie a couple inches away from your hairline but not too far away that it slides off. It’s tricky, I know, but I believe in you. Pulling it slightly over your ears can help secure it better, and you're good to go.
Super Slouchy
Grab a long or cuffed beanie to pull this off. With the latter, you can unroll it so you have more material to work with. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but put it over your head to where you like, then fold over the fabric in the back so that it hangs nicely. David Beckham is also a big fan of wearing them like this, if you wanted to pull off the same look. FWIW, David Beckham would look incredible wearing a beanie (or really any hat) whichever way he wanted, but I digress.
Semi-Slouchy
You can pull this off with shorter or longer styles. Fit it over your head just enough so that there’s material in the back that folds over a bit for that effortless, just-threw-this-on sort of vibe. Mess around with the fabric for however long you need so it sits exactly how you want it.
All the Way Down
This works best with shorter beanies, also known as fisherman beanies, because you can pull it entirely down without it covering your eyes. I don't know about you, but being able to see is important, people! Some styles are even shorter so that your ears are more exposed, but you can choose whichever one you prefer. If you want a beanie that hugs your entire head without any spaces in between, these beanies are for you. (I like covering my ears entirely because they’re *very* sensitive to the cold if you happen to be in the same boat.)
Some cute beanies for you to try out yourself!
Carhartt Tonal Patch Beanie
Apparis Clarissa Beanie
Cuyana Cashmere Beanie
Daily Paper Pink Nes Beanie
Dana Scott Knit Beanie
Hat Attack All Occasion Beanie
Madewell Cuffed Beanie
I'm Cosmopolitan's Associate Fashion Editor and write about any and all trends, major celeb fashion moments, and why wide-leg jeans are basically the best. I originally moved to New York City to audition for RENT, only to find out that the play closed 10 years ago.
