How to Wear a Beanie and Preserve Your Hairdo

People love wearing beanies. They’re great headwear for the cold early morning commute, but they can wreak havoc on your carefully coiffed hairstyle.

If you’re not a fan of having flat hair or a mess of cowlicks, you may hesitate to don a beanie, but keep an open mind. Here are some tips for rocking your beanie while keeping your hat hair in check.

• Don the beanie properly — When you are putting on a beanie, make sure your hair is completely swept back. Then, apply the beanie starting from your forehead and moving toward the back of the neck.

• Style your hair to roll with the beanie — No matter what you do, a beanie is going to have some effect on your hair. But if you take into account how the beanie will affect your hair, you can style it to compensate for some of the hat-induced movement.

• Make adjustments at work — You should always keep a few hair products in your office desk drawer just in case your hair needs a little TLC, especially if you’re planning on wearing a hat. However, make sure you leave enough time in your schedule so you can fix your hair before any major morning meetings.

• Avoid wet or damp hair — Hat hair is bad enough when your hair is dry, but if you put a beanie on wet hair, you’re just asking for trouble. Wearing a beanie with wet hair could lead to matted or tangled hair. To avoid this, completely dry your hair before topping it with the beanie.

• Watch your hair length — Certain lengths of hair are more susceptible to hat hair than others. Keeping your hair short allows you to wear beanies with less worry. However, if you’re not a fan of really short hair, keeping your hair longer is also an option, as certain long haircuts lean into the the messy look as an aesthetic.

If you do everything you can and still end up with messy hat hair after removing your beanie, apply a little water to reset your hair. A beanie is a great addition to complete your outfit and shield your head and ears from chilly weather. Follow these tips so you never have to sacrifice a great hair day.