Winter hat hair. It’s sorta like a big messy Monday that happens almost everyday of the winter – it’s unavoidable and inevitable. So after, blankity-blank (I’m modest like that) years “enjoying” (cough) winters, I have sorta figured out how to deal with messy winter hair. Or at least how to ignore it, but ignoring is still a coping skill, and when it comes to hair I don’t think it’s an unhealthy one. *The above image is from Cara Loren, who makes winter hat hair look pretty darn amazing.

Here are a few great hairstyles to help with that that inevitable hat hair….


BRAIDED CROWN – This is a great style if you wear a lot of scarves. Keep that hair off your neck to avoid that nape of the neck hair bird’s nest. I know you know what I’m talking about. If your hair isn’t crazy thick (and if it is, I’m personally very jealous), this should fit nicely under a winter hat and stay pretty well intact all day. And hey look, there is even a tutorial from Camille Styles.

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ASYMMETRICAL BOB – I’m itching to chop all my hair off. 1 week into winter and I’m waving the white flag. This slightly longer and slightly asymmetrical bob is a great cut for the winter. Your hair doesn’t get all caught up in the scarf and coat party at the back, and it stays long enough to cover the sides of your face at the front. [image via martisa]


SIDE BRAID – This is my go to winter hairstyle. Sure it doesn’t really prevent hat hair, but it’s the style I go to when I’m putting on a beanie – my ends look finished and then I just wear the beanie as an all day accessory. Usually temps are cold enough that keeping it on all day makes sense anyways. This fish tail braid is way classier then my usual side braid and here is a tutorial from Camille Styles.


LOW LOOSE BUN – Low and loose enough that it hangs below your hat, and loose enough that when you take off your hair the slight bit of hat hair just adds to the loose and messy hairstyle. [image via they all hate us]

HALF UP TWIST – Great for long or short hair. A really great quick fix for after you take your hat off, and it’s just too messy to ignore. Keep some bobby pins and a hair tie with you just in case! [image via nylon pinky]


FLAT IRON CURLS – taking a page from Cara Loren (the very first image) and add volume and movement to your hair. After you take your hat off, it will be a big flatter and the cold will have taken a bit of the curl down, but if you shake it up a bit you should be left with a pretty chic bed head style (hey, bed head can look good!). Another great tutorial from Camille Styles.


HALF CROWN BUN – I feel like I’ve used this one many times in my hair posts before, it’s just that good. It’s a great loose and messy style, while still being together and styled. For winter I would drop the bun and the half crown down a little bit, making it lower on the neck so a hat can fit over top. Since the style is a bit loose, after you remove your hat your hair will most likely just look better than it did before you left your house. Also a great tutorial from Tessa Rayanne.


KNOTTED SIDE BRAID – Great for all the same reasons the fish tail side braid (above) was great, plus it looks totally different. So you get the same benefits but you don’t have to look like you are wearing the same style everyday. Need a tutorial, Camille Styles has a great one.


LOOSE DEW DROP PONY – A quick fix for when you are running out the door, and a great way to keep your hair together and not getting all tangled in your coat or scarf. Also a great fix for later in the day when your hair is just needs a bit of taming. A great keep your hat on all day style. [image via musings in femininity]

TWISTED PONY BRAID – My guess is that this would be a good all season hairstyle for most hair types. It keeps everything tight and together, pull a hat on over top and there isn’t much loose hair to make a mess for when you remove it. Or go for an ear warmer and avoid hat hair all together. A great tutorial from Lululemon.


FRENCH BRAIDS – A single french braid is a go to winter hair style. After I take off my hat if the braid is messy I just undo it. I suspect the french pig tails would be equally as great, and they would look really cute sticking out under a winter hat. [image from bmodish]


SIDE BUN – Like the side braids, this a great go to. Looks chic under a hat, and a good style for an all day beanie wear. And sometimes it stays intact well after removing your hat. A great tutorial from once wed.

A few more tips for how to deal with hat hair:

  • Carry a small bottle of dry shampoo with you which can be good for a quick shake up/shake out of your hair, adding a bit more texture and volume back into your hair.
  • Before putting your hat on, try parting your hair the opposite way. That way when you take your hat off, you can flip your hair over the correct way (correct to you) and it won’t be flat.
  • Go for natural fiber hats cotton or wool. It’s not totally avoidable but winter static will be drastically cut in half when you steer away from synthetic fibers (like polyesters, acrylics and some fleece variety’s).
  • Try a french braid, and remove it after taking your hat off. Your hair won’t be flat and it will have some texture for a quick bathroom styling.
  • The best ever hat hair tip: My most favorite thing about winter and fall is hat season. If you can plan to keep your hat on all day long, this is the best tip ever. Don’t brush it, finger brush it in the morning and then pop your hat on. Leave all that bed head texture and keep it looking effortless, no one will ever know and heck you didn’t have to spend any time at all doing your hair.

Last year I wrote a post about how to protect your hair from the winter cold, hair styles and tips for protecting your hair and keeping your head warm – so these tips and hairstyle will be an addition to that. If you need more inspiration for how to ignore, cope or deal with winter hat hair have a click back. Also I don’t know all hair types very well, so if you you have a great hairstyle to help ignore, cope with or beat winter hat hair for your specific hair type,  that you absolutely adore – please leave a link in the comments!