A beanie might be the hardest-working accessory in a winter closet. It keeps your ears warm on the walk to class, covers a second-day hair situation, and makes a plain coat look like an outfit. Knowing how to style a beanie mostly comes down to picking the right fit, playing with where it sits on your head, and choosing a color that works with your coat.
Below are five beanie outfits for cold weather, from cozy to a little more polished. We'll also cover which beanie shapes look best with different coats and how to keep your hair from going flat underneath.
Pick the right beanie fit
Beanies come in a few main shapes. A fisherman beanie is short and fitted, with a cuff that sits above the ears. A cuffed beanie is a little taller, with a folded brim you can adjust. A slouchy beanie has extra length that falls toward the back of your head.
Fitted styles look neat and work well with tailored coats. Slouchy styles look relaxed and pair nicely with puffers and oversized sweaters. If you're buying one beanie this winter, a cuffed beanie in a neutral color is the most flexible, since you can fold it short or let it sit taller.
Look at the material too. Wool and wool blends are warm and hold their shape. Acrylic is often softer on the skin and easier to wash. If wool makes your forehead itchy, look for a beanie with a soft fleece or satin lining.
A cuffed fisherman beanie + a long wool coat
Wear a short fisherman beanie folded so it sits right above the tops of your ears. Pair it with a long camel or charcoal wool coat, a fine-knit turtleneck, straight-leg trousers and loafers.
This is the most polished way to wear a beanie. The short shape shows off your face and your earrings, and it doesn't compete with the clean lines of the coat. Small gold hoops or pearl studs look so pretty peeking out under the cuff.
Choose a beanie color from the rest of the outfit. A cream beanie with a camel coat and a cream turtleneck looks soft and put together. A black beanie with a charcoal coat looks sleek.
How to style a beanie with a puffer jacket
A slouchy beanie and a puffer jacket are a great match because they're both relaxed and cozy. Wear the beanie pulled down over your ears with the extra length falling toward the back.
Try a cropped puffer in black or olive with high-waisted jeans, a gray hoodie underneath, and chunky sneakers or snow boots. A beanie in a bright color, like cherry red or cobalt blue, adds a fun pop to a dark puffer.
If your puffer has a hood, pick a thinner beanie so the hood still fits over it on a snowy day. A thick chunky knit plus a hood can feel like wearing three hats.
A chunky knit beanie + a matching scarf
Matching your beanie and scarf is an easy way to look put together with zero effort. Choose a chunky ribbed beanie and a thick knit scarf in the same color, like oatmeal, forest green or burgundy.
Wear them over a neutral coat so the set stands out. A gray wool coat with a burgundy beanie and scarf set would look so good on a gray December morning. Add jeans and lace-up boots to keep the rest simple.
If you'd rather not match exactly, choose two shades of one color. A light gray beanie with a charcoal scarf feels coordinated without looking like a gift set.
A beanie with a pom-pom + a cozy sweater
A pom-pom beanie feels playful and a little nostalgic, like a ski trip or a holiday market. Wear it with an oversized Fair Isle or cable-knit sweater, leggings or jeans, and shearling-lined boots.
This is the outfit for ice skating, a walk to see holiday lights, or a hot chocolate run with friends. A cream beanie with a cream pom-pom looks classic. A pastel pink or baby blue one adds a soft, sweet touch.
For more cold-weather plans that call for this exact outfit, our cozy winter bucket list for students has plenty of ideas.
A beanie with a flannel shacket + a hoodie
For a laid-back weekend look, layer a flannel shacket over a hoodie with the hood out. Add a cuffed beanie in a color pulled from the flannel's plaid. Finish with straight jeans and hiking boots.
This is a good outfit for running errands, studying at a coffee shop, or heading to a cold football game. The beanie keeps the outfit feeling a little more styled than a plain hoodie and jeans.
A beanie in rust, mustard or olive looks especially good with a red or green flannel. Add a thermal long-sleeve tee under the hoodie on a really cold day, and swap the hiking boots for duck boots if there's slush on the sidewalks.
You can also wear the beanie with the cuff unfolded for a more slouchy look. Changing how much you fold the brim is an easy way to make one beanie look different all week.
How to choose a beanie color
Neutral beanies are the easiest to wear every day. Black, charcoal, cream, oatmeal and camel go with almost any coat. If you only own one beanie, pick the color closest to your coat or your favorite scarf.
A colorful beanie is a fun way to brighten up a dark winter wardrobe. Burgundy looks rich with camel and gray. Forest green looks great with cream and brown. Cherry red pops against a black or navy puffer. Pastel shades like baby pink and light blue feel soft next to a cream coat.
Try repeating the beanie color somewhere else in your outfit, like your gloves, socks or a stripe in your sweater. That small repeat makes the whole outfit look planned. A burgundy beanie with burgundy nails and a cream sweater looks so cute together.
Earrings and accessories under a beanie
Small earrings show up best with a beanie, since the brim sits close to your ears. Gold hoops, pearl studs and small huggies all look pretty peeking out under a cuff. Skip long dangly earrings that can catch on the knit.
Glasses work well with beanies too. Pull the beanie down so it sits above the frames instead of pushing them down your nose.
How to wear a beanie without flattening your hair
Beanies and hair have a complicated relationship. A few small tricks help your hair look good when the beanie comes off indoors.
Make sure your hair is completely dry before you put on a beanie. Damp hair dries in the shape of the hat, which is how you end up with a crease across your forehead. A silk or satin-lined beanie can also reduce frizz and static.
Try wearing the beanie farther back on your head, so it doesn't sit flat on your bangs or front pieces. Soft waves, a low braid, or a low ponytail all look cute under a beanie. Two loose braids peeking out under the cuff look especially sweet.
When you take the beanie off, flip your hair upside down and shake it out at the roots. A little dry shampoo can add volume back. A small travel brush or claw clip in your bag helps too.
Wear it the right way for warmth
Pull the beanie down over your ears on freezing or windy days. The National Weather Service's cold weather safety tips recommend covering your head and ears in bitter cold. Style can wait until you're inside.
How to care for your beanie
Check the care label before washing. Many wool beanies should be hand-washed in cool water with a gentle detergent and laid flat to dry. The Woolmark Company's care guide explains how to wash and dry wool knits so they keep their shape.
Acrylic beanies can often go in the washing machine on a gentle cycle inside a mesh laundry bag. Avoid the dryer for any knit hat, since heat can shrink or stretch it out of shape.
If you wear your beanie every day, wash it every couple of weeks. A fabric shaver removes pilling and makes an older beanie look new again.
For more ways to dress up winter layers, see our ideas for ways to wear a scarf with a sweater. And if you're planning a whole outfit around your coat, the rust coat with a blue scarf and loafers is a fun one to try with a cream beanie.
Our favorite combination this winter? A cream fisherman beanie, a camel coat and gold hoops. It's warm, it's simple, and it goes with almost everything.
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