You bought a beanie to go with your new coat. As far as you know, the two look great together. But wait. There is more to it than color and style coordination. How you wear your new beanie will ultimately determine whether or not it’s a good look for you.
The beanie is a seemingly simplistic piece of outerwear that doesn’t appear to offer many options for wearing. But that is where most people misunderstand this particular article of clothing. There is more than one way to rock a beanie. In fact, there are five ways:
1. All the Way Down
The first option is to pull the beanie all the way down on your head. Do not leave any excess material at the top. Now, this might be your only choice if your new beanie is a size or two too small. But if it’s large enough to leave some excess material, pull it down tight and then fold up the excess to create a cuff around your forehead.
This look is great for reducing your profile. It is a good option if you are wearing a short jacket that goes no further than the waist. It doesn’t work well with longer jackets because it makes your head look too small.
2. Straight Up
The complete opposite of wearing a beanie all the way down is wearing it a straight up. With this configuration, any excess material you have sticks straight up in the air. It creates a crown that adds a little more shape to your head. How much excess material you leave straight up is entirely up to you. Adjust the size of the crown by positioning the hat on your head and then balancing the crown against the cuff.
3. The Slouch
You might have some extra material up top, but you don’t want it sticking straight up in the air. After all, you’re not an elf. So what do you do? You pull the excess slightly backwards and let it hang off the back of your head. The slouch look is slightly laid-back without being too informal.
We like the slouch with a nice denim jacket from our boutique. Note that it doesn’t work well with tightly knit beanies that are exceptionally stiff. A softer wool beanie is ideal for the slouch.
4. The Super Slouch
To pull off the super slouch, you really need a large beanie. Buy one at least a size or two bigger than you need. Now, place it on your head so that it covers most of your forehead and your ears. All of the excess gets pulled down so that it hangs off the back of the head like a bag.
Think of the super slouch as a low hanging bun. That’s the look you’re trying to create. It is perfect for guys and gals with a lot of excess hair to account for. All of that hair sits nicely underneath the beanie, just above the neckline.
5. The Push Back
The point of the push back look is to cover the top of the head but leave the forehead uncovered. Instead of the bottom of the cuff sitting just above the eyebrows, it sits on top of the skull – right where it meets the top of the forehead. Your ears are only half covered as well.
And now you know how to wear that new beanie and jacket you bought from The Stockist. Be sure to match the look with the style of your jacket. Pull it off and you will be rocking your beanie like a pro.