beauty

Goodbye, hat hair: 6 hairstyles that will help you survive beanie season.

Image: Rihanna is a beanie baby (Insstagram)

Beanies are the headwear equivalent of going out with your doona on. They’re snuggly, keep your ears warm and are particularly handy at hiding bad hair days.

And, of course, they gained major attention last month when Carrie Bickmore used her Gold Logie win to raise awareness of brain cancer by accepting the award in a beanie (and sparking a social media trend, as you can see below).

The only problem with these “hat-blankets”? The dragged-through-the-bushes crazy-hair look you often get when you take them off. (Post continues after gallery.)

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The good news? You don’t have to choose between a warm head and good hair — you can have both. We consulted the experts to discover how to beat hat hair and which hairstyles work best under a beanie.

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Beating hat hair

According to hair stylist and salon owner Barney Martin, the trick is to be careful about creating static in your hair, which woollen beanies can often cause.

“The best way to avoid this after removing your beanie is to apply a few drops of serum to the palms of your hands and smooth over the hair,” he says.

“Alternatively, apply hairspray to a tissue and run down the surface of the hair from roots to ends to tame the flyaways.”

Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn - the queens of hats. Image via Instagram.

 

If you have time to prepare, RAW Creative Director Anthony Nader believes there are also things you can do before you put on your hat that will ensure good results post-beanie.

"Go easy on the serums and spray sheens and use on damp hair only," he says.

"By doing this, when you blow out your locks, not only will the product absorb far better  into each hair strand, but you also won't get that flat hat hair look."

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When getting a haircut in winter, Nader recommends asking your hairstylist for a few lighter layers around the crown area, as having all one length or longer layers means more fighting with trying to get that "extra oomph" on top.

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There's also a simple tool you can use in the shower that will also work wonders.

"I know it's not all that impressive while you're showering, but pop on a shower cap (yes, a shower cap - get the campest one you can find and embrace the fun here, girls!) as your hair strands will be protected from any excess moisture," he says.

If you don't have time to wash your hair in the morning, there's a saving tip for that too.

"Invest in a coloured dry shampoo and spray on the top area to give those roots some life again. It's also a sure winner for soaking up any natural oils that are the reason why you have hat hair in the first place," Nader says.

RELATED: 3 oils you didn’t know will work wonders on your hair

 Beanie-proof hairstyles

1. Hat Plait

The hat plait is a super easy hairstyle that takes just seconds to do.

Go with the flow and position your hat at the desired angle first. Then, gather your hair to the opposite side of the tilt of the hat (or preferred side) and braid the tail, starting from behind the ear and secure.

Image via Instagram (@beyonce)

2. A chignon

"Try a low chignon that's pinned low into the nape area," says Nader. "But plait the tail and pull it apart a bit so it looks current and not like you've just done an equestrian race." (Post continues after video.)

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3. Tousled hair

"Pop your hair up in a loose bun whilst still slightly damp and put your hat on top," says Martin. "When you take it off and release from your bun, you will have created a soft tousled look. It takes a bit of practise though!"

RELATED: Genius hairstyles for those of us who weren’t born with thick, luscious hair

4. A low pony

Nader also recommends a chic low ponytail with no partline. Simply secure in the centre of the nape of your neck and ensure the tail looks smooth with a dollop of shine serum. (Post continues after gallery.)

 5. Statement clip

"Sweep your hair back away from your face and start a loose plait from just below the crown area," says Nader. "Then flip the tail up into the side of your nape area and clip it with a stand-out clip."

"Don't be afraid to make a statement here and go bold to make it the feature."

RELATED: The runway hairstyle ANYONE can do

6. Runway reality

If you need a fancy looking hairstyles that don't require fancy skills then this one is definitely for you.

"If your short on time, just go with your "hat hair"," says Nader. "Sweep your hair back into a slick low ponytail, then to change things up a bit, divide the tail into two and twist each tail around each other from the base to the ends. Then secure with a snag free elastic for a look that's straight off the runway."

What's your go-to hat hairstyle?