Beanies are all the rage right now. They have become a big style for men and fit most clothing styles and events. Whether you are at work, going to hang out with friends, or going on a date, beanies can be a way to show off your style and add an accessory to complement the rest of your outfit.
If you are new to beanies, you may not be sure where to start. To make it easier, this article will cover the two biggest things, which are the most popular styles of beanies for men, and where to buy them. Included are some good brands to try out as well as some stores worth trying to shop around in.
Additionally, while styles are important, there are other things you can consider with beanies as well, such as their material, colors, and thickness.
Beanie Styles
There are a couple of different ways to wear beanies for men. The way you wear a beanie determines which beanie styles work better for you.
Check out some of these beanie style inspirations below.
Slouch
The first style is a slouch beanie. In this style, you cover up your ears fully and don’t cuff the beanie at all. You want to make sure that the beanie is slouched in the back and not standing straight up.
For this style, there are beanies specifically tailored to it. They are usually bigger and more relaxed in shape. They often have extra fabric near the back as well, to help with the slouch look. Sometimes, they can have pom-poms at the end.
If you use other beanies with this style, you tend to have beanies that stand straight up from the head. This can also be a style, but it isn’t as widespread and only works well for certain men.
There may be a cuff on these, but not often. They fit well with a more casual look like a denim jacket, rather than work clothes or trench coats.
Some good places to get slouch beanies are:
- Pistil Fergus
- REI
- Dakine Tall Boy
- Fjallraven Ovik
- Smartwool
- Coal Hardwear Rogers
- MoMoon
- Outdoor Research Wind Warrior
One Cuff
The next style is one cuff. This is when you roll your beanie up once to create a single cuff. In general, this style should cover up the top of your ears. It can be also known as a single roll.
It should be tight on your head with no space for loose fabric. The cuff is usually a big one, a couple of inches tall. The cuff should be even all the way across, even behind your head.
These are considered the most traditional style, and the most classic. They are reminiscent of the navy. They are great for cooler weather as they protect the tops of your ears and forehead. A good starter is one in darker colors, as that matches most winter wardrobes.
Bobble hats can also be cuffed, and this is the most common form. They are simple cuffed beanies with a bobble at the top. Some rumors state that this was originally used in the navy to protect sailors from hitting their heads as hard.
Like with the slouch beanie, there are specific beanies that are designed to cuff once. Sometimes, they can be cuffed manually, so that way you can pick the perfect thickness for your head. However, there are also ones that are sewn into a permanent cuff so you don’t have to worry about it being even all the way around your head.
These beanies often have a logo or design on the front of the cuff, so you know that they are made to be cuffed beanies. They are also usually a lot stiffer than slouch beanies. If you tried to use them in a slouch style, they would be too short and stand straight up instead of slouching as they should.
Some good brands to check out are:
- EDWIN
- Dalgado
- Unrecorded
- Luca Faloni
- Closed
- Percival
- Carhartt
- Columbia
- Timberland
- Rothco
- Brixton
- Polo Ralph Lauren
- M-Tac
Two Cuffs
Finally, the last style is the two cuffs option. Also popularly known as the fisherman, this is similar to the one cuff option but done twice.
The cuffs are usually a little thinner than the one cuff, though that is up to personal preference. Usually, the ears are both uncovered. And the cuff should be equal thickness across it. The beanies should be tight on your head, with no space between your crown and the top of the beanie.
Again, some are ones you can roll yourself and look very similar to the one cuff beanies. Others are pre-sewn that way and you just have to put them on and adjust where you like them.
The fisherman beanies are called so because they are reminiscent of the wool hats worn by fishermen working on the docks. These caps were practical because they were easy to fit in a pocket and don’t take up much space while also keeping the head warm when needed.
Depending on the fabric, it doesn’t always keep you warm, so it is a good option for the summer and works well for hipster and fashion-forward styles. However, if you live in milder places during winter, or don’t mind freezing for fashion, then this is a doable option still.
Some good brands to check out are:
- ISTO
- Wahts
- Wax London
- Wawwa
- Patagonia
- Away Without Leave
- Norse Projects
- Carhartt
- Corridor
- Fjallraven
- UNIQLO
Where to Buy Beanies
There are plenty of places to buy beanies. You can check out your local hunting and fishing stores, big stores like Walmart or Target, and men’s fashions that revolve around work, hipster, streetwear, or winter trends. They may even be in outdoor adventure stores like REI or Sierra Trading Post.
You can also look online. Most of the brands listed above have their own online stores, or you can check on big online retailers like Amazon.
If you are new to beanies and not sure which style will fit you better it may be best to try out beanies at a physical store first. Once you find a material and style you like, you can start to purchase some online if that works better for you.