A haircut fit for a hat!

November 20, 2017 1:16 PM

Seeking recommendations for a women's haircut or hairstyle that withstands the impact of winter hats!

I just finished bicycle helmet season and realized that the haircut that sort of worked with a helmet works less with a winter hat. I am generally a fan of function over style but dream about looking professional when I arrive at work. My hair is baby fine, wavy/curly when air-dried, and straight if blow dried. Hair product mostly turns my hair into a crunchy, stringy mess. Any suggestions?

[I live in Minnesota and often ride the bus, so trading a hat for earmuffs or something is not going to work]

posted by Maarika to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (7 answers total)

What bad thing happens when you wear hats that doesn't happen after wearing a helmet? I have fine, very straight hair cut all to one length at my shoulders. I can wear hats on wet or dry hair and it ends up looking about the same as when I don't wear a hat because my hair is pretty close to my head, aka flat. This is not answering your question but a larger, less tight, hat may have less impact on your hairstyle though might fall off while bicycling. Another option may be to wet your hair to some small extent in the bathroom after wearing a hat to reinstate the wavy/curly look?
posted by RoadScholar at 4:08 PM on November 20, 2017

My hat hair is crazy. Sometimes a hat merely flattens the hair, other times it flattens the top but makes weird waves/curls at the bottom (so my hair looks like a bell), and other times it destroys my hair enough that it has weird cowlicks when I give up and try to put it in a lame ponytail.
posted by Maarika at 4:56 PM on November 20, 2017

When I had longer curly hair, I'd wear a silk scarf underneath my bike helmet or hat; it generally did the work of keeping my hair from getting mangled in transit. (Fold square scarf into triangle. Knot two corners under your hair, at the back of your neck. Apply hat or helmet. Fluff upon arrival.) One thing I'd caution is that you probably don't want to have part of your hair compressed by a hat and the rest moving freely. You'll end up with two totally different styles of hair going on, not great. If the top's compressed, make sure the bottom is, too.

As for a haircut that withstands all hats and helmets: I ask for a #5 on the sides and back, and finger-length or shorter scissor cut on the top. If you've got curly hair, this does not end up giving you a buzz-cut look. It may also not be what you're looking for, but it does work (but also often requires a bit of fluffing and application of water after hat/helmet removal.)
posted by asperity at 6:58 PM on November 20, 2017

I have similar hair, though not as fine. My hairstylist describes what she does for this as "cutting lots of 45-degree angles" and it means that my hair is layered and a little messy, but in a good way - lots of motion - and hats/helmets don't do as much damage. Bangs, no part, shaggy - asymmetrical can also work. Also, best advice I ever got about hair (I think from AskMe) was to touch your hair and your head when you talk to your stylist about what you want. Show them with your hands as much as you can. Good luck!
posted by acridrabbit at 7:00 PM on November 20, 2017

I have similar hair, although a little less fine. Will it seem unprofessional if you just embrace the mess and leave it wavy/curly? This works for some definitions of professional- I teach, no one blinks at this- but maybe not others. This is the only way I have found hair zen; I have my hairdresser cut it about chin-length with some layers to take out a little weight.

To style, I comb it with fingers or a wide-tooth comb, shake it into ringlets, scrunch a tiny bit of curl product in, spin in some ringlets with my fingers if I am feeling fancy and let it air dry in its messy glory. If it gets flattened/hatted/etc., I can just mist it to get it wet with a spray bottle of water and do the same 30 second styling thing (with or without additional product) and it mostly springs back where it was.
posted by charmedimsure at 7:20 PM on November 20, 2017

When are you using the product, and have you browsed the many Asks on non-gross products?

I stuff my hair into a hat very very sloppily, but if I have to take the hat off and look like a normal person, a wet brush and a bit of product then are key to restoring it. My hair sounds a fair bit like yours and "texturising cream"-type products work best, and I find anything made by KMS does what it claims it will do.

The hats are usually baggy, or satin-lined, for what that's worth. Tight toques are a thing one does not bounce back from with fine hair. Mine is about shoulder-length and hat-head avoidance seems to work best when I shove ALL hair into the hat instead of just plopping the hat on my head.
posted by kmennie at 7:41 PM on November 20, 2017

I have hair like you and pretty much can't wear hats. I walk or bus everywhere in a similar climate (I think) and just use a parka with the hood up all winter. I only need to add a headband when it dips below - 20Cish or if it's really windy. The hood is actually much warmer than a hat since the fake fur edge blocks a ton of wind from hitting your face (and neck). If it's so cold my forehead starts hurting, a headband fixes that.

If you don't have a down parka it's a bit of an investment (though you don't need to get the really fancy $$ ones, mine was 200 and works fine) so that may be a deal breaker, though from what I've heard of Minnesota winters I would think you'd want one. Seriously everyone wears one here, they're so much better than a ski jacket or whatever.
posted by randomnity at 10:12 AM on November 21, 2017