Slouchy Beanie

How Much Slouch Looks Right

The slouch should sit behind the crown, not on top of it. Set the brim just above the eyebrows or a finger width higher, then let the spare length fall toward the back. If the hat puffs up on top, tug it lower behind, toward the nape, and the extra knit drops into a soft fold. A mirror check from the side tells you more than one from the front.

• Brim near the brow. The anchor for the whole shape.
• Fold falls back. Spare length sits behind the crown.
• Puff on top. Pull down at the back to fix it.

Keeping a Slouchy Beanie On in Wind

A slouchy hat is roomier than a cuffed one, so a gust can lift it. Bring the brim down until it covers the upper rim of each ear, where the head is widest, and it grips far better than when it sits high. On a blustery day, slide a bobby pin through the brim behind each ear and the hat stays put with no hardware on show.

• Over the ears. The widest point holds best.
• Pins behind the ears. Hidden and secure.
• Push back later. Relax the look once indoors.

Choosing a Slouchy Beanie Shade

Pick the shade by the coat you wear most rather than by the hat alone. Black and charcoal anchor a dark parka, oatmeal beige and heather gray soften a camel or navy coat, and a plush looped black adds texture to a plain wool one. A hat that echoes the shade of a scarf or a pair of gloves looks planned, while one that matches nothing looks like an afterthought.

• Dark coats. Black or charcoal.
• Camel or navy. Oatmeal beige or heather gray.
• Plain wool. A looped texture for interest.

For the yarns themselves, the alpaca wool page compares pure alpaca with the blend, and the gray beanie page gathers the gray shades.