Winter hairstyles have one job most guides forget: they have to look good after a hat, a scarf and a commute. The fourteen below start subtle and get bolder as you go, and each one comes with a note on how it holds up under a beanie and how much static it invites.
Quick Take: Fourteen winter hairstyles, from subtle to statement, each rated for how well it survives a hat. The ones that work best keep the hair low and loose, away from the crown where a beanie presses down, and most take under ten minutes. If you only learn one, make it the low claw-clip twist at number 02.
The 14 styles at a glance
What’s Inside
- 01. Loose Waves Under a Beanie
- 02. The Low Claw-Clip Twist
- 03. The Bubble Ponytail
- 04. Double Dutch Braids
- 05. The Sleek Middle-Part Low Bun
- 06. The Low Updo for Holiday Parties
- 07. The Earmuff Half-Up
- 08. The Braided Ponytail With Hair Cuffs
- 09. The Velvet Bow Half-Up
- 10. Defined Curls That Last the Week
- 11. The Silk Scarf Ponytail
- 12. The Hood-Proof Side Braid
- 13. The Tucked Bob
- 14. The Slicked-Back Party Look
- The Winter Hair Mistakes To Skip This Year
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Last Word on Winter Hairstyles
My winter hair rule is simple: if it cannot survive a beanie, it is a party style, not an everyday one. I wear a hat from December to March, so everything I do on a weekday morning has to look the same, or better, when the hat comes off at the office.
Each style has a “Hat test” line: pass means it comes out of a beanie looking intentional, partial means it needs a thirty-second fix, and fail means wear it with a hood or not at all. Most of them work on shoulder-length hair and longer.
Why Winter Hairstyles Are Changing This Season
The big change is that people are finally treating winter as hard on hair, not just on skin. Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Dr. Wilma Bergfeld explains in Cleveland Clinic’s winter hair guide that static happens when moisture cannot get into the hair strands, and that air drying is always better than heat. She also warns that hair pulled back tightly under accessories breaks, and that buns fold each strand in several places.
That is why the styles below lean loose and low. The American Academy of Dermatology says tight ponytails, buns and braids pulled taut can lead to hair loss over time, and recommends loosening the tension and switching styles regularly. I like that advice because it matches what actually looks good in winter: softer, lower, a little undone.
Winter hair is not about holding a style all day. It is about having one worth taking the hat off for.
01. Loose Waves Under a Beanie
The Style That Wants the Hat
Hat test: pass · Time: 10 minutes
Who else has taken off a beanie and found a flat crown and a frizzy halo? This style plans for the hat. Put loose waves in the lengths only, with a large-barrel wand or a braid you slept in, and leave the top smooth. The beanie sits on the smooth part, and the waves fall out underneath it.
Pull the hat on from the front so it does not drag the hair back, and leave a few pieces out around the face. When it comes off, flip your head over and shake the roots once.
It is the style I wear most days from December on.
02. The Low Claw-Clip Twist
Two Minutes, Any Coat
Hat test: pass · Time: 2 minutes
Twist the hair once at the nape and secure it with a medium claw clip, letting the ends fan out above it. Because it sits low, a beanie or a hood goes right over the top and the clip stays put.
Choose a clip with a matte finish in tortoiseshell, black or cream so it looks deliberate, and leave a few face-framing pieces out. It also takes the pressure off the hair, which is kinder than a tight elastic.
Compared with a ponytail, it creases nothing and leaves no dent.
03. The Bubble Ponytail
A Ponytail That Looks Like Effort
Hat test: partial (wear it low) · Time: 8 minutes
A low ponytail with clear elastics placed every two inches down the length, with each section gently pulled out to make a bubble. It looks complicated and takes eight minutes, and it holds its shape under a coat collar all day.
Keep the base low at the nape so a hat can sit above it, and do not pull the elastics tight; the bubbles should be loose and soft. A faux fur collar and a bubble ponytail is one of the best winter pairings there is.
This is the one people ask about.
04. Double Dutch Braids
Hat test: pass · Time: 15 minutes
Two Dutch braids from the hairline to the nape, finished with small elastics. They lie flat under any hat, stop the hair from tangling in a scarf and hold through snow and drizzle. Pancake the braids slightly with your fingers for a softer look, and keep them loose at the hairline.
Sleep in them and you get waves for the next day too.
05. The Sleek Middle-Part Low Bun
Hat test: fail (save it for hood days) · Time: 10 minutes
A clean middle part, a little smoothing balm and a low, loose bun at the nape. It is the most polished option here and the best with a big coat and gold earrings, but a beanie will flatten it, so wear it on days when the hood does the work.
Keep the bun loose; a tight one is the version dermatologists warn about.
06. The Low Updo for Holiday Parties
The One for the Little Black Dress
Hat test: fail (it is a party style) · Time: 15 minutes
A low, slightly messy updo with a few strands left loose around the face, pinned rather than tied so nothing pulls. It is the style for the office party, the dinner and the New Year’s Eve night where the coat comes off at the door.
Prep with a texturizing spray on second-day hair, twist the lengths up loosely and pin them in place, then pull out a few pieces at the front. Pair it with a black dress, a bold earring and no necklace.
It is the one winter style worth doing properly at least once.
07. The Earmuff Half-Up
Hat test: pass (with earmuffs) · Time: 3 minutes
Take the top section back and secure it with a small clip, leaving the rest down, then put on earmuffs instead of a hat. Earmuffs keep the crown untouched, so the volume survives the walk to work.
The underrated option for anyone who hates hat hair.
Going somewhere fancy after work? Our New Year’s Eve outfits guide has the dress to match the updo.
08. The Braided Ponytail With Hair Cuffs
A Little Jewelry for Your Hair
Hat test: pass · Time: 10 minutes
A low ponytail braided loosely and finished with two or three gold hair cuffs along the length. The cuffs catch the light against a dark sweater and make a simple braid look like a choice.
Brush the hair while it is dry and use a small amount of leave-in conditioner first, because a braid made on staticky winter hair frizzes within an hour.
I would pick this one for a long day that ends at dinner.
09. The Velvet Bow Half-Up
Hat test: partial · Time: 4 minutes
A half-up style tied with a velvet bow in burgundy, black or forest green. It is the most festive thing you can do in four minutes, and it works on everything from a knit dress to jeans and a sweater. Take the bow off for the commute and tie it on when you arrive.
Velvet grips the hair better than satin, so it stays in place.
10. Defined Curls That Last the Week
Hat test: partial (use a satin-lined hat) · Time: 20 minutes on wash day
For curly hair, winter is about moisture: a rich leave-in conditioner, a gel or cream to hold the curl pattern and air drying whenever possible. Sleep on a satin pillowcase or in a bonnet, and choose a satin-lined beanie so the hat does not rough up the curls.
Refresh with water and a little leave-in instead of rewashing.
11. The Silk Scarf Ponytail
The Scarf Does Two Jobs
Hat test: partial · Time: 3 minutes
A low ponytail with a silk scarf tied around the elastic and left to hang down the back. It looks polished with a camel coat, and silk is gentler on the hair than a rubber band.
If you tie a silk scarf over your hair instead of wearing a hat, it also protects the ends from wool and wind. The AAD recommends silk or satin coverings over rougher fabrics for exactly that reason.
Use one scarf all season and it becomes your signature.
12. The Hood-Proof Side Braid
Hat test: pass · Time: 5 minutes
A loose three-strand braid over one shoulder, tied with a small elastic. It sits outside the hood, so the hood goes up without pulling anything out, and it keeps the hair out of a scarf.
It is the easiest style on the list to do in a dark hallway.
13. The Tucked Bob
Hat test: pass · Time: 3 minutes
For short hair, tuck one side behind the ear with two crossed bobby pins and leave the other side loose. When the hat comes off, the tucked side stays neat, and a bit of dry shampoo at the roots brings the volume back.
Short hair needs the least work in winter, and this proves it.
14. The Slicked-Back Party Look
Hat test: fail (it is for the night) · Time: 10 minutes
Hair combed straight back with a gel or a strong-hold cream, either left down or caught in a low knot. It is the statement end of this list, made for a New Year’s Eve party with a strong lip and big earrings, and it is the one style that a hat would ruin.
Wash it out the same night so the gel does not dry the hair.
The Winter Hair Mistakes To Skip This Year
- Going out with wet hair. Wet hair is fragile, and the AAD says to detangle it gently with a wide-tooth comb. Let it dry before the cold, not in it.
- A tight ponytail every single day. Tension over time leads to breakage and hair loss. Rotate styles and keep them loose.
- Maximum heat on dry hair. Heat makes winter damage worse. Air dry when you can and turn the tools down.
- Skipping conditioner because hair feels flat. Dry hair causes static. Use a lighter conditioner, but use one.
The hair care advice is from Cleveland Clinic, the AAD’s guide to hairstyles and hair loss and the AAD’s healthy hair tips. For more ideas, our lace bandana hairstyles add an accessory, the fall hair colors guide covers the color, and the wedding guest hairstyles handle the dressier days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hairstyles are best for winter hats?
Styles that keep the hair low and the crown smooth: loose waves in the lengths, a low claw-clip twist, braids and low ponytails. Avoid high buns and top knots, which a hat flattens.
How do I stop static in my hair in winter?
Static happens when hair is dry. Use conditioner every time you wash, add a leave-in or a drop of hair oil to the ends, and choose a satin-lined hat or a silk scarf over wool.
How do I fix hat hair quickly?
Flip your head over and shake the roots, add a little dry shampoo at the crown and twist the lengths for a minute to bring back the shape.
Are tight ponytails bad for your hair?
Worn every day, yes. The American Academy of Dermatology says styles that pull tightly can lead to hair loss over time, and recommends loosening them and switching styles regularly.
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The Last Word on Winter Hairstyles
The best winter hairstyles are low, loose and planned around the hat rather than in spite of it. Keep the tension off the hair, keep moisture in it, and save the sleek and slicked styles for the nights when the coat comes off at the door.
If I had to keep only one, it would be the low claw-clip twist, because it takes two minutes and looks the same before and after a beanie. Real talk: the best winter hair is the one you do not have to think about at 7 a.m.
Real Talk. Delivered. XOXO
Photos by Kelly Price, Kelley McQuillen and Ilaria cosentino via Dupe, photos by Anna Shekhvatova, Hoàng Phương Nguyễn and cottonbro studio via Pexels, featured photo by Anastasiya Gepp via Pexels
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xoxo, Edina
The girl behind Can We Talks — I test the recipes, wear the trends and plan the parties so you don’t have to guess. More about me