The 15 Best Beanies of 2024

As fall’s chill transitions into more frigid temperatures, we’re looking to trusted winter wardrobe essentials like the beanie to make the incoming weather shift just a little more bearable. A quintessential cold-weather staple, beanies lend a layer of warmth to our heads and ears as we take on the elements and are versatile enough to be paired with all of our outerwear favorites, from our puffiest parkas to our sleekest trench coats.

Today's beanie offering includes a seemingly infinite range of fabrics, silhouettes, and colors to suit various needs and tastes, whether you prefer a chunky rib knit with some room and stretch or a skull-hugging fisherman style. And with plenty of luxury options on the market — think super-soft cashmere and statement-making designer pieces — this humble winter hat has been taken to new sartorial heights. Needless to say, it can be quite a feat to sift through them all to find the ones that perfectly marry style and function. That’s why we tapped a team of style experts to help us determine which ones are actually worth it — keeping varying preferences and budgets in mind, of course.

Best Overall

Sunday Best Snowflake Beanie

Aritzia

What We Love: The design and fabrication make this beanie a warm, durable, and stylish choice.

What We Don’t Love: It might fit too large for those who prefer snug beanies.

We’re giving top honors to this simple beanie from Aritzia’s in-house Sunday Best brand because it checks all of our boxes: It’s warm, it’s soft, and it’s cute. Let’s dive in.

Designed with a wide cuff, a darted crown for shaping, and a slightly roomy interior, it’s a universally flattering style (including for thick- and curly-haired folks) that slouches just right and doesn’t fit too snug to the skull. Fabrication-wise, it’s crafted from a super-soft double-layer material consisting of synthetics like acrylic, polyester, and nylon in addition to wool, while the brim also includes elastane. In layman's terms, it boasts a perfect blend of durability, warmth, and stretch that’ll last you for winters to come. Lastly, it’s available in 16 different shades to satisfy a variety of different tastes, from neutral creams, grays, and black to pretty-yet-subdued reds, purples, and blues. What’s not to love?

Material: Acrylic, polyester, nylon, wool, elastane, and other fibers | Colors: 16 | Care: Hand wash

Best Splurge

Acne Studios Wool Beanie

Shopbop

What We Love: This beanie exudes coziness, crafted from a 100 percent wool chunky ribbed knit.

What We Don’t Love: The oversized fit means it sits quite tall, which may not be for everyone.

Beloved Swedish label Acne Studios is known for its outerwear — particularly its leather jackets — so it should come as no surprise that it knows its way around a good beanie.

This chunky ribbed knit is made from 100 percent wool and is designed to be roomy with a large cuffed trim, making it as warm and cozy as it gets. Embroidered with the brand’s signature emoji patch, it lends a subtle nod to logomania without being too literal. Shopbop’s fashion director Caroline Maguire is a fan of this style, stating that she loves how the oversized shape style sits on her head, justifying the higher price tag. Moreover, she notes that this particular shade of gray is the perfect neutral to work into your winter wardrobe. However, if color is more your thing, you can also nab the style in a few pastel hues.

Material: Wool | Colors: 4 | Care: Hand wash or dry clean

Best Budget

Uniqlo Ribbed Beanie

UNIQLO

What We Love: This beanie is fabricated with the brand’s HEATTECH technology to keep you extra warm.

What We Don’t Love: It fits slightly snug, which may not be ideal for those with thick or curly hair.

When winter weather rolls around, we can always rely on Uniqlo’s HEATTECH to keep us extra warm without the added bulk, and this beanie is no exception. It’s made from a unique moisture-wicking nylon blend that converts the body’s moisture into heat and also prevents said heat from escaping, keeping your head nice and toasty despite its lightweight appearance. 

From a style perspective, it’s slightly fitted, making it a great option for those who prefer their beanies to be on the snugger side (but not as tight as a fisherman style). The knit was thoughtfully designed to have narrower ribs along its cuff for a more comfortable fit, while the rib width at the top of the hat was recently updated from past iterations to ensure a better fit. Plus, its well-curated 10-shade selection will suit different preferences and tastes. Most importantly, it won’t break the bank, making this a smart purchase for the cold months ahead.

Material: Acrylic, nylon, wool, and spandex | Colors: 10 | Care: Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle or dry clean

Best Ribbed

Ganni Rib Knit Beanie

Shopbop

What We Love: This beanie is made with a blend of recycled materials.

What We Don’t Love: It’s only available in light colors.

If you’re looking for a versatile beanie that’s warm yet doesn’t look bulky, look no further than this option from Ganni. Sure, it’s a pretty classic, no-frills style, featuring mid-sized ribbing and a logo tag on the cuff, but that’s exactly what makes it a great option for every day. It can be seamlessly worked into just about any winter ensemble, meaning you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck.

Of course, it’s functional, too. It’s made from a blend of wool and polyamide, deeming it both warm and stretchy, but what makes this beanie stand out is its use of recycled materials: it’s constructed with 60 percent recycled wool and 7 percent recycled polyamide, so you can feel good about what it’s made of. It’s available in four pastel hues, though we’d love to see it in a few darker options, too.

Material: Recycled wool, wool, polyamide, recycled polyamide, and other fibers | Colors: 4 | Care: Hand wash

Best Cashmere

J.Crew Brushed Cashmere Beanie

J.Crew

What We Love: This brushed cashmere beanie is exceptionally soft.

What We Don’t Love: The light colorways are more prone to stains.

Cashmere is famed for its insulating capabilities and supreme softness — two things we want from our cold-weather accessories, especially when we’re battling the elements outdoors. Hence, the popularity of cashmere beanies. This J.Crew style is even softer than the norm due to being crafted with brushed cashmere yarn, resulting in a luxurious hand feel that counts stylist Ashley Dorough as a fan.

It has a slightly roomy fit with a wide ribbed-knit band to ensure it stays in place all day long, which all hair types can appreciate. It’s available in two pretty pastel colorways, cream and a soft baby pink, which lend a lightness to typical dreary winter garb — just be conscious of makeup and sweat, which can easily stain the delicate, fuzzy material. 

Material: Cashmere | Colors: 2 | Care: Not listed

Best Wool

Loeffler Randall Ava Chunky Knit Hat with Pom Pom

Shopbop

What We Love: This chunky, 100 percent wool knit is warm yet breathable.

What We Don’t Love: The pom pom top may not be for everyone. 

With any style of winter hat, wool is always a reliable choice. Not only is it naturally insulating and warm, but it’s also quite breathable and body temperature-regulating — meaning you won’t overheat the second you step indoors. That said, if you’re seeking a cozy knit that won’t make you sweat, this 100 percent wool Loeffler Randall beanie is where it’s at.

Knit with an extra-chunky ribbed design, it’s literally “hygge” in beanie form; plus, it boasts a super-cute pom-pom on top if that’s your thing. While we’d love to see this style in a variety of colors, the creamy off-white hue is easy to pair with just about anything in your closet.

Material: Wool | Colors: 1 | Care: Hand wash or dry clean

Best Striped

Coach Varsity Stripe Knit Beanie

Nordstrom

What We Love: Rather than classic stripes, this beanie is designed with varsity-inspired details.

What We Don’t Love: The extra-wide cuff may be too wide for some.

A solid beanie may be a fool-proof winter accessory, but sometimes, an outfit calls for having a little more fun with our outerwear. That’s where this beanie from Coach comes in, with a print that’s subtle enough not to overpower the rest of your look and perfect for tip-toeing into the academia trend. Designed with an extra-wide cuff adorned with varsity-inspired stripes, it adds a bit of excitement to an otherwise classic design. It’s made from a blend of acrylic and wool, meaning you get the best of both worlds: the durability of acrylic and the softness and warmth of wool. Also nice? 25 percent of this blend comes from recycled materials.

Material: Acrylic, wool, and recycled acrylic | Colors: 2 | Care: Machine wash, then dry flat

Best Color Options

Los Angeles Apparel Classic Cuff Beanie

Los Angeles Apparel

What We Love: This beanie is available in a wide variety of colors, ranging from neutrals to neons.

What We Don’t Love: Its fabrication isn’t very breathable.

Los Angeles Apparel is renowned for its wide array of wardrobe basics in an even wider array of colorways. Case in point? This beanie offered in a whopping 36 different shades. Its color offering encompasses a little bit of everything — light-to-dark neutrals, vibrant jewel tones, and punchy neons — and with a price point at the lower end of the spectrum, you can shop a variety of shades to work into your winter wardrobe, guilt-free. We also love that everything from the brand is made in the United States.

Keep in mind: It’s made from 100 percent acrylic, which has its pros and cons. Acrylic is known to be warm and has a fair amount of stretch, two ideal beanie characteristics, but it’s not very breathable, which means you could leave your scalp sweaty and greasy if it’s not that cold.

Material: Acrylic | Colors: 36 | Care: Not listed

Best Sustainable

Everlane The Alpaca Beanie

Everlane 

What We Love: It’s made responsibly, following animal welfare quality and safe substance standards.

What We Don’t Love: It’s dry clean-only.

Yes, this Everlane beanie is as cozy as it looks. As its cloud-like appearance would imply, it’s surprisingly lightweight in construction, making it a great option to keep packed in your bag in the event of a chilly night. However, it’s made from a wool and alpaca blend that ensures great warmth and insulation, in addition to a super-soft hand feel.

More importantly, we love that it’s made with the well-being of animals and our planet in mind. The brand ensures its farms treat its animals humanely, following the Responsible Wool and Responsible Alpaca Standards to ensure responsible practices are followed accordingly. Moreover, the brand also instills strict substance standards to ensure that only safe chemicals are used throughout the supply chain.

Material: Alpaca and wool blend | Colors: 5 | Care: Dry clean-only

Best for Natural Hair

Wrap Life Cuffed Satin Lined Beanie

Wrap Life  

What We Love: It’s lined with satin to keep hair moisturized and protected.

What We Don’t Love: The cuff isn’t adjustable.

It’s common knowledge that winter weather and its accompanying indoor heat can wreak havoc on hair, especially natural hair that’s more susceptible to breakage and dryness. That’s where this beanie comes in. Lined with satin, it prevents friction – thus frizz and breakage – while helping the hair retain moisture.

Hair-saving satin-lining aside, it boasts all the other features that make a beanie a great beanie: its exterior is soft and breathable, crafted from narrow-ribbed cotton, while the interior boasts plenty of stretch for a comfortable fit. We also love that it’s available in a variety of fun colors, like this dopamine-boosting citrine.

Material: Cotton, polyester, and spandex | Colors: 6 | Care: Wash cold with like colors, then dry flat

Best for Thick and Curly Hair

Free People Harbor Marled Ribbed Beanie

Free People 

What We Love: This beanie has a roomy fit with a bit of stretch, which will fit thick and curly hair types more comfortably.

What We Don’t Love: The style may stretch out over time.

If you have thick, curly, or coiled hair, you’ve likely encountered your fair share of hair woes when wearing a too-tight winter hat or beanie. To avoid ending up with hat hair or a flattened blowout, your ideal beanie should be roomy and lightly stretch with your head. This Free People beanie does just that, thanks to the small amount of spandex in its fabrication. “Because it has some give to it, it won’t fit too snug, no matter your hair type,” says fashion stylist Julie Parladé, a stylist for Free People, who counts this beanie as one of her favorite styles. 

In addition to the great fit, the ribbed fabrication and exaggerated cuff deem this style cozy, but still lightweight enough to wear in cool (not frigid) temperatures without breaking a forehead sweat. What’s more, it comes in eight colorways that span subdued neutrals and poppy brights, while marled yarns add a little depth and texture to each shade.

Material: Polyester, acrylic, nylon, and spandex | Colors: 8 | Care: Not listed

Best Statement

Lele Sadoughi Pearly Snowflake Rib Knit Beanie

Neiman Marcus

What We Love: Faux pearl embellishments add a fun sartorial twist to an otherwise simple style.

What We Don’t Love: It’s not as warm as it may look.

Beanies may be a cold-weather staple, but that certainly doesn’t mean they need to fall into the basics category — take this beaded option from hair accessories maven Lele Sadoughi, for example. Embellished with faux acrylic pearl “snowflakes,” this hat is dopamine dressing in hat form, adding a fun sartorial twist to an otherwise classic silhouette. Even so, it doesn’t feel as glitzy as rhinestones or sequins, making it a little easier to style with both daytime and nighttime looks. 

Warmth-wise, the viscose- and acrylic-blend fabric won’t trap in heat as well as its wool counterparts, so despite its cozy appearance, it might not be the best option for a below-freezing morning commute. Also important to remember: Because it's embellished, it should be handled more delicately, especially while packing away in your tote bag or hand washing. 

Material: Viscose, acrylic | Colors: 2 | Care: Hand wash

Best Plush

Madewell Fuzzy Luxe Beanie

Nordstrom

What We Love: The brushed finish makes the beanie extremely soft.

What We Don’t Love: It needs to be line-dried and can’t be thrown in the dryer.

A beanie so cozy, you could sleep in it. As the name implies, this minimalist style from Madewell has the most luxuriously fuzzy hand feel thanks to its super-soft brushed finish — and it’s also as warm and toasty as it looks. It’s constructed with an acrylic blend that includes alpaca and wool, so you can trust it’ll provide all the insulation and warmth needed to navigate winter’s frigid temperatures without feeling too heavy. What’s more, it contains elastane and features a subtly ribbed cuff for added stretch, ensuring a super comfortable fit. It also comes in a few different colors — we’re partial to this sunny chartreuse iteration, but it’s also offered in cream and navy if you prefer something a little more subtle.

Material: Acrylic, polyamide, alpaca, wool, and elastane | Colors: 3 | Care: Hand wash, then line dry

Best Fisherman

Patagonia Fisherman's Rolled Beanie

Patagonia

What We Love: It’s made from 100 percent recycled materials.

What We Don’t Love: This style is slightly longer than your typical fisherman beanie.

If you prefer a low-profile beanie to a floppy or tall style, this fisherman beanie from Patagonia is a solid choice. Fitted snug to the head and laying just over the ears, it’ll keep you warm — and is guaranteed to do so comfortably, thanks to its 100 percent recycled polyester yarn construction that’s skin-friendly and itch-free. There’s also the sustainability factor: In addition to being fully made from recycled materials, it’s also made in a Fair Trade Certified factory. Not surprising, given that sustainability is Patagonia’s modus operandi.

It’s worth noting that this design is slightly longer and less fitted than typical fisherman-style beanies, which could be considered a pro or con, depending on your personal preference. Traditional fisherman styles only cover the top of the ears, if at all — however, as one reviewer commented, you can easily achieve the classic look by rolling the cuff one extra time.

Material: Recycled polyester yarn | Colors: 7 | Care: Not listed

Best Chunky

Anthropologie Chunky Knit Two-Tone Beanie

Anthropologie

What We Love: The two-tone pattern adds an interesting element without looking too busy.

What We Don’t Love: It sits very tall on the head, which might be an issue for some.

Simply put, this one is peak cozy. Boasting an XXL ribbed cuff and a roomier-than-average fit, Anthropologie’s spin on the chunky knit beanie is the embodiment of warmth. It’s made from a blend of polyester and acrylic, meaning it has both heat-retaining and breathable properties, ensuring you stay toasty but never sweaty — a must for anyone who constantly moves from outdoors to indoors. Comfort aside, it’s also quite the statement piece. The chunkiness alone makes this beanie stand out, but the unique two-tone knit adds an interesting design element that can still be seamlessly styled with whatever winter coat you choose.

Material: Polyester, acrylic | Colors: 4 | Care: Hand wash

What to Keep in Mind

Fabric

Fabric — both the type and weight — is crucial to consider when beanie shopping, but first and foremost, you’ll need to figure out its purpose. “Is it for fashion or function, or both?” asks Parladé. “If the goal is purely as an outfit accentuator, a lighter weight beanie — like cotton or something loose with a bit more give — can be worn all day without feeling tight or causing you to overheat. If utility is the objective, a thicker beanie made of wool or acrylic like Free People’s Harbor Marled Ribbed Beanie will do a better job of keeping you warm and cozy in the cold.”

Fit

Fit is another important feature to think about. “The tighter the beanie, the cozier it is, the looser, the easier it is to wear for extended hours,” Parladé says. What you ultimately choose depends on your personal preferences, but Dorough recommends styles with fits that fall somewhere between floppy and snuggly fitting to your head — a good option being one of her picks of the moment, the J.Crew Brushed Cashmere Beanie. “This way, you can position it how you prefer.”

Style and Color

Finally, consider the style and color and how that plays into what you’ll be wearing it with. “It’s always great to have neutrals in your closet that go with everything, like Acne Studios’ Wool Beanie, but don’t be afraid to test out fun colors and prints, too!” Maguire says. And because beanies can tie together an outfit, you can have fun experimenting: Try topping off a deep, neutral outfit with an in-your-face neon beanie, or tone down a print-heavy look with a simple off-white or black style — just choose from one of the many hues the Los Angeles Apparel Classic Cuff Beanie is offered in.

Your Questions, Answered

How do you style a beanie?

To put it simply, the styling opportunities for beanies are pretty endless. “They’re great for keeping warm when worn outdoors, but they can also act as that final accessory to tie together a look,” says Parladé. “They also have the ability to make a dressier outfit feel a little more casual — I love pairing one with a tailored jacket or trousers because it instantly makes a preppier outfit feel less stuffy.” For Maguire, it’s all about the layering. “I like styling beanies with layers of knits and an overcoat — finishing off with a pair of sunglasses and gloves for the ultimate cozy ensemble.” On the other hand, Dorough likes to style them into her athleisure-leaning looks: “My personal favorite is wearing [it] with a slouchy off-the-shoulder top, a bralette, and yoga pants.”

In terms of positioning the beanie on your head, the style will determine how you can style it. For example, longer beanies without built-in cuffs can be folded and cuffed or worn uncuffed and slouchy. You can pull down and fold to fit snugger to your head or leave extra fabric at the top for some height. “Everyone has different preferences, and sometimes even how you style your hair that day will affect your choice in how to position one,” Dorough says.

How do you wear a beanie with long hair?

The great thing about beanies? They work with practically every hair type, long hair included. “Don’t let any hairstyle you rock prevent you from wearing this season’s It accessory,” says  Parladé. “Thicker, curlier hair may need to be larger in size to accommodate, but the beanie's versatility is largely why it’s become a staple of anyone’s wardrobe.” That said, folks with longer hair can wear their beanie however they please — but as an expert style rec, Maguire prefers to keep it clean and simple. “I prefer to just wear my long hair down, or I’ll braid it all to one side,” she says.

Why Shop With Us

Jenna Igneri is a freelance writer and has been working in fashion and beauty media for over a decade. You can find her work in Refinery29, Byrdie, Who What Wear, The Zoe Report, Coveteur, and more.

For this story, she researched dozens of beanies and tapped a team of style experts to weigh in — Shopbop Fashion Director Caroline Maguire, plus fashion stylists Julie Parladé and Ashley Dorough.

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