Believe it or not, the old adage that you lose 50 percent of your body’s heat through your head is untrue. That bring said, a hat is still an important accessory when the weather turns cold. Hats still help keep you warm, they can still protect your ears from frostbite in the bitter cold and they complete a winter-time ensemble.
Not every hat is a good match for winter time. It goes without saying that golf visors, whether made of plastic, cotton, or straw, are useless to keep your head warm. Baseball caps, even thick ones made of wool, are also too thin to keep you warm and do not protect your ears.
Certain types of winter hats are very functional, but fail the fashion test. A beanie, regardless of its material, will keep your head warm and can protect your ears, but is very casual. Fur-lined hunting caps are a great choice if you want to stay warm and star in a Coen Brothers movie set in Minnesota, but, again, have no role in your wardrobe if you care about looking fashion-forward.
Think wool. A felt hat and wool cap are both classic winter toppers that look good at both work and play. From a functional perspective, wool is a natural fiber that is an excellent insulator. Wool also contains lanolin, which makes it naturally water repellent. This will help to keep your head dry in the parts of the country where the cold season is also the wet season.
Wool caps are typically made of woven or felted wool. Woven wool is a fabric, much like that used in wool suits. Felted wool may be smooth or rough, and is made by making a mat out of unwoven wool fibers. The traditional stiff brimmed men’s hat is usually made of felted wool, and can give you a cool, classic look. It is also warm and water repellent and its brim protects from both glare and precipitation.
Although modern technology has created a number of advanced fibers, the natural benefits of woven and felted wool are hard to beat. Plus, wool remains a fashionable winter-time material, letting you stay warm and look cool. And that’s the key to a winter hat!
Thanks for the advice. I’ve always been a fan of wool.