Fashion in the Forest: Beanies

Hello and welcome back to Fashion in the Forest! This semester, Fashion in the Forest is going global. I am currently abroad in London so I will be covering European style (as well as my regular how-to trends). If you have any ideas of specific things you would like me to cover, please email me at hcfashionintheforest@gmail.com. 

This week, we are going to talk about beanies. I know I just recently talked about hats (in general), but I think beanies deserve their own article. In London, beanies are very popular, as in everyone is wearing them! Whether wearing them for that fun pop of color or for more practical reasons, beanies are awesome and anyone can rock them.

Let’s talk about using beanies as an accessory first. I would choose a solid-colored beanie in a bright color. This is one case when patterns probably aren’t the best choose. When you have a patterned beanie, it sometimes can look a little too silly and crazy. Once you have chosen your brightly colored hat, pair it with a neutral outfit. You can definitely still mix patterns and neutrals, but keep the color focused on your hat. Then, if possible, I would match your accessories to your hat. I think the girl in this picture, Courtney Kerr, does a great job of making an outfit pop through her matching beanie and clutch!

Here is another great example of someone having a fun outfit taken to the next level by her colorful beanie! Both of these outfits are great because the beanie not only adds a lot of “pizazz” to the outfit, but also is warm. When your head is covered, you stay warmer, and don’t necessarily need a huge coat or something.

Another way to wear a beanie is for practicality. It gets chilly in London and no one wants to walk around without protection! It may not necessarily be a part of your outfit, but you will still look rockin’ while walking outside. I think the most important thing about wearing a beanie for warmth instead of for a pop of color is to remember that it should still be cute. Just because something is practical does not mean is shouldn’t also be adorable and something you can take pride in wearing!

I would pick a neutral colored hat that is a different color than your hair. Choose one that is simple and made of a warm material – there is no point in wearing it if it isn’t warm. You could definitely wear a neutral beanie with a crazy outfit. I would just recommend picking out your outfit and then throw on the beanie at the end. Because it is neutral, you won’t need to worry about it matching anything and you will instantly look chic. 

Finally, mixing neutrals is and adding a neutral-colored beanie is still a really trendy look. This is a fun and easy look for those days that you aren’t feeling adventurous!

I hope y’all have an amazing and stylish week and check out the Pinterest page for more ideas on how to wear beanies!