Beige Corduroy Hat Lined with Fleece and Pom-Pom

A cream pom-pom that flops rather than stands

The first thing you notice on the front view is the pom-pom. It is made from long synthetic fibres, a shade paler than the hat itself, and full enough to lean to one side instead of holding a tight ball shape. Seen from the side, with the hat laid flat, those fibres fan out across the crown. A pale cream pom-pom tops a slightly warmer beige knit, and the small gap between the two tones is what gives the hat its depth in daylight.

Three photographs, three things to check

Each photograph answers something different, so they are worth reading in order.

Fleece that reaches the edge of the turn-up

The close-up was taken inside the fold, and it answers the question most lined hats leave open, which is how far down the lining actually goes. Here the cream fleece runs to the edge of the turn-up, with short curled loops packed tightly together. That cream is marginally warmer than the outside beige, a difference you only catch with the hat turned inside out. Because the lining reaches that far, what rests on your forehead and temples is fleece rather than knit.

Ribs on the crown, wider ribs on the turn-up

The two rib gauges are easy to tell apart once you have seen them together. The crown is knitted in narrow, even columns; the turn-up uses a heavier rib, which is what keeps the folded edge standing instead of curling. That stiffness matters more than it sounds, because it stops the hat creeping down over your eyebrows on a windy walk.

Washing and storing a lined knit

Two things shorten the life of a fleece lining faster than wear does: a spin cycle and a hot radiator. Wash the hat by hand in lukewarm water, roll it in a towel to take the water out, and leave it flat somewhere cool. Once it is dry, the pom-pom needs nothing more than a shake and a ruffle to come back to full volume. Over the summer, a drawer suits it better than a hook.

Pale beige under a dark winter coat

A light hat reads differently from a black one. This beige leans towards undyed wool rather than sand, so it sits easily with camel, charcoal and raw denim, and it lifts the top of your face on a grey afternoon. It comes in one stretchy size, and the turn-up can be worn high or pulled further down. The darker versions of the same shape are over with the darker beanies in the same range.

If you want the neck to follow without matching exactly, a scarf in the same cream and camel family does the job.