The Beanie Edit: Our Favorite Knit Caps for Fall

Something about the silhouette and color of this Rototo beanie is the perfect distillation of Japanese minimalist cool. Crafted in Japan with a mix of bulky acrylic and light-weight wool, this beanie has heft without looking chunky at all. It's a smooth, sophisticated look that's also available in more muted colors like black and olive, with a cool city-dwelling feel to it in any colorway you choose.

If you like thicker ribbing in your knitwear, Varley has our favorite beanie in that category. It's made with 80% merino wool, one of the softest fabrics out there, with an exaggerated fold-over cuff for added warmth and coziness. We particularly love the appliqued logo that's big enough to be a statement but still blends in as a tasteful monochrome — the taste level is super high here, a far cry from the average sk8r boi beanie.

We mentioned merino wool was "one of" the softest fabrics out there… that's because good old cashmere comes along every now and then to upstage it luxuriously. Beauty Pie's Lounge Story beanie is 100% cashmere, with a light gray look that just feels effortlessly fall. There's a classic, thin 1x1 ribbing that allows for plenty of stretch, and it looks equally fab pulled down or folded over.

If it wasn't clear already, beanies all come down to the details — and the waffle knit is a subtle differential that takes things further toward ski/snowboarding vibes. The label here is small and horizontal, ala Carhartt, but still has femininity in the color choices and softness. For a tufted beanie with a noticeable crown, this one's a solid choice to have in your rotation.

You thought we'd leave little ones off the proceedings? We couldn't possibly; not when Colored Organics makes such a beautifully-made beanie for ages 0-4. We've got love for any brand that treats kid's clothing like any other product: instead of going garish or twee, they've kept things adorably tasteful. We know you've got good taste, and wouldn't expect any less from your offspring.

Want a lighter-weight, warmer-weather beanie for the dog days of shoulder season? We love Jungmaven's inventive use of hemp textiles, which are so deliciously breathable we did a deep dive on their whole brand. As they're based out of Venice, California, there's a sense of laidback California cool in this beanie's relaxed structure, meaning you can break it out even when you aren't bracing for the cold.

So you're trying to go full Wes Anderon: look no further than this almost absurdly short Mini Fisherman Beanie. As the product name suggests, the above-the-ears look has a nautical history to it, and is great for shading the top of your head when you don't need to keep your ears warm. We love the bold primary colors here as an antidote to autumn gloom: keeping things fresh and colorful truly never goes out of season.

A confetti pattern fabric in the color Provence Grape? That's just whimsical enough to somehow work on us. A great option for the holidays that's not as literal as red-and-green, the fuzzy wool-blend yarn gives this beanie a super tactile quality. Plus, as with all Madewell products, it's sturdily made and can handle the elements no problem.

Going out with a bang here, we've got a total textural departure: the fluffy, almost popcorn-y look from this South Korean retailer. The neon yellow color feels fashion-forward in a way few beanies are, and the metallic circle pin is a playful touch we haven't seen elsewhere. All of the Musinsa reviews come with user photos so you can see how the product looks in the wild. And as expected, this one looks pretty damn cool.