I used to dread going out on those days when my hair simply wouldn’t cooperate — now I do this instead

I don’t know when it happened exactly, but somewhere in my fifties my hair stopped being quite as predictable as it used to be.

Some mornings it behaves perfectly well.

Others?

No amount of brushing seems to make much difference.

And naturally, those always seem to be the mornings when I need to pop into town, meet somebody for coffee or answer the door five minutes after getting dressed.

I’m 59.

I’m certainly not spending forty minutes doing my hair just to buy a loaf of bread.

But I also don’t particularly enjoy going out feeling as though I’ve made no effort whatsoever.

That was the little problem I didn’t realise a hat could solve.

One of those mornings when my hair had absolutely no intention of cooperating.

I originally bought it for completely different reasons

I’d seen the Aurevine Hat from Merritt London a couple of times online.

I liked the shape.

It looked a little more grown-up than the knitted hats I’d owned before, so eventually I ordered the Brown.

When it arrived, I tried it on with my coat in the hallway mirror.

And then I tucked my hair underneath it.

That was the moment it clicked.

Suddenly, none of the bits I’d been fussing with mattered anymore.

My hair didn’t need to be perfect.

I put the hat on, added a little lipstick and somehow felt ready to leave.

About thirty seconds from “I really can’t be bothered” to feeling quite presentable.

That has probably become my favourite thing about it.

It has become my shortcut on ordinary mornings

I don’t save it for occasions.

Quite the opposite.

I reach for it when I’m running late.

When my hair needs washing tomorrow rather than today.

When the weather has already ruined whatever I did to it.

Or when I simply don’t fancy standing in front of the mirror for another ten minutes.

Hat on.

Coat on.

Out the door.

Ten minutes later I was on my way for coffee — and no longer thinking about my hair at all.

And perhaps that sounds like a very small thing.

But I’ve realised there’s quite a difference between going out because you have to and leaving the house actually feeling comfortable with how you look.

Especially on those ordinary days when you’re not dressed up.

I keep it by the door now

That’s where mine lives.

Right beside my coat.

I’ve worn it for grocery runs, coffee with my sister, walks, Saturday mornings in town and several occasions when somebody announced they were coming round considerably earlier than expected.

It’s also light enough to take with me when I don’t want to wear it all day, and I like that I can pop it into my bag when I’m indoors.

The inside feels soft against my head too, which matters when you’re wearing something for more than five minutes.

It now lives beside my coat for exactly this reason.

I thought I was buying a winter hat

What I actually bought was a very convenient little shortcut.

Not every woman is bothered by an untidy hair day.

I am.

Or at least, I used to be.

Now I know that if my hair refuses to cooperate, I’ve got another option that doesn’t involve starting all over again.

At the moment, the Aurevine is £19.95 instead of £40, and Merritt London offers Free UK Delivery.

There are 4 colours, so I’d simply choose whichever works best with the coats you wear most.

Mine is Brown.

And judging by how often I reach for it, it may be one of the more useful things I’ve bought this winter.