It’s cold outside right now. Maybe you’re lucky and you live in a place where it’s not so cold that you need something to cover your ears every single day. You, my friend, are a lucky person.

When it comes to the weather, it’s often hard to reconcile the demands of men’s fashion with the punishments of mother nature, which is where the fine men’s hat comes in. Sure, you could keep going with just a baseball cap and that hood attached to your jacket, or maybe hold your hands up against your ears while you walk, but is that really stylish?

Nah. Head out on the street, especially in any European town—ah, I’ll admit, they got it easier over here, where in many places it doesn’t get so insanely cold—and you’ll see plenty of men sporting some very fine headwear that means they look good and solid no matter where they’re going to. You can do the same. Even if it’s damn cold.

Take a look at these five different hats: three are for winter weather that isn’t bone-chilling, but still cold enough that you need something on your head, and the other two are true winter hats. You remember that Seinfeld episode where George was walking around with that giant Russian-style hat and not wearing a coat because the thing kept him so warm? While it’s not true you lose 80%, or 50%, or any specific percent of body heat through your head, it is true that wearing a hat—even one that doesn’t cover your ears—will keep you plenty warmer during the cold months. Try these ones out.

Borsalino Rex

Here, a classic from the famous Italian manufacturer, still doing much of its work by hand and still charging well over $50 for anything it sells. Still, it’s worth it, as you’ll be getting a hat of true quality from manufacturers that practically drip classic men’s style, if they weren’t so well-put-together that the idea of them dripping anything is anathema.

The manufacturing on these hats is absolutely top-notch, so even if you’re an amateur to men’s headwear and can’t tell the difference between this and a cheap fedora you might see in any old department store, after a while you’ll get it, and you’ll realize just exactly what you’ve got on your head. From Borsalino.

Borsalino Ivy Cap

Another timeless one from the Italians, this is the wool ivy cap you can’t really go wrong with.

While lacking the formal elegance of a fedora, the quality of the brand and the restrained colours and lines make this one of the best straight ivy wool caps you’re likely to ever see.

If you’re going to go with a style that’s slightly more relaxed, like this one, stick with top quality so you come out looking your best. You can pick this one up from various online shops, or head to any top-of-the-line hatwear store.

Still Life Carver

New York hatmakers Still Life are doing some fine work, and the Carver is no exception.

Its stitching, made up of tiny little squares, and topped off by the unorthodox detail of a tied string on the top, doesn’t take anything away from the hat’s confident shape. This is a hat for any day when the wind tries to get the better of you.

Again, don’t be fooled by its unconvention design. This isn’t some little bow-wrapped bonnet you pop on your head when you plan to go out skipping to Grandma-ma’s house.

It’s a serious hat for cold weather, with an unusual and kinda bold design touch. It’s made from black/grey wool with a 100% silk lining, available from Still Life.

Still Life Webber

Another one from Still Life, the Webber is one of two real winter hats we’re profiling here: a genuine leather exterior with an extremely warm rabbit fur lining.

This is one of the few hats with covers for your ears that succeeds with what is undoubtedly a difficult style choice.

Too many of these hats risk looking like little boy’s caps, or something out of the 1950s and better left behind in that decade, but not this one. This too is available from Still Life.

Navy Wool Watch Hat

Our only conventional tuque (or watch cap, or knit cap, or beanie, or however you’d like to refer to it outside of Canada), this one is a genuine US Navy Wool tuque. If you’re going to wear a tuque, make it simple, durable, and classic, three things this hat has in spades.

It’s also, by far, the least expensive choice here, literally under $10 US dollars. While it takes a little more fashion co-ordination to make a tuque work with every outfit, this (and a good grey one, too) are indispensible for those days when something that doesn’t cover the ears just isn’t do-able.

This one is available from amazon.