XXL Beanie for 63–66 cm. When to Size Up, When XL Is Enough
The black XXL beanie comes back to us more often than we would like. And almost always with the same note: it is too big.
That is not a fault. XXL really is big — bigger than most people expect, because even our regular XL is made for heads that ordinary beanies will not fit. This article is about the only beanie we offer in XXL: what it is, who it fits, and above all who it does not fit. So the first one you order is the right one.
The only XXL beanie we make
It is a classic black beanie with a turned-up cuff and a small woven HEAD OF WONDER label on the cuff. Knitted from a blend of 55 % acrylic and 45 % cotton. We sell it in two sizes, XL and XXL, and both cost the same.
XL is made to a 61 cm circumference and fits heads from 60 to 63 cm. XXL is 3 cm bigger around and 2 cm taller in the crown, so it is meant for 63 to 66 cm.
We do not have any other beanie in XXL yet. Everything else, merino models included, comes in XL only. And we do not go above 66 cm at all. If the tape says 67, none of our beanies will sit properly on your head, and we would rather tell you that straight away.
Why XXL is bigger than you expect
Three centimetres of circumference does not sound like much. But two centimetres of extra height come with it, and together they turn the beanie into a completely different piece.
Knit stretches. That is why XL covers the range from 60 to 63 cm: on a smaller head it sits looser, on a bigger one it stretches and holds firmly. XXL is built so that it stretches the same way on a head of 64 to 66 cm. At 62 or 63 cm it barely stretches at all — there is nothing for it to work against.
On the head that looks like this: the beanie slides down to your eyebrows, the turned-up cuff covers half your forehead, an empty point of fabric sticks up from the crown, and the whole thing shifts when you turn your head. That is exactly what people describe when they send an XXL back to us.
XXL is often ordered by people who have spent years buying the biggest thing in the shop and reach for the biggest letter automatically. But with us, the big beanie is already XL. Letters do not match across brands — centimetres decide.
Who XXL fits and who it does not
XXL makes sense when the tape says 64, 65 or 66 cm. XL will go on in that range, because it stretches, but it will press above your ears, creep upwards after a while and leave a mark across your forehead. XXL sits the way a beanie is supposed to sit: firmly, without pressure, with the cuff covering your ears.
At 63 cm you are right on the border between the two sizes, and here we recommend starting with XL. At 63 cm it stretches and still holds well, whereas XXL is at the very bottom of its range on a head like that and most people find it loose. At 63 cm, only go for XXL if you already wear XL and it starts pressing after an hour.
Below 63 cm, do not take XXL. At 60 to 62 cm it will simply be big, and XL is the right beanie for you.
One more thing: if you are deliberately after a loose, slouchy look, XXL is not the way to get it. It is a classic close-fitting beanie, just made for a bigger head. On a smaller head it does not look relaxed — it looks like a beanie one size too big.
Measure before you order
From 63 cm upwards every centimetre counts, so a guess or the size of another beanie will not do. Take a soft tailor's tape. If you do not have one at home, a piece of string works: wrap it around your head, mark where it crosses, then hold it against a ruler.
Run the tape about a centimetre above your ears, across the widest part of your forehead and around the most prominent part of the back of your head. That is exactly where a beanie sits. It should rest on your head, not squeeze it — one finger should fit underneath. Measure twice and write down the larger number.
Watch out for a tape that just hangs loosely, or measuring over a bun. Either can easily add a centimetre, and that centimetre is precisely what sends you from 63 into an XXL that then ends up too big. Keep your hair dry and styled the way you wear it under a beanie. You will find the whole procedure with pictures in our size guide.
What it is made of and how to look after it
A blend of 55 % acrylic and 45 % cotton is a practical choice for everyday winter. The acrylic gives the beanie its stretch and helps it hold its shape, so it springs back after you take it off instead of going baggy. The cotton feels good against your forehead, does not itch and lets your head breathe, even when you step out of the cold into an overheated tram.
Around town, on the commute or walking the dog, it keeps you warm reliably. For long hours outdoors in hard frost, wool is warmer — but we do not have wool in XXL yet.
Care is simple. Wash it by hand or on a gentle cycle up to 30 °C, press the water out gently into a towel and dry it flat. No tumble dryer, no radiator. Cotton shrinks in heat, and a beanie you picked to the centimetre would then come out smaller. There is more in our care guide.
If it still does not fit
Once it arrives, try it on properly, just as you would in a shop. It fits well when one finger goes between your forehead and the cuff, nothing presses, and there is no mark left on your forehead when you take it off. If it shifts when you move your head or the cuff drops into your eyes, it is too big.
If it does not fit, you have 14 days from delivery to let us know you are withdrawing from the purchase. The withdrawal form is enough, or an email to info@headofwonder.com with your name and order number. You then have another 14 days to send the beanie back. We refund within 7 days of it reaching us, including what you paid for delivery. Return postage is on you, though.
Which is another reason it pays to get it right first time. If you are not sure, send us your circumference in centimetres before you order. We answer personally and we will tell you straight whether it is XL or XXL.
Measure before you order. If you come out at 64 to 66 cm, the black XXL beanie is made exactly for you. At 60 to 63 cm, the same beanie in XL will fit you better.
And if you are somewhere in between and unsure, send your exact number to info@headofwonder.com. We would rather advise you up front than have you struggling with a beanie or posting it back.