Casquettes & Berets

"Shallow" Hats This Autumn: How to Wear a Short Watch Cap

2026.08.23

Once mid-August has passed, we gradually start getting more questions about autumn items in the store. One thing worth keeping in mind this year is "shallowness": not a beanie you pull down deep, but short watch caps and berets that follow the curve of the head, and shallower caps. This autumn, they look set to be chosen less for warmth and more as items that give an outfit character. While the late-summer heat is still with us, we have put together the points worth knowing ahead of the season.

QUICK ANSWER

What to watch this autumn is "shallow" headwear that you don't pull down deep. Because short watch caps, berets and shallow caps follow the shape of the head, they keep the area around the face looking neat, and they fit easily into classic outfits. Before adding another thick beanie, having one of these on hand makes it easier to get ready for autumn.

TREND SUMMARY

Shallow headwear: what is happening right now

Overseas fashion media are naming skullcap-style headwear as one of the trends to watch this autumn. Their view is that crochet caps, a summer staple, will come back into focus in autumn as close-fitting styles. What stands out is that they are discussed less for practical warmth and more as items that add personality as an accent to an outfit. It is also predicted that tighter knits will increase as temperatures drop, so the range of looks seems set to widen, from crochet with pearl details and hand-knit-style beanies to versions accented with sequins.

In Japan, the mood for the 2026-27 autumn/winter season is reported as a return to "classic" and "elegance". The colors that stood out at exhibitions were gray and brown. Combinations such as gray with bordeaux or pink, or muted green as an accent color, were reportedly seen often. Outerwear is also said to be shifting toward lengths between a coat and a jacket, and overall the move toward a clean, grown-up look is getting stronger. Headwear also looks likely to be chosen to match this calm mood.

FASHION GUIDE

An explanation for first-timers

Put simply

Many people may not quite get what a "shallow hat" is. As a rough guide, a beanie you pull down deep to cover your ears is a "deep" type, and short watch caps or berets that sit lightly following the curve of the head are "shallow" types. Deep types keep you warmer, but they can make the outline of your face look larger or push an outfit too far toward casual. Shallow types are modest in warmth, but their advantage is that the area around the face looks neat and they blend easily into smarter outfits. If classic autumn/winter outfits built around gray and brown become the mainstream, shallow headwear that makes use of the shape of the head will make it easier to balance the whole look than something pulled down deep.

From the point of view of those who design hats, a shallow type is an item where the design of the knit fabric and the opening shows directly in how it looks. If the rib at the opening is too tight, it digs into the head and you can't wear it shallow; if it is too loose, it slips down. A textured knit such as a waffle knit keeps character in the silhouette even when worn shallow and is less likely to look flat. With a beret, how the roundness appears when worn shallow changes with the balance between the room given to the crown and the pattern for the head circumference.

HAT STYLE

If you want to bring this trend in with a hat

Re-wearing a deep beanie in a shallow way actually takes a little effort. That is because a hat designed as a deep type has its rib tension and opening shape made on the assumption that it will be "worn deep". If you want to wear a hat shallow, choosing one designed as a shallow type from the start makes it easier to get a clean silhouette.

With a short watch cap, choosing one whose length fits the head just right keeps the balance even when your ears are showing.
A beret with a moderate amount of room in the crown gives a soft roundness even when worn shallow, and is easy to pair with smarter outfits.
With a shallow cap, a material with body, such as corduroy, tends to let the opening hold its own shape so the silhouette comes out well.

Isn't it cold to wear a hat shallow?

If you only think about warmth, it is true that wearing a hat deep is warmer. But in this season, when the late-summer heat is slowly giving way to cooler days, wearing it shallow with your ears half showing is comfortable enough. When it gets properly cold, switching between this and a deeper beanie is one option.

Short watch cap or beret: which suits a shallow look better?

Both are easy to wear shallow, but the impression is a little different. A short watch cap tends to bring out a knit's casual feel and goes well with relaxed outfits such as denim. A beret's rounded silhouette tends to look refined, so it suits smarter outfits with a coat or jacket.

Any tips for wearing a hat shallow?

Just line the opening up with a low point on the back of your head, then rest the hat lightly so it follows the curve of your head. Rather than pulling it down deep, stopping at a point where a little of your hairline shows makes a shallow balance come out naturally.

WORDS / Fab RECOMMEND

Hats to wear with this trend

BASIC

Waffle Short Watch Cap

WS-50504

A short watch cap whose textured waffle knit keeps character in the silhouette even when worn shallow. The rib at the opening has a clean design that follows the head, making it easy to wear shallow with your ears showing. Navy, gray and black are all colors that go easily with autumn outfits built around gray and brown.

Denim
Balmacaan coat

¥3,960 (tax incl.)

*Please check the product page for price and stock.

View product Try it on in store

CLASSIC

Cable Cotton Short Watch Cap

WS-20612

A short watch cap whose textured cable knit gives a slightly more classic look than the waffle. Because it is cotton, it is easy to start wearing from this time of year while the late-summer heat lingers, and with its wide range of colors it is also easy to pair with calm outfits built around gray or beige.

White shirt
Jacket

¥3,960 (tax incl.)

*Please check the product page for price and stock.

View product Try it on in store

ELEGANT

Lamé Wool Beret

WS-50514

A beret in wool with a touch of lamé. The pattern gives room to the crown, designed so that a soft roundness comes out even when worn shallow. Its look changes subtly with the light, making it an accent for smarter outfits with a coat or jacket.

Coat
Jacket

¥3,960 (tax incl.)

*Please check the product page for price and stock.

View product Try it on in store

WORK

Corduroy Fisherman Cap

WS-50075

A fisherman cap where the body of the corduroy lets the opening hold its silhouette. Its outline doesn't sag even without pulling it down deep, so it is a type that makes a shallow balance easy. Beige and gray also blend in with this autumn's classic colors.

Chinos
Blouson

¥4,290 (tax incl.)

*Please check the product page for price and stock.

View product Try it on in store

TRY IT ON

You can try hats on in Kawaramachi, Kyoto. The fit and silhouette, which are hard to judge from photos alone, can be checked by actually trying hats on in the store.

Store information Visit the ONLINE SHOP

REFERENCES

Sources for this article

Who What Wear

Just So You Know, the Most Stylish People Will Be Wearing These 5 Trends Come Fall

Published: August 11, 2026

An article introducing skullcaps as one of 5 trends to watch in autumn. It predicts that crochet caps, a summer staple, will come back into focus in autumn as close-fitting styles, and expects tighter knits to increase as temperatures drop.

Read the original article

WWD JAPAN

2026-27 autumn/winter real trends are a return to "classic" and "elegance": clothes that build an autumn/winter mood even in the late-summer heat

Published: June 26, 2026

An article that positions the 2026-27 autumn/winter mood as a return to "classic" and "elegance", reporting that color schemes built around gray and brown, and outerwear in lengths between a coat and a jacket, were seen often at exhibitions.

Read the original article

TREND SUMMARY

FASHION GUIDE

HAT STYLE

WORDS / Fab RECOMMEND

REFERENCES

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