“I’m rocking the pixie cut this year (love!),” writes Meegs, “and have a problem I’m hoping you might have an answer for. Helmet hair. Its cold outside now, about 14 degrees today, and a hat is necessary to not freeze on my walk to and from work. But when I take the hat off, my hair is flat as can be and any styling I did at home is gone. What’s your solution to short hair hat head?”

Emma Watson’s pixie cut was the most popular style of 2011

Hats can be rough on your hair no matter what the length, but when your hat covers your entire ‘do, hat head is a real crisis. Meegs has a couple of options to keep her pixie from going flat on her commute to work (and no, skipping the hat is not one of them, because 14 degrees is cold, people).

Stop the static. My battle is less with hat head than it is with static, which makes my hair simultaneously flat and crazy. Prevent static by spraying the inside of your hat with Static Guard just before you put it on; it won’t mess with your style but it will keep you from looking like you got too close to a live wire. Promise.

Keep product light. Heavy product plus a warm hat is a recipe for hair disaster; add product with a light hand, and keep it away from the roots. When you get to your destination, take off your hat and use your fingers to restyle your hair. Don’t expect a smooth, polished look, though — opt for a slightly messy style instead.

Style at the office. If possible, skip product entirely until you get to your destination. Toss your product in your bag and make a stop at the ladies room on the way in to jeuge. If you need your look to be more polished and less I-wore-a-hat-to-work, this may be your best solution.

Focus on the roots. When you’re revitalizing your post-hat hair, work the roots — get your fingers right next to your scalp and fluff from there. Your hat squishes all the volume out of your hair, so the trick is to get it back in there. Use your hands to get some height, and then play with the ends. But keep in mind that the whole idea of the pixie cut is that it doesn’t look perfectly coiffed all the time — don’t worry to much about getting it exactly right.

Looking for the right product? I’m a big fan of the American Crew line (I use Fiber for matte, messy look and Pomade for shine) — it’s a men’s line, but the products have a nice light smell, not Old Spice-y at all. For everyday, I use Aquage Detailing Cream, which is super light and easy to work with. And for strong hold, I use Purology HoldFast hair gel — a little goes a long, long way.

Photo via Emma Watson’s Facebook page