This browser is no longer supported.
Revised 10/27/26
hair for hats
Hats with Hair Guide: Hair Halos and Baseball Caps with Hair
The hair you would see under a hat, without the wig. A halo slips on under a hat or scarf you already own, and is lighter and cooler than a full wig. A baseball cap with hair is the cap and the hair in one. Bangs and the Ponytail Headband add hair in just one place.
Under a hat, the only hair anyone sees is at the sides and the back. Put hair there and the hat does the rest.
If you are losing your hair, or already have, whether from chemotherapy, alopecia or something else, a wig is probably the first thing that came to mind. It is a good answer, and for many women the right one. The other answer, the one fewer women hear about, is hair made for your hats. We call it hats with hair: a hair halo that goes under a hat or scarf, a baseball cap with the hair already in it, the Ponytail Headband, and bangs that attach inside the brim. Each one gives you the hair that would show under your hat and leaves off the rest, so on the days you reach for a hat, you still look like you.
If you have tried a wig and found yourself taking it off by lunchtime, these were made with you in mind. Halos are often a relief to women who were unhappy in a wig. They are inexpensive, comfortable and easy, and you still have hair. Once a woman finds the one that suits her, she often falls in love with it and finds a home in it. You should not have to choose between the hat you love and the look of hair.
why women choose them
- Cooler. A halo leaves the crown open under your hat, so there is far less on your head than with a wig.
- Faster. A cap with hair goes on in one step. A halo takes a minute, plus the hat.
- Nothing to style. The hair is set, so it looks the same every morning.
- Less to spend. A halo or a cap with hair costs less than a wig.
- Your own hats. Wear the beret, beanie or scarf you already love.
What they cannot do is come out from under the hat. If you want to take your hat off at dinner and still have hair, that is a wig’s job.
Short on energy? skip to the styles, or call us at 1-800-264-4287 (HATS) and a person will talk the options through with you.
If your hair is very thin. Halos and caps with hair work for you too, whenever you want more hair showing beneath your hat. They work at every stage, including the months when your hair is growing back; our guide to hair growth after chemo covers what to expect. If you would rather not wear a hat at all, a hair topper adds coverage at the part and crown. Not sure which suits you? Call us at 1-800-264-4287 (HATS) and a person will talk the options through with you.
four ways to have hair under a hat
halo, cap with hair, ponytail headband or bangs
All four put hair where it shows from under headwear. They differ in where the hair shows, how it attaches and what you wear over it.
| hair halo | baseball cap with hair | ponytail headband | bangs for hats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| what it is | A ring of hair with an open top. | A baseball cap with the hair attached inside it. | A ponytail on a soft, stretchy headband. | A fringe of hair for the front. |
| where the hair shows | The sides and the back. | The sides and the back. | A ponytail at the back. | The forehead. |
| what you wear with it | Most hats, scarves and turbans you own. | Nothing. The cap is part of it. | Any baseball cap you own. | Most hats, scarves and turbans, alone or with a halo. |
| putting it on | Halo first, then your headwear. | One step, like any cap. | Headband first, then your cap. | Attach them inside your hat or scarf, or onto the Instant Hair Headband. |
before you order
want hair at the front?
Most halos and caps with hair put hair at the sides and the back, below the brim, where hair would show from under a hat. For hair at the front, the Long Hair Halo with Detachable Bangs comes with bangs you can wear with it or on their own, and bangs made for hats and scarves add hair at the front of almost any headwear.
If you already know which one you want, you can stop here and go straight to the halos, the caps or the bangs. The rest is for anyone still deciding.
what is a hair halo?
hair where it shows, an open top where it doesn't
A hair halo is a hairpiece with an open top. The hair is sewn onto a soft band that goes around your head, and the crown is left bare, because the hat or scarf you wear over it covers that part. The halo goes on first and your headwear goes on top. From the outside, it looks like your own hair under your hat.
Our halos are hairpieces worn under headwear. Halo hair extensions, which sit on a thin wire, are a different product, made to blend into your own hair.
Most halos are made from the same synthetic fiber used in synthetic wigs, so the style is set and holds its shape. Some women have one made from their own hair, cut while it is still long and made into a custom halo.
I came up with the name hair halo in the early 2000s because that is what it looks like with no hat over it: a ring of hair with nothing in the middle. The name stuck, and now everyone calls them that.
how to wear a halo
Much like a simple cap, a halo can be thrown on and covered with a hat. Ease and comfort are probably the two biggest reasons women choose one, and putting it on takes a minute.
Put the halo on first.
Slip it on so the hair falls at the sides and the back, where your own hair used to fall.
Settle the hair.
Run your fingers through it so it frames your face and lies smoothly at your neck.
Put your hat or scarf on over it.
Bring the hat down to where your hairline is, or was. A hat worn high perches on top of the head, and it can show the edge of the halo.
Check the back.
Look in a hand mirror. If the band shows at the nape, pull the hat down at the back, or choose a hat with more depth there.
Under a scarf. Tie the scarf the way you always would, over the halo. Every style in our guide to tying a head scarf works with one underneath.
Cardani Long Hair Halo with Detachable Bangs
Long and straight. Wear the bangs with it, on their own, or not at all.
shop →Cardani Classic Bob Halo
A straight bob that falls just below the chin.
shop →Cardani Short Halo
A short, soft style for under a hat or scarf.
shop →Cardani Curly Hair Halo
Curls from short to medium length.
shop →These are our best-selling halos. See every style in hair halos and bangs, or watch our video review of the Classic Bob Halo.
Start with one. Once you know you like wearing it, having more than one halo is a fun way to mix up your looks.
which hats work over a halo
A halo has no hat attached, so it goes under almost anything you own: a beret, a slouchy beanie, a baseball cap, a newsboy cap, a sun hat, a head scarf or a turban. Change the hat and you change the whole look, dressed up or dressed down. Choose headwear that covers the band all the way around, including at the nape.
Hats are easy, they take very little thought in the morning, and they come in endless colors and shapes. Berets and slouchy beanies are our customers’ favorites, and many women find one signature shape and buy it in several colors.
These are among our most popular to wear over a halo. See all of our hats, scarves and headwear.
Slouchy Snood Hat
Our original slouchy beanie, in organic cotton and sewn in the USA.
shop →Trinity Turban
Organic cotton, worn three ways: as a beret, a turban or a snood.
shop →So Simple Scarf
Pre-tied, with a soft cotton lining. Slip it on and cinch the back sashes.
shop →100% Silk Head Scarf
An oversized 36-inch square of pure silk, with tying instructions included.
shop →what is a baseball cap with hair?
the cap and the hair in one piece
A baseball cap with hair is a cap with the hair already attached inside it. The hair falls at the sides and the back, and there is nothing to line up. You put it on the way you would put on any cap, and you are dressed.
It is the simplest of them all. Running late, heading out on an errand, walking the dog. One piece, one step.
our caps
Our Cardani caps are soft cotton baseball caps in black or beige, with an adjustable back so you can set the fit, and hair from a polished bob to long waves. The Juliette and the Margot have heat friendly hair you can style with heat tools.
how to wear a cap with hair
Put it on and go. On a Cardani cap, set the adjuster at the back to a comfortable fit the first time, and after that it is ready whenever you are.
Cardani Iconic Bob Baseball Hat with Hair
A polished bob on a soft cotton cap.
shop →Margot Baseball Cap with Hair
Heat friendly waves to about the shoulders.
shop →Lisette Long Baseball Cap with Hair
Long, straight hair, 11 to 15 inches, on a soft cotton cap.
shop →These are our best-selling Cardani caps. See every style in baseball caps with hair.
the ponytail headband
Baseball caps and ponytails go together, and the Ponytail Headband brings that look back during hair loss. It is a ponytail with side fringe on a comfortable, stretchy headband made of yoga-pant fabric. The ponytail and fringe come off the headband for washing. Put the headband on, then any baseball cap you already own over it, and you have the classic cap-and-ponytail look.
Most of us never wore salon hair to run errands anyway. The look women actually live in is a ponytail pulled through a cap, or a few loose strands under a brim. That is the everyday look this gives back.
The cap is sold separately, and any baseball cap works. See our baseball caps, including the Bad Hair Day cap.
“I love the idea of the headband with the baseball hat. I like my pony hanging out the back, so this will work perfect. My hair is starting to come back but in the meantime, let’s rock the pony. LOVE IT.”a customer
a note from our founder
The Ponytail Headband was the last design my mother Carol ever made. I was sitting with her during one of her last infusions when she sketched it for me on a crumpled piece of notebook paper.
For about five years after that, I couldn't bring myself to finish it. Then I finally made it.
Danielle
a halo or a cap with hair?
A cap with hair has the hair sewn into one particular cap, ready in a single step. With a halo, most hats and scarves you own are open to you. If you live in baseball caps, a cap with hair is the easiest answer. If you like to change your hat with your outfit, a halo gives you that, and it goes under a baseball cap too. Our guide to wearing a baseball cap during chemo has more on caps, and there are a few playful pieces too, for when you want to look like you are having a bad hair day.
And if you would rather wear a cap with nothing under it, our baseball caps are made for a bare head, and the Lace Sleep Cap doubles as a liner under any cap for full coverage. A cotton bandana or scarf tied under any ball cap does the same, with nothing new to buy; our guide shows how to tie a bandana. For more on caps for a bare head, see how to wear a baseball cap during chemo.
bangs for hats
hair at the front, where a halo stops
Halos and caps with hair put hair at the sides and the back. Bangs put it at the forehead. They attach inside the front of a hat, scarf or turban, so a little hair shows below the edge, and you can wear them on their own or with a halo.
They come in three kinds.
Ultimate Fringe
Synthetic bangs that attach inside any hat, turban or scarf, or onto the Instant Hair Headband.
shop →Human Hair Bangs
Real human hair, so they move like your own and can be styled.
shop →Perfect Style Fringe Bangs
Heat friendly, so you can style them straight, to the side or as curtain bangs, and trim them to suit your face.
shop →Two pairs. Put a second pair in the back of your hat, and a little hair peeks out there too.
the instant hair headband
Bangs come on a Velcro strip, and the matching side of the Velcro goes inside your hat or scarf.
I designed the Instant Hair Headband so you would not have to do that in every hat. It is a simple, soft headband. Press your bangs on at the front, at the back so hair shows beneath your hat there, or both, then put on any hat or scarf and go. When you change hats, the bangs come with you. It is the simplest way I know to have the look of hair: a little hair, very little effort, cool to wear and easy to take anywhere.
The band also gives your hat or scarf something to grip, which helps on a bare scalp. The hair is sold separately.
The Long Hair Halo with Detachable Bangs comes with its own bangs, which you can wear with the halo, on their own, or not at all.
See every style in baseball caps with hair and hair halos and bangs.
or a wig?
good answers, for different days
A wig gives you a whole head of hair, with a hat or without one. A halo or a cap with hair gives you hair under a hat and is quick to put on. Neither is the better choice.
Women choose differently, and plenty change their minds partway through. Some buy a wig right away and end up reaching for soft caps most days. Some wear the wig and little else. Some find a halo early on, and it becomes their go-to.
What they all share is the look of hair. Some women do not want to go out in public, or even be around their own home and family, in anything other than something that looks like hair. No scarf, bandana or cap on its own will do, and neither will going au naturel. A halo or a cap with hair lets her present herself the way she prefers to be seen without putting on a full wig.
| halo or cap with hair | full wig | |
|---|---|---|
| what you see | Hair at the sides and the back, under a hat. | A full head of hair, with or without a hat. |
| what goes with it | A hat or scarf, every time. On a cap with hair, the cap is built in. | Nothing. A hat is optional. |
| on your head | A halo is lighter, with your crown left open. A cap with hair sits like any soft cotton cap. | A full cap over the whole head. |
| putting it on | Quick to put on, with a little adjustment to the hair and headwear. | Some take more care to place and style before they look right. |
| styles | Bobs to long beach waves, straight or curly, some with bangs. | Far more styles, lengths and colors. |
| price | Less than most wigs. Halos cost less than caps with hair. | More, across a wider range. |
A wig gives you the option of taking your hat off and still having a full head of hair. A halo lets you change your look with different hats and scarves, and a cap with hair keeps everything together in one piece. You may prefer one, or keep different options for different days.
or a headband wig?
Between a halo and a wig sits the headband wig: a full wig with a soft band sewn in at the front, so it looks like you put your hair up in a headband. There is no hairline to place and no hat to choose. Put it on and go.
in their words
What customers have written about their halos, as they wrote it.
“Love it! I found my full wig uncomfortable and couldn’t wear it for more than an hour. I love the halo wig! I can keep it on all day and have received many compliments!”a customer
“Feeling beautiful: I have been told that I look like myself and that is important to me.”a customer
“Comfortable and realistic: Very nice little hairpiece for under a cap or beanie. My daughter thought it was my real hair as she didn’t realize how much I had lost.”a customer
“...a perfect match to her original hair color and felt extremely realistic and looked amazing.”a customer who bought a halo for a friend in chemo
“Thank you so much for having such a great product at a reasonable price.”a customer
choosing your style
length, texture, fiber and color
Wigs come in far more styles than halos and caps do, but from bobs to beachy long waves there is enough variety to cover most of the colors, cuts and lengths a woman might want.
the short version
Choose your hair.
A halo, a cap with hair, the Ponytail Headband or bangs.
Choose the hat.
Or use one you already own. A cap with hair comes with its own.
Put it on and go.
Send us a cutting of your hair first and we will match the color.
- Length. Start with the length you had, or a little shorter, and it will feel like you. Or use this as a chance to try something different.
- Texture. Straight, wavy or curly. Match your own hair, or try the texture you always wanted.
- Fiber. Most halos and caps use synthetic hair that holds its style and needs no heat. The heat friendly caps can be curled or straightened with heat tools, at the temperature on the product page.
- Bangs. Only if you want hair at the front, since most halos and caps stop at the sides.
- Color. Not sure which shade is yours? Send us a cutting of your hair and we will match the color for free. The Short Halo also comes in gray.
- For Black women. Several of our styles also come in versions for Black women: the Classic Bob, Long Hair, Short and Curly halos; the Iconic Bob and Margot caps; the Ponytail Headband; and the Ultimate Fringe and Human Hair Bangs.
If you are buying for someone. A halo or a cap with hair makes a thoughtful gift, and a customer who bought a halo for a friend in chemo told us the color was a perfect match. If you are not sure of her shade or her style, a gift certificate lets her choose for herself.
caring for your halo or cap
wash it like a wig, not like a hat
Both are hair, so both are cared for the way a synthetic wig is. That includes a cap with hair: the hair is attached, so the whole piece is washed like a wig. A hat worn over a halo goes in its own wash, by its own label.
- Wash it by hand. Cool water and a wig shampoo. Never laundry detergent, and never the washing machine.
- Let it air dry. Press the water out in a towel and leave it to dry on its own.
- Keep heat away. No curling iron, straightener or hot dryer, unless the product page says the hair is heat friendly.
Before the first wash. Our synthetic wig care instructions walk through washing, drying and storing step by step, and they work for halos and caps with hair too.
The Essentials set has everything for it in one box.
Our hat and scarf care guide has a section on hats with hair, and covers the hat you wear over a halo.
questions about halos and caps with hair
open only the one you need
what is a hair halo?
A hair halo is a hairpiece with an open top, worn under a hat, scarf or turban. The hair sits at the sides and the back, and your headwear covers the crown, so it looks like your own hair under your hat.
why is it called a hair halo?
Because of the shape. With no hat over it, a halo is a ring of hair with an open top. I gave them the name in the early 2000s, and it stuck.
what is a baseball cap with hair?
A baseball cap with the hair already attached inside it. You put it on in one step, like any cap.
what is a ponytail headband?
A ponytail attached to a soft, stretchy headband, made to wear under a baseball cap. Put the headband on, then any baseball cap over it, for the look of a ponytail when you have little or no hair. Caps are sold separately.
should I choose a halo or a baseball cap with hair?
If you live in baseball caps, a cap with hair is the easiest answer, because the cap and the hair are one piece. If you like to change your hat with your outfit, a halo goes under most hats and scarves you own, a baseball cap included.
do halos and caps with hair include bangs?
Most do not. The Long Hair Halo with Detachable Bangs comes with its own bangs, and you can add bangs made for hats and scarves to any style.
how do I wear bangs with a hat?
Attach them inside the front of your hat, scarf or turban so a little hair shows below the edge, or attach them to the Instant Hair Headband and wear that under your headwear. Wear them on their own or with a halo.
can I wear a hair halo without a hat?
A halo is made to be worn under a hat, scarf or turban. The top is open, so without headwear your crown shows. If you want hair you can wear with nothing on top, a wig does that.
will a halo stay on if I have no hair at all?
Yes. Halos are made for a bare or nearly bare head. A gentle elastic holds the halo in place, and the hat or scarf over it keeps it steady.
can I adjust the size of a baseball cap with hair?
Our Cardani caps have an adjustable back, so you can set the fit to your head. Each product page lists how its cap adjusts.
can I curl or straighten the hair?
Only if the product page says the hair is heat friendly, as it does on the Juliette and Margot caps, and only at the temperature it gives. Regular synthetic hair holds its style without heat, and heat tools damage it.
is a halo or cap with hair cooler than a wig?
A halo can be. It is lighter and less bulky than a full wig, and your crown is left open under the hat, so it can feel less hot and more comfortable to wear all day. Our Cardani caps with hair are made on soft, lightweight cotton caps.
what size hair halo do I need?
Our Cardani halos come in one stretchy size made to fit most heads. If hats are usually loose or tight on you, call us before you order and we will help with fit.
can I wear a halo or cap with hair if my hair is thinning?
Yes. They work on a bare head and on very thin hair, whenever you want more hair showing beneath your hat. If you would rather not wear a hat, a hair topper adds coverage at the part and crown.
can I wear a halo or cap with hair with alopecia?
Yes. Both are for a bare or nearly bare head, whatever the reason for the hair loss, and for as long as you need them.
how do I wash a halo or cap with hair?
Wash it like a synthetic wig: by hand, in cool water, with a wig shampoo. A cap with hair is washed the same way, as one piece. Never use laundry detergent or the washing machine. Press the water out in a towel, let it air dry, and keep heat tools away unless the product page says the hair is heat friendly.
why we make hair for hats
specialists in hair loss since 1995
In 1990 my mother Carol went through breast cancer treatment and could not find anything comfortable or attractive to wear. She was a hairstylist, and she promised herself that if she came through it she would fix that for the women who came after her. In 1995 she and I started Headcovers together.
A hairstylist knows how much a little hair around the face does for it. A halo gives back the hair that shows under a hat and leaves off the rest. A cap with hair does the same in one step, and her Ponytail Headband does it under any baseball cap. We make all three under our own Cardani name.
Wear one every day, keep one for the days a wig feels like too much, or decide a soft cap with nothing under it suits you fine. Some women go without anything and love the bald look. Whatever you choose is yours to choose, for as long as you need it. Then the morning is simple. Hair on, hat on, out the door. If we left a question unanswered, tell us. We want to hear it.
Find the hair that looks like you.
Or call 1-800-264-4287 (HATS) and a person will talk the options through with you.
Comments, Questions & Ratings
Add a comment. Post a rating. Leave your comments.
No reviews now.