Summertime hats are built for covering up -- those floppy hats and fedoras shield your face from scorching UV rays, and hide those sweaty, salty "beachy waves" or your chlorine-crunchy mop. But when cool weather hits, hats are all about keeping your noggin' warm. Problem is, the minute you set foot inside and take off that beret, the damage is done: Your hair looks like it's been run through a turbo engine.

Whether you live in colder climates where wearing a hat is a necessity, or you're like me -- donning a hat for strictly sartorial reasons in Southern California -- you can prevent (or fix) a self-inflicted bad hair day with a few simple tricks. Click to see the top do's and don'ts for wearing winter hats from celeb stylist Josue Perez of Serge Normant at John Frieda in NYC, celebrity hairstylist George Gonzalez of George the Salon Chicago, and NYC based hairstylist Kyra Dorman.

Try stylists' favorite finishing touch: the cool shot. After blow-drying and styling hair, Perez seals in shine, keeps the hair cuticle frizz-free and tames flyaways with a few seconds of the cool shot button. "Rowenta Beauty's Infini Pro Dryer has the coldest button on the market, reaching 75 degrees in under two seconds," says Perez.

It may be tempting to slick your hair back to avoid a swampy mess, but a tight hairstyle close to your scalp can backfire. "Hats trap heat, and heat styles hair, so it'll cause your hair to hold whatever shape it's in," says Perez. So if you have a tight, pulled-back ponytail, your hair will fall flat. Perez recommends styling your hair with a little extra volume at the roots, or tease your ponytail so hair doesn't look limp.

If you want to avoid looking like you were electrocuted, steer clear of hats made with synthetic materials, like polyester and poplar fleece. "The synthetic fibers cause static cling and will leave hair frizzy," says Perez. Instead, opt for cotton or cashmere hats, or loose berets, which help hair retain some of its volume.

We've been harping on hats as the main cause of hat hair, but other factors may be in play, namely, your scalp's transition from fall into winter. "A dry scalp can augment the problem of hat hair, so it is important to maintain a healthy, daily conditioning routine as temperatures cool," says Gonzalez. Try Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy Nourishing Conditioner, $5.99, or John Frieda Root Awakening Conditioner, $6.49 to moisturize the scalp and balance oil production.