Beat or crumple head wear (6)
I believe the answer is:
boater
'head wear' is the definition.
'boater' can be an answer for 'wear' (boater is a kind of wear). I'm unsure of the 'head' bit.
'beat or crumple' is the wordplay.
'crumple' is an anagram indicator (I've seen 'crumpled' mean this (a crumbled or damaged version of the letters)).
'beat'+'or'='beator'
'beator' with letters rearranged gives 'BOATER'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for boater that I've seen before include "sailor, perhaps" , "Hat style" , "one going in the junk?" , "Flat-topped straw hat" , "(Of exercise) improving oxygen intake" .)