All You Need to Know About Hat Etiquette

[CharlieB]

Actually, I tend to modify that a bit. If I unbutton my coat (and/or loosen my scarf) I tend to remove my hat even if said coat is still on.

Reasonable. Since you probably loosened them because you went into some place warm, and it becomes a practical matter of not getting too hot before you go back outside.

 

[bigbjorn]

Good grief, your commuter trains must be very different from ours.

This is the commuter rail; nearly always a seat. From Grand Central Terminal (think Waterloo Station), I hop on the subway, where I wear the hat, of course. No place to put it there.

I commute on four different trains a day and my hat stays on my head because there isn't room between me and the next person to hold it.

Perhaps a coach service, such as the King's Ferry might be worth looking into?

 

[gpsoldhat]

Simple etiquette. Say please an thank you. Open doors for ladies and the elderly. Remove or tip your had when you should. Treat others like you want to be treated.

 

[Pompidou]

Simple etiquette. Say please an thank you. Open doors for ladies and the elderly. Remove or tip your had when you should. Treat others like you want to be treated.

When should a person from 2010 tip the hat? I only ask because the situation where it should occur is so rare that I've never seen it done in 32 years, and if I should come across the right moment, I don't want to miss it.

 

[gpsoldhat]

When should a person from 2010 tip the hat? I only ask because the situation where it should occur is so rare that I've never seen it done in 32 years, and if I should come across the right moment, I don't want to miss it.

How about anytime you might say excuse me tip your hat

 

[Pompidou]

How about anytime you might say excuse me tip your hat

I mentioned in another thread - the youth hat one - that I pick and choose my golden era etiquette, and I've been strongly considering starting to do this. If you search Lumiere Brothers on YouTube, you'll find a dawn of film era movie from 1895 or so with people in day to day life - leaving a factory, waiting for a train, etc - and they lift and tip their hat constantly. It seems like it'd be fun to do.

 

[gpsoldhat]

No body ever bows or curtseys anymore either do they. I guess the hat etiquette I know was passed down me by my grandfather along with the lessons on how to respect your elders and lots of other things. The problem is that positive male role models are getting to be few and far between and there in lies the problem. Everybody suffers because of it. But I ramble, the consequence of workin midnight shift and havin no recognizable sleep pattern.

 

[Dubya]

Here's a couple of tips I found on the interweb..................................

A gentleman when paying calls, should take off his coat as entering the hall, but keep his hat in his hands until reaching the drawing room. He should await being offered to put it down by the host/hostess. The reason being that, the visitor is privileged to pay their respects, and should the time not be acceptable, then he should be ready to leave immediately. Hence the phrase: Having one's hat to hand.

A gentleman should hold a hat in such a way that shows only the outside and not the lining.

Apologies if they have been mentioned before

 

[alanfgag]

Here's a couple of tips I found on the interweb..................................

A gentleman should hold a hat in such a way that shows only the outside and not the lining.

Aha! I'm always hunting for a liner view of old hats in old movies and never seem to find it... now I know why.

thanks,
Alan

 

[Dubya]

Aha! I'm always hunting for a liner view of old hats in old movies and never seem to find it... now I know why.

thanks,
Alan

You're most welcome!

 

[DavidJ]

So I've read a few of these posts, but something didn't make itself clear to me. I'm in an orchestra, and we go see other orchestras on occasion. What would I do with my fedora?

 

[AtomicEraTom]

It is a pet peeve of mine when people wear their hats in my house! I always remove my hat in someone's home. Any place where I would hang up my jacket, I take off my hat. If you're at the store, or the bank, or the post office, that's one thing, but never in someone's residence!

 

[monbla256]

So I've read a few of these posts, but something didn't make itself clear to me. I'm in an orchestra, and we go see other orchestras on occasion. What would I do with my fedora?

Depending on the season, if it's cold and you wear an overcoat over your tux, put it with your coat, if it's summer I'd put it under your chair where you sit to play. I'm sure they provide a secure place for instrument cases where you play so put it with your case maybe

 

[DavidJ]

That's true, we play in some nice places that should have a safe place. Thanks for the input, monblah.

 

[Robert Lee]

Good evening.

After many years without a proper head covering, I've recently started wearing hats, and am trying to work out the best etiquette. I understand most of the rules, and have read this entire thread in detail, but there are a few questions that I can't find answered anywhere; and I wonder if I might please ask them here? They are:

I should obviously remove my hat in church itself, or for a funeral, but what about in churchyards or graveyards? I've always felt like that's the kind of place I shouldn't wear one, am I wrong?

A number of people here have said that a hat, particularly a Stetson, should be rested on its crown, not its brim. Is this a piece of incorrect etiquette that is tolerated to protect the hat, or is this an exception to the rule of never showing the lining? And does this only apply to a Stetson, or should I do the same with my Homburg? I went into the "local" hat shop recently and every hat was on its brim.

A performer can wear a hat on stage as part of a costume. But what about other costumed situations? At the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, it's common to see performers advertising their shows by walking the streets in costume; if they walk inside while wearing a costume hat that they would wear on stage, should they doff it? What about hats at other costumed events, like fancy dress parties?

Many thanks in advance for any help in alleviating my confusion!

 

[dnjan]

I would say that outside (Churchyard or graveyard), hat on, unless specifically paying respects to a monument, etc.

As far as resting the hat on the crown as opposed to the brim - resting the hat on the crown promotes drying.
I put my sweaty hat on the crown, and flip it over later if I won't be wearing it that day.

 

[danofarlington]

Good evening.

After many years without a proper head covering, I've recently started wearing hats, and am trying to work out the best etiquette. I understand most of the rules, and have read this entire thread in detail, but there are a few questions that I can't find answered anywhere; and I wonder if I might please ask them here? They are:

I should obviously remove my hat in church itself, or for a funeral, but what about in churchyards or graveyards? I've always felt like that's the kind of place I shouldn't wear one, am I wrong?

A number of people here have said that a hat, particularly a Stetson, should be rested on its crown, not its brim. Is this a piece of incorrect etiquette that is tolerated to protect the hat, or is this an exception to the rule of never showing the lining? And does this only apply to a Stetson, or should I do the same with my Homburg? I went into the "local" hat shop recently and every hat was on its brim.

A performer can wear a hat on stage as part of a costume. But what about other costumed situations? At the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, it's common to see performers advertising their shows by walking the streets in costume; if they walk inside while wearing a costume hat that they would wear on stage, should they doff it? What about hats at other costumed events, like fancy dress parties?

Many thanks in advance for any help in alleviating my confusion!

My opinion is that one can err on the side of wearing the hat except in a few particular situations, which might be church or synagogue or mosque, sit-down restaurants, performances in a theater obviously, and ceremonies where hats off is customary. Otherwise I wear 'em. Here in the U.S., I follow baseball cap rules--whereever men wear baseball hats, that's where I assume I can wear my fedora. Fastidious rules except for the above in my opinion are outdated.

As for setting the hats down, I can't see any harm in setting them down on the crown or on the brim. It just doesn't matter, so far as I can see. About not seeing the lining--first I've heard of it; probably another archaic practice that need not carry over to the modern day.

 

[juggles]

Apologies if this has already been addressed but I couldn't find it: is there any specific etiquette regarding when to wear felt vs. straw? I've generally regarded my straw hats as more casual and wear them accordingly. Is there a seasonal "White after Labor Day" sort of rule?

 

[danofarlington]

Apologies if this has already been addressed but I couldn't find it: is there any specific etiquette regarding when to wear felt vs. straw? I've generally regarded my straw hats as more casual and wear them accordingly. Is there a seasonal "White after Labor Day" sort of rule?

Straw Hat Day is May 15, and Fur Felt Day is September 15. Violators will be shot.

 

[monbla256]

Straw Hat Day is May 15, and Fur Felt Day is September 15. Violators will be shot.

That only applies to folks north of the Mason-Dixon Line