All You Need to Know About Hat Etiquette

[RJR]

Actually,no argument imo.

 

[Nyah]

This bothered me so much that, during a 5-day conference which I recently attended, I ended up wearing an old, unstructured boonie with a floppy brim, just to meals, simply because it had a lanyard that allowed me to 'wear' the hat on my back when not on my head. After eating, I'd return immediately to my room so that I could switch back to the fedora.

If I can get a small 'meal hook' to hang my fedora on the back of my chair, as long as it doesn't leave a pinch mark anywhere on the hat, I'd rather use that instead of resigning to the boonie hat. If anyone has experience with these devices, please share.

 

[RJR]

John Penman has made a neat hat hanger in the past but hasn't had any available recently.Check it out on Youtube.

 

[moontheloon]

John Penman has made a neat hat hanger in the past but hasn't had any available recently.Check it out on Youtube.

John says that after some revisions it will be available

... and I will own one

[video=youtube;Hx4HwiR44M0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx4HwiR44M0[/video]

 

[ScionPI2005]

I agree that in the most formal settings (Court, business meetings, places of worship) a hat should not be worn indoors. However, with some young people wearing their pants halfway down with their underwear showing in public and no one batting an eye, I think that hat wearing in any other place these days is really no big deal. I'd rather see tons of people with their hats on their heads sitting down inside a restaurant than one person with their baggy pants and underwear showing.

 

[JoeyC]

I agree that in the most formal settings (Court, business meetings, places of worship) a hat should not be worn indoors. However, with some young people wearing their pants halfway down with their underwear showing in public and no one batting an eye, I think that hat wearing in any other place these days is really no big deal. I'd rather see tons of people with their hats on their heads sitting down inside a restaurant than one person with their baggy pants and underwear showing.

I am at times both amused and irritated when we dine out, properly dressed , only to see others in baseball hats, shorts, tee shirt sock less be seated when the establishment has a sign advising jackets required and proper footwear. I can recall when you would be denied entrance if you were not wearing jacket AND tie, though they usually could provide a tie. I'm not about to lower my standards but, at the same time I expect the same leeway towards my wearing hats, though I would not wear one in a fine restaurant or other places where it would be disrespectful to do so however, I don't put too much weight on the whole indoors/outdoors and other hat etiquette rules. Judgement and common sense.

 

[Nyah]

That Penman hook looks pretty versatile but, it's a lot bigger than what I'd want to carry around in my pocket. I already carry keys, cellphone, PDA, etc and this looks at least as big as a PDA/smartphone.

 

[emigran]

I agree with most all of you on the 'courtesy' aspect of hat etiquette... the only concern I ever have is for the safety of my beloved cover...

 

[TPD166]

I found this is another thread [non-Shorpy All-Stars, I think] - McKinney, TX 1940 - a nice of mix of who is, and who isn't, wearing their hat while dining.

 

[Motorcyclist]

This bothered me so much that, during a 5-day conference which I recently attended, I ended up wearing an old, unstructured boonie with a floppy brim, just to meals, simply because it had a lanyard that allowed me to 'wear' the hat on my back when not on my head. After eating, I'd return immediately to my room so that I could switch back to the fedora.

If I can get a small 'meal hook' to hang my fedora on the back of my chair, as long as it doesn't leave a pinch mark anywhere on the hat, I'd rather use that instead of resigning to the boonie hat. If anyone has experience with these devices, please share.

Regarding a hook to hang your hat... I was looking at this online recently and wondering how well it would work. Anyone tried it?

http://theultimatehathanger.com/

 

[moontheloon]

I found this is another thread [non-Shorpy All-Stars, I think] - McKinney, TX 1940 - a nice of mix of who is, and who isn't, wearing their hat while dining.

notice everyone who is wearing a hat eating is at the counter ... very common hat etiquette

for whatever reason eating at the counter was ok to be hatted

that is one that always confused me ... as well as the crowded elevator rule

great pic

 

[Dinerman]

notice everyone who is wearing a hat eating is at the counter ... very common hat etiquette

for whatever reason eating at the counter was ok to be hatted

that is one that always confused me ... as well as the crowded elevator rule

great pic

It's pretty common sense. At a counter, there's nowhere to safely put your hat, whereas the people seated at left have theirs hung on the wall. There used to be provisions for safely storing your hats, wire racks under movie theater seats, hat checks, hat hooks, etc. With the decline of hat wearing came the demise of the infrastructure which allowed for the etiquette. As a result, in modern settings any kind of historic hat etiquette is the roughest of suggestion, not a hard and fast rule.

 

[el_ote]

I was confused about the hat at counter exception as well, but this picture solved it for me. The counter has no where to put the hat on. well... i guess they could go hook it up on the opposite wall with the others... dang

 

[moontheloon]

It's pretty common sense. At a counter, there's nowhere to safely put your hat, whereas the people seated at left have theirs hung on the wall. There used to be provisions for safely storing your hats, wire racks under movie theater seats, hat checks, hat hooks, etc. With the decline of hat wearing came the demise of the infrastructure which allowed for the etiquette. As a result, in modern settings any kind of historic hat etiquette is the roughest of suggestion, not a hard and fast rule.

patrons at the counter aren't allowed to hang their hats as well ?

I don't think your reasoning is why it happened at all ... I think it had to do with not sitting at a table facing your table mates ... a respect thing

 

[dnjan]

If I can get a small 'meal hook' to hang my fedora on the back of my chair, as long as it doesn't leave a pinch mark anywhere on the hat, I'd rather use that instead of resigning to the boonie hat. If anyone has experience with these devices, please share.

I made such a device from the elastic cord from a conference name badge plus the clip from another name badge.
The best clips are the ones with small plastic pieces in the "jaws".
Handy at restaurants as well as when flying.

 

[Dinerman]

patrons at the counter aren't allowed to hang their hats as well ?

I don't think your reasoning is why it happened at all ... I think it had to do with not sitting at a table facing your table mates ... a respect thing

That may be your opinion, but that is the basis for that part of hat etiquette. I'm afraid it had very little to do with side to side seating.
There's lots of good period material out there on this topic to read up on, if you have the time.

And remember, like any other "rule" (never button the bottom button/always button the bottom button, etc.) hat etiquette and rules have changed dramatically over the past century. What was practical and appropriate in the 1930s is not always the same now

 

[ingineer]

Moon ;
There might be a problem of having your hat acquire legs when your back was turned.not even from theft but mistaken identity
Don ;
Very smart.
That would work really great in conjunction with a purse holder
http://www.clipa.us/how-clipa-works.php

 

[hatsRme]

Thank you for finding and posting that one, TDP166!

So I must ask again, gents, about the rule of counter vs. table dining, because of a new style of "bar level" seating which has become popular over the last few years. Would it have been proper etiquette to wear a hat if such tables existed when hat wearing was the norm? I generally ask to sit at these new higher tables since they are bar height.

 

[moontheloon]

That may be your opinion, but that is the basis for that part of hat etiquette. I'm afraid it had very little to do with side to side seating.
There's lots of good period material out there on this topic to read up on, if you have the time.

thanks for the suggestion .. but I have actually studied this topic for many years

and a counter has always been somewhere where one has not been expected to remove their hat

a counter at a diner ... at least here on the east coast ... has always been where either a single person ate ... or a couple people sat when stoppin in for something quick ... a coffee and muffin or piece of pie or whatever... and weren't expected to remove their hats if they didn't want to

sitting at a table you were staying a while and facing your guests or table mates you were expected to remove your hat as a sign of respect

most places with tables and a counter in those days hat enough room for everyones hat to hang ... men and women

this is what 30+ people over the age of 75 have told me over the years of studying hat wearing in NYC

 

[tropicalbob]

I believe that was also the reason why it was acceptable to wear your hat at a bar.