All You Need to Know About Hat Etiquette

[Topper]

• A gentleman will remove his hat for the national anthem, the passing of the flag and funeral processions unless they are in the military or clergy and on duty. Ladies likewise should remove any non-formal hat.
• A gentleman will remove his hat in the presence of a lady out of courtesy and respect.
• A gentleman should remove his hat when entering a normal building or reaching their destinations.
• A gentleman will remove (unless they are in the military or clergy and on duty) his hat when entering a church, where as a lady may keep her hat on, provided it is a formal one.
• 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 in the 19th centaury would always doff his hat to another gentleman of higher social status, or older age. This practice declined at the beginning of the 20th century, and by the end of WWII was very rare. Doffing if now the preserve for either meeting a personal acquaintance, of when members of the Royal family pass by.
• A gentleman passing a lady of his acquaintance, should doff or tip his hat to her in passing. If she stops to speak with him, he should remove his hat whilst standing together, but replace his hat when he (or they both) walk on.
• A hat should be held in such a way that shows only the outside and not the lining.

Pip-Pip
Doug

 

[Gallie]

Hat Etiquette

Alright, I'm new to hats and to the lounge. I've loved the Golden Era for years, and finally decided to buy a hat. Now I've three fedoras. I've received many comments, from Indy (when I wear my light brown one), to Jewish (my black one), to gangster (when I wear my grey one with my double breasted suit to church). Now that I'm on the lookout for them, I do see others wearing them occasionally...gosh I hope they make a real come back.

Anyway, what about hat etiquette. People wear baseball caps just about everywhere. What etiquette should we follow with our fedoras? Some are easy...church...off. Inside a house, off. What about public places like the mall, a restaurant, shopping store, etc.

 

[Mr Maltby]

I think there is a thread about this elsewhere, if someone cares to dig it up. But it may be nice to refresh it. Basically, its case by case.

Examples:

Sitting at the lunch counter of some dive joint: I think you can leave it on.

Take a lady out for a nice dinner: you may want to remove it when you go inside.

In an elevator, if a lady is present: off. If she is not, it is not necessary.

In a mall: on(since walking in a mall is basically like a street with a lid on it).

Shopping store: usually, on.

Someones home: Off.

Church: Off.

The office: Depends, safe bet though is to remove it.

But its all up to the individuals taste, really. These are just my thoughts. Anyone else care to jump in. I think if you go in somewhere and you have to pause and think, "hm, should I remove the hat or shouldn't I?" Go ahead and remove it. Somewhere, someone appreciates the gesture.

 

[Elaina]

If you're interested, I can go dig up my ettitique book and give what they actually say on it. Hats aren't something I had to learn, and my son doesn't want to wear one, except to church.

 

[gpwpat]

what are we to do when most resturants do not have hat racks or even hat hooks at tables anymore. It is awful. I have to keep my hat on my lap.

I have been to a diner that dates back to the 40's and they have hooks on every table and on the back of the chairs at the counter there is a clip to hang your hat.

I tip my hat to greet ladys. but there are not very many ladys out in public anymore.

 

[rick54]

My wife and I were out for breakfast this past Sunday at a local fine resturant. I checked my hat and our coats at the cloakroom. While we were sitting waiting to place our order, I notice a party of 6 being seated. There was a young man wearing a ball cap and a young lady wearing what appeared to be a newsboy type of hat.
Well management quickly told the young man that the hat would have to come off, and nothing was said to the young lady.
So I guess there is still hope after all!

 

[Mr Maltby]

gpwpat - what you say resonates strongly over here. On both counts. I guess not having a place to hang your hat requires you set your hat next to you if at a booth, or if at a chair, to place it on your lap. It is hard indeed.

Rick54- I have never been anywhere that had a hat or coat check. Are these sort of things common in your area? they are virtually non-existant where I sit.

 

[RBH]

Welcome to the Lounge Gallie !!

To be truthful.. I wear my hat. I wear my hat most everywhere.
Sometime I wear it inside, but never in church, I will, wear it to church however.
I try to take it off , when I should, sometimes I forget...
I think there are plenty more things that are rude besides someone wearing a fine looking fedora.

 

[aliados]

Now I feel old(er). Remember when chairs hat racks underneath 'em?

 

[scotrace]

Lots more

Here.

Here too.

All the rules, Emily Post, et al. Good stuff.

 

[Sir Dobbs]

Wow. Upon reading this I feel that I have horid hat etiquette. Shame on me.

 

[rick54]

Actually Mr. Maltby, this is a restaurant within a 4 star hotel. The person at the entrance to the restaurant, who takes the names, does also do the coat and hat check. I have gently trained them in the proper handling of my hats. The young lady always welcomes us with a "good morning" and a smile. In fact, on leaving, she knows exactly which overcoats are ours.
She always hands my wife's coat to me first, which I then assist my wife in putting on, then I'm handed my Homburg, and finally the young lady assists me with putting on my overcoat! This all happens regardless as to the number of people in attendance waiting for a reservation! Very much into etiquette and detail!
In fact, I even learned something at breakfast. Toast is never ordered "dark", but rather "well done"!
It seems that today's society in some ways reflects a degree of "starvation" for good etiquette and manners that was once customary to our parents and grandparents of years past. I know that if I take the time to present myself well dressed for breakfast, that I do indeed appreciate the service I receive in kind.
To answer your question, no, this is the only establishment in town that I know of which provides this service, and thus the only restaurant that I care to dine at for the time being.

 

[Riposte3]

Gallie,

You may have seen it on one of the previous threads that Scotrace linked to, but I put this together recently. It's a quick and simple guide that tries to keep the traditional rules while accounting for the problems caused by the modern world (i.e. no hat checks or racks in restaurants).

I think it's a good place to start, but then again I might be a little biased.

-Jake

 

[Mindraker]

Sometime I wear it inside, but never in church, I will, wear it to church however.

Well, it sort of depends on the faith, I guess. In a Christian church, I would remove my hat. However, to go to my friend's Jewish synagogue in which he is a choir member (and everyone is wearing the little caps), I might feel inclined to keep my hat on. Theoretically, if I were to visit a mosque, I might want to keep my hat on, because their followers tend to wear headcoverings, too.

 

[Mr Maltby]

heh, thats why he said church.

 

[Manny Tavares]

[huh] What if you're posing for a picture?[huh]

 

[Mr Maltby]

It all depends on the picture, right? Studio portrait? No hat. Outdoors with the relatives, before its time to hit the road. The hat is okay. I mean, a picture is intended to capture a certain image of a certain point in time. If the fedora is such a huge part of you at the point in the time that the picture is taken, wouldnt removing the hat be that like robbing the photo? I think though, like everything else, it's case by case.

 

[Topper]

To take this to next step ...Has anyone had to remind anotheperson to remove 'their' hat.

 

[canucklehead]

Last Rememberance Day, I was shopping for groceries when they announced the minute of silence. I was wearing a baseball cap at the time, but naturally it came off. During the minute, another fellow, hat firmly on fat head, wandered up the aisle, and I glared very pointedly at him. He just gave me a look as though I was doing something wrong and kept on plodding. Twit.

I would've said something, but it was the minute of silence. Grrrr. Some people have no respect.

Edit: That's the closest I've come to reminding someone to remove their hat.

 

[Topper]

Times like that one should be given free permission to trip them up with one's Umbrella! And if they fall flat and hurt themselves serves them right

Damn impolite and disrespectful. This year happened at Last Night of the Proms, people walking about trying to leave early, ( with some with hats on) During the National Anthem