Hat etiquette

[Chas]

As I understand it, a gentleman always takes his off indoors.

I have been doing this, except when in a dept. store and such. Anybody else have any thoughts on this?

 

[scotrace]

Here are more than a hundred of our thoughts on this.

 

[Chas]

Thanks, pal!

I'll read this when I have more time. Excellent.

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

I was taught that the only hat that can be worn at all times (indoors/outdoors) is a cowboy hat.

All others are taken off when entering a buidling.

 

[jake_fink]

I was taught that the only hat that can be worn at all times (indoors/outdoors) is a cowboy hat.

All others are taken off when entering a buidling.

Did a cowboy teach you that?

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

Did a cowboy teach you that?

No

I guess it's a Texas thing....

 

[Bill Taylor]

Not a Texas "thing". I was born in and lived in Texas in a rural small town environment, and the men always removed their hats (usually a western Stetson) the minute they were indoors. They always tipped their hat to a lady on the street also. The tipping of a hat is not a removal, sort of just barely lifting it by the brim with the fingers on the brim.

I believe the correct ettiquette is that a man always removes his hat indoors and in the presence of a lady, except in a large building lobby, when it can be worn while waiting for an elevator. Upon entering an elevator, a man should always remove his hat and hold it in his hand. Incidentally, there is a hilarious 1920's scene from the movie "Auntie Mame" about the difficulty of removing a hat in a crowded elevator.

That is why a hat and coat check stand were often always a part of larger finer establishments, or in smaller or less fine establishments, hooks were available to hang them on. Not sure about department stores and such, perhaps it is acceptable for a man to wear a hat there. It was OK to wear a hat at bar, since in theory, there would be no women present. It seems it was also permissable for a man to wear his hat in a car although that sort of seems like indoors.

Actually, the "rules" are not too different from military hat regulations. Always worn outdoors or in a closed car, never indoors or in a covered walkway.

One of the things today that really bothers me are baseball caps. They are worn during dinner, inside and outside and anywhere else and in my opinion is in bad taste and looks dorky. Of course, it's just a fad and this too will pass, just like the wearing of fedoras did. And then in 10 or 15 years, someone will see an "old" picture of someone in a baseball cap and they will say, "you didn't really ever wear anything like that, did you"? Naturally, our four grandsons who are between the ages of 30 and 21 don't necessarily appreciate this attitude, but as my wife told one of them recently about baseball caps, "if he didn't like her attitude, he could sit on it". It was not a comment he expected from his grandmother but tough luck, they often are on the receving end of unexpected responses from my wife. She is a tough old broad, a lawyer and most are a lot worse than that!

Bill

 

[metropd]

You can always keep your hat on in a bar at any high class restraunt.

 

[scotrace]

Not unless seated at the counter.

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

My apologies. I misinterpreted keeping your hat on in public places pertaining only to the cowboy hat.

I had a good friend in the Army, who was from Texas, wear a cowboy hat whenever he was not in uniform and rarely took it off.

I think it was he who told me that the cowboy hat was part of a "uniform", thus exempt from certain hat etiquettes....but of course I am probably wrong...

 

[Valhson]

I was taught that the only hat that can be worn at all times (indoors/outdoors) is a cowboy hat.

All others are taken off when entering a buidling.

Funny I thought the only hats you could wear in or out were when you were armed...

Must be the military thing.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

We seriously need some kind of permanent, easy to find post for this. It seems like it comes up every month by the next "new wave".