Is Hat Ettiquette Obsolete?

[Mr Oldschool]

I just was wondering what everyone else's experience is with their daily hat wearing. Do people still take off their hats to go indoors where you live? Does anyone tip their hat to ladies anymore? The world has become much more casual about everything it seems, and one thing I notice a lot of is people wearing their hats indoors and out. Some guys actually wear their hats in church! While I have my hat with me virtually at all times, I always take it off indoors, so it spends actually more time right next to me than on my head. The receptionist at the downtown branch of the company I work for noted to me that I was the only person she knows of that still takes off my hat when coming indoors. I myself never tip my hat or touch my brim to anybody simply because nobody else does it, and I fear it would just look cheesy. So I turn to all of the hat wearing gang here... Whadda ya do?

 

[fedoracentric]

Etiquette that no one recognizes nor understands is dead, indeed.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

It is absolutely dead. I do not take my hat off inside, unless it is a Church or temple or somewhere sacred.

 

[Broccoli]

No it certainly is not. The different messages putting a hat on or off can state, are naturally incorporated as a kind of body language. If I am in a store and decide to take the hat off, it subconsciously sends the message that I'll stay for a while. Or if I ever put it on, it gives a clear message that I would be heading outside. It is hard to explain.

 

[scotrace]

I would have thought we were keeping our members informed and Well-bred.

 

[Mr Oldschool]

I would have thought we were keeping our members informed and Well-bred.

That's kind of where the thought comes from. At the Lounge, we have a excellent collection of people keeping the vintage and vintage style hat hobby alive, so it begs to wonder if anything associated with hat wearing also carries forward, or is it just about the hats now?

 

[The Fedorable]

Well, I still try to follow the hattiquette as best as possible. I'll only tip my hat for a lady is if eye contact is made, and most of the time no eye contact is made at all. I take it off when meeting new people or people who are higher up (I guess). When it comes to places, I usually keep it on when it comes to shopping areas. I don't know what the rule is on that, but I'll just slide my hat back whenever in a store. I'll wear it around church, but never inside the main sanctuary. Taking it off in a restaurant or when eating... even if I'm outdoors. I just feel wrong eating with my hat on.

I don't think it's cheesy in the slightest (though the hat tipping thing I still need to get the hang off). Some follow it, some don't. Just because it's "dead" to some doesn't mean it's entirely dead. Unless it's a living being we're talking about, but that's a different discussion.

 

[The Fedorable]

No it certainly is not. The different messages putting a hat on or off can state, are naturally incorporated as a kind of body language. If I am in a store and decide to take the hat off, it subconsciously sends the message that I'll stay for a while. Or if I ever put it on, it gives a clear message that I would be heading outside. It is hard to explain.

No, I fully understand what you're saying. I think I know where it's going.

 

[gman41]

I think wearing a hat is shocking enough for people. Start doing that and you may get some strange responses.

 

[tuco1963]

i wear my hat like i formerly wore my ball cap.
meaning i leave it on and only nod to the ladies instead of a tip

 

[Joe Rotax]

I wear western felts pretty much all the time because they are a real good cover that works for me way better than a ball cap or a fedora or whatever. I don't wear hats out of nostalgia for the past or because I want to be Roy Rogers or something. Westerns suit my demeanor and I can wear em so that's all it comes down to - no need to make a big deal out of it. Obviously though you take of your hat when they're playing the national anthem or putting someone in the ground but that's about it.

 

[HamilcarBarca3]

I always take off my hat if I'm somewhere that's not my house. It was something drilled to me in the military I guess.

 

[fashion frank]

Not Dead For Me !

Funny that you should bring this up because in the Straw Hat Thread here on the forum I was just pointing this out (if I could redirect that post to this thread here it would make it easy for me to explain) how a group of young fellows in a vintage photo were getting ready to cross the street but a woman was passing by and you can actually see one guy rasing up his hand to his straw boater to her .

Look at the very far right of this photo and you will see that guy.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/13313?size=_original#caption

As for myself I always follow form but you have to just know "in your bones " when to Doff your Cap as they say and when not to .
For example if I am out at the mall with the Misses I dont take my hat off just because I'm inside , however if I was going to vist someone and went into there house of course I would remove my cover same as if I was at a dentist office etc etc.

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

P.S. IMHO the sad thing is as a country we are losing our "class" because first of all most people dont even care about their apperance never mind being dressed as in coat hat and tie and would not even know that they should tip their hat to a lady ,or remove it in a church or public place etc .

 

[fedoracentric]

The problem is, everyone here understands what hat etiquette is. But if you were to go out in the world, not 10 in 10 will have the slightest idea what you are talking about when you start saying when you should doff your hat and when you shouldn't. In fact, you'd have to define what "doff" means in the first place!

Etiquette only works when the greater society understands it and accepts it. But when nearly no one you meet has the slightest idea, then as a societal rule it is dead. Dead as the buggy whip. Dead as using the right spoon and fork.

Of course, we try to keep it alive, but it is not a winner. After all, just look at when, where, and how men wear their loathsome ballcaps everywhere. In doors, out doors, in church, in people's homes... it doesn't matter where they are the hats stay on.

There is one area where Americans still know a little bit of hat etiquette, though. When the US anthem is played. Many men (and yet not all by a long shot) will still uncover for that, at least. But at least that is a time when men in America have some small twinge of understanding of what hat etiquette is.

 

[hatsRme]

I was entering a restaurant today wearing a felt. To my astonishment the man in front of me pulled off his ball cap as he passed through the door. I needed to act quickly to keep in step. So, in summary, and to my delight; HAT ETIQUETTE is NOT DEAD!! :yo:

 

[gear-guy]

Hat Etiquette

In adopting the hat as your signature piece, you must also accept the responsibility of hat etiquette. Often ignored, hat etiquette will show that your uniqueness extends not only to you choice of headwear, but to your manners as well.

Promptly remove your hat upon entering an elevator, restaurant, or someone’s home. Never wear your hat during a meal.
Touch the brim of your hat lightly when greeting a friend.
Raise the hat by the crown when meeting a female friend in public.
Remove your hat during the national anthem and

 

[suitedcboy]

I am 56 years old and have been around hats all my life. I do not traditional hat etiquette.
I also know that hat etiquette has roots in mores of more than 100 years ago. No one is born thinking a hat has to come off inside. You have to be taught to take offense at someone keeping a hat on inside. There are exceptions such as seated in rows where a hat could block someone's view. I know I will be in the minority here but I take offense at someone taking a hat off in a lot of cases. If you have worn a hat outside for hours and you wear a hat most everyday then when you take your hat off your damn head is UGLY. Your hair is flat and shaped like the hat. Why take the hat off and show anyone your pink, never sees the sun forehead if your hair is going to look like a hat anyway? If you wear your hat down and it obscures your face then it is impolite. It would be impolite to drop your head and look down at the edge of the table when someone talks to you too if you are not wearing a hat. When hats fell out of wear the etiquette was forgotten by most so it has not been enforced on the young.

 

[tommyK]

I think it is mostly obsolete. As was already mentioned; most people are just not aware of what's proper, there are several generations that haven't grown up with it. I'm aware of it through this website and years of watching old movies on TCM. I try to practice it as much as possible but there is no way I'm leaving a $200+ hat on a coatrack out of my eyeline in a restaurant or on the filthy floor. Nobody seems to care one way or the other anyhow (except for maybe us).

 

[The Fedorable]

I think wearing a hat is shocking enough for people. Start doing that and you may get some strange responses.

Mostly Indiana Jones call outs, but nothing stranger than that.

 

[jlee562]

Yup. Dead.