All You Need to Know About Hat Etiquette

[fmw]

Considering all the confusion it causes, and all the inconvenience, I'm surprised there's much of a fight to bring back hat etiquette. Part of me, most actually, says good riddance. We can come up with ways of showing how polite we are that leave our hands free for important things. Besides, who needs a hole in the brim from flopping the hat around all the time - up, down, up down, on, off, on, off - always fondling the brim. It's a Laurel and Hardy comedy skit. If people have forgotten, I say leave it that way.

That's just exemplary of a generation gap. We old timers view that as bad manners. I think it is probably an acceptable attitude among young people today. Fashions and attitudes change.

 

[jamespowers]

That's just exemplary of a generation gap. We old timers view that as bad manners. I think it is probably an acceptable attitude among young people today. Fashions and attitudes change.

it is not acceptable among all young people. My four year old son takes his hat off at the appropriate times. If he can do it then everyone can do it.

 

[HeyMoe]

Personally I follow the same rules as in the Army: if I am under cover, the cover comes off. As I rarely sit in a chair at a resturant, prefering booths due to confort factor for previously crushed vertabre - and they tend to be set so that I can see the door - the lid goes beside me. In a chair, it will occupy another chair or my knee.

I haven't started tipping my hat to ladies as yet, but I do take it off if talking to some one.

 

[dnjan]

I have never regretted having removed my hat, but once or twice (upon reflection) have regretted not having removed my hat.
I will continue to act with an effort at reduced regret.

 

[Alan-Eby]

I don't generally tip my hat at all, but I will take it off when speaking to someone, or entering a building that it not a highly informal (like a fast food place, grocery store, etc) I do notice though that an older gentleman friend of mine follows a code of conduct and etiquette that I was never taught and haven't seen before. It goes way beyond opening a door for a woman, saying please and thank you. I actually feel very uncouth and ill mannered when I'm around him much, I have to agree with dnjan I've rarely regretted removing my hat, but have too often regretted NOT removing it.

 

[Gumbo Book]

If you're accustomed to wearing a hat on a daily basis, then you will naturally know when is the "right" time to wear and not to wear your hat. If you're wearing your hat so that people will "look" at you...then as far as I'm concerned your barking up the wrong tree.
A hat is an extension of yourself, not mearly something to keep your head warm. As all of the Gentlemen here understand.

I do wear a hat inside sometimes, usually on old grey Dunn & Co Polo - which I use as a "beater"
But on the other hand I have other hats for other occasions, and that's half the fun in my book.

As far as ettiquette?

Just the simple decent good manners of the individual will know when not to wear a hat.
Hats are to be enjoyed after all

Gumbo.

 

[HeyMoe]

I have a question, the second post in the thread mentions not removing a hat in a train station. What about on the train it's self?

I recently was able to take a ride on a 1930's era train car and we started out from a 20's era train station. I removed my hat in both places, on the train because there were a number of ladies and children present (this was the polar express ride in Vermont). The wife and I will be taking a much longer 5 hour ride on this exact train this spring or fall (they do vintage train tours) and I was wondering what the etiquette is?

 

[fmw]

Obviously there aren't any rules. Personally I would leave my hat on in a train station. It is busy public place. I would take it off on the train itself. More like private setting with few people close together. Might be right or wrong. It is just how this old timer does it.

 

[HeyMoe]

Obviously there aren't any rules. Personally I would leave my hat on in a train station. It is busy public place. I would take it off on the train itself. More like private setting with few people close together. Might be right or wrong. It is just how this old timer does it.

That is what I thought, thanks for the in put!

 

[Gumbo Book]

That is what I thought, thanks for the in put!

My sentiments exactley.

 

[jamespowers]

Obviously there aren't any rules. Personally I would leave my hat on in a train station. It is busy public place. I would take it off on the train itself. More like private setting with few people close together. Might be right or wrong. It is just how this old timer does it.

That is what I do for the Niles Canyon Railroad here. If you are riding and older train then they should have places to put a hat. The train I was on did.

 

[EggHead]

When I commute on bus or other public transport, I do not take the hat off. Aside from protecting head/neck from cold air-conditioning blowing from ceiling, I need free hands to hold on. If I am sitting, I don't want people standing to cough on me from above.

 

[handlebar bart]

I have a question, the second post in the thread mentions not removing a hat in a train station. What about on the train it's self?

I recently was able to take a ride on a 1930's era train car and we started out from a 20's era train station. I removed my hat in both places, on the train because there were a number of ladies and children present (this was the polar express ride in Vermont). The wife and I will be taking a much longer 5 hour ride on this exact train this spring or fall (they do vintage train tours) and I was wondering what the etiquette is?

I wore my hat as did every one else that I can recall noticing

 

[HeyMoe]

Took mine off for the ride as the train had booth type seating and tossed it back on for a photo of the wife and I and our friends and thier daughter.

Interior of the train:

 

[hatophile]

Took mine off for the ride as the train had booth type seating and tossed it back on for a photo of the wife and I and our friends and thier daughter.

Interior of the train:

Nice Photos, Moe. Vermont is a beautiful state, we were just in Stowe this fall.

 

[bigbjorn]

I have a question, the second post in the thread mentions not removing a hat in a train station. What about on the train it's self?

I ride the Metro North daily, and treat the hat like any other piece of outerwear. I take off my coat and hat and place them on the rack. Wearing a fur felt hat for a 45 minute train ride will result in a sweaty head.

Frankly, other than the convention of doffing one's hat when speaking to a lady or sharing an elevator with a lady, if you treat it as any other outerwear, you're pretty much spot on. Wearing a coat, don a lid. Take off the coat, doff the lid.

 

[dnjan]

Frankly, other than the convention of doffing one's hat when speaking to a lady or sharing an elevator with a lady, if you treat it as any other outerwear, you're pretty much spot on. Wearing a coat, don a lid. Take off the coat, doff the lid.

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.

 

[HeyMoe]

Frankly, other than the convention of doffing one's hat when speaking to a lady or sharing an elevator with a lady, if you treat it as any other outerwear, you're pretty much spot on. Wearing a coat, don a lid. Take off the coat, doff the lid.

great advice, thanks!

 

[AntonAAK]

I ride the Metro North daily, and treat the hat like any other piece of outerwear. I take off my coat and hat and place them on the rack. Wearing a fur felt hat for a 45 minute train ride will result in a sweaty head.

Frankly, other than the convention of doffing one's hat when speaking to a lady or sharing an elevator with a lady, if you treat it as any other outerwear, you're pretty much spot on. Wearing a coat, don a lid. Take off the coat, doff the lid.

Good grief, your commuter trains must be very different from ours. You have space to take your coat and hat off and put them in a rack? You'll be telling me you sometimes get a seat next.

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.

With regard to treating a hat as outerwear I do concur however. I take it off when I take off my overcoat.

 

[danofarlington]

I leave mine on while on transit until arrival at eventual destination, even after removing coat, because I like the way hats look with just sport coat or shirtsleeves. I wouldn't do that if for me it was just a warmth item, like a stocking cap.