Club Obi Wan

My question to you (with a poll) is:

Do you really take your hat off when entering a building?

I know this is old school proper etiquette; but in todays world, is it really necessary? I mean, I know that I'm supposed to tip my hat to a lady too, right?

I voted yes, but to be more specific, I take my hat off when entering someone else's private space. I do not take it off entering a lobby or walking public corridors.

Seven years in the military has made it second nature. Not to mention the 18 years of maternal badgering I got on the subject before that.

I agree open lobby and mall's or whatever is a no, but homes and offices yes, unless I have no repsect for them or dont know them, kinda like Indy in LC at Donovans home

I will agree with the above...

Walking into someone's house, definitely. Walking into work, I usually take it off by the time I get to the elevator.

Walking around a mall, not necessarily, though usually if I'm going to be indoors for any length of time it is too warm to wear a hat for long.

I take my hat off in other people's homes or offices... but not in public places like mall/bank/post office... etc. I don't think we are supposed to take our hat off in those places anyway... As for tipping the hat for ladies... I sometimes do it... but whenever I do it, I get this really weird looks from the ladies... They may appreciate it, but not necessarily expect it, so kind of catch them off guard. Anywho here's my two cents...

gi_canuck wrote:I take my hat off in other people's homes or offices... but not in public places like mall/bank/post office... etc. I don't think we are supposed to take our hat off in those places anyway... As for tipping the hat for ladies... I sometimes do it... but whenever I do it, I get this really weird looks from the ladies... They may appreciate it, but not necessarily expect it, so kind of catch them off guard. Anywho here's my two cents...

I agree.

lingarn wrote:I will agree with the above...

Walking into someone's house, definitely. Walking into work, I usually take it off by the time I get to the elevator.

Walking around a mall, not necessarily, though usually if I'm going to be indoors for any length of time it is too warm to wear a hat for long.

Same here

JJ

I don't wear a fedora, but I wear a baseball cap sometimes. I hate it when people wear hats in restaurants.

SD

St. Dumas wrote: I hate it when people wear hats in restaurants.

SD

I agree wholeheartedly. I live in the south and you'd think little bit of politeness would have been passed on.

Depends, the buildings I enter are often public buildings or they have a public lobby. Once I am past the public lobby area, I am in a private area and I remove my hat.

You can wear a hat in public, but not in private. Elevators are tricky, a hat should be removed, unless it is so crowded that your hat would get crushed.

I do not remove my hat while walking the isles (usually the veggies and wine) of a supermarket, it is a, "public market," but once in front of the cashier, butcher, deli clerk, the hat is removed, I am in a private conversation and/or transaction with them.

Produce guy sez, "hello, sir," I tip my hat and wish him a great day.

Restaurants? Hats off. But if I am at the OK Cafe on Paces and Northside and at the counter? Hat on.

Say Jersey, when will I be tipping my Camptown?

I used to be more careful about removing my hat when entering a building. However, I read the hat etiquette section of The Fedora Lounge where it said that a hall in an office building is considered "outside" - you should remove the hat when entering an office. Since then I have kept my hat on until I reach my desk at work. I do remove it in restaurants and when entering someone's home.

Matt

I can't vote, as BoilerMaker states, the law of etiquette states there should be a 'yes' and 'no' response on this one.

In a public area such as a mall, department store, or public building, they are considered as still 'outside', so the answer is 'no'. In an elevator by yourself, no. With a lady present, yes. In an office area, yes. School or church, absolutely. Restaurant, yes. Diner, no. etc.

So, there's no 'yes' or 'no'...it's actually 'yes AND no'.

Regards! Michaelson

Hall? Quiet office corridor? Hat off. TFL denizens have a lack of manners that could fill a book.

True, but in this day and age, Piker, most folks have no clue what is and is not acceptable behavior.

Regards! Michaelson

I agree with Michaelson. I tend to take my hat off in a "personal area" like somebody's office, home, etc. and restaurants, but not in public areas and diners. :junior: -M

Michaelson wrote:True, but in this day and age, Piker, most folks have no clue what is and is not acceptable behavior.

Regards! Michaelson

Possibly including me, but TFL just makes my blood boil.

"Nazi's, I hate those guys."

I understand.

Regards! Michaelson

I agree with most of what has been said about hat etiquette, it is not news to me, but what I always have a problem with, is restaurants.

I know what the rules are, but back in the days when men wore hats and men also took their hats off in restaurants, there were places for them to put their hats. Men don't wear hats today, so there is no need for hat racks or pegs in most places.

In most of these chain restaurants, all the surfaces have had food and drink spills on them, and quite frankly, if they don't make a spot available, I don't want to mess up my hat putting it on a dirty surface. In those instances, I say, to heck with etiquette. And, I am not putting a paper napkin on the floor to put my hat on and have it kicked, stepped on, or food and drink spilled on it.

If it is cold weather and there is a blank space in a booth or on a chair, I'll put my coat or jacket on the chair and put my hat on top of it. If the only clean available surface for my hat is so far away from me that it could get stolen, well, I'd rather keep my hat on my head. I'll be happy to explain my rude behavior to the restaurant manager, if he even cares, as I chastise him for not accomodating a gentlemen wearing a hat in his establishment. But, that'll never happen because most men today, don't wear hats.

In the end, if I know a place to put my hat is going to be an issue in a restaurant, I usually just leave it in the car and lock it up.

One of our members was trying to do the right thing and take his hat off in a restaurant and had a whole pitcher of soda spilled in his AB by the waitress. That is just not for me. I have resigned myself to just try to keep my hats as far away from restaurants as I can.

Restaurants today are just not hat friendly like they may have been back in the day. Today, most men just don't wear hats, so there is no need of those things. In a place like Texas, or some other part of the country where wearing a hat is more commonplace, this may not be the case.

When in a restaurant that has no other place to put my hat, I will put it crown down in my lap and put my napkin over it. If there is a spare chair or if in a booth with room, I will put it next to me.

I went out a couple of Sunday's ago to one of the nicest restaurants in Detroit. I was surprised when the host asked me if I would like to check my hat as there wasn't an obvious coat/hat check area, but he gave me a claim check for it. I really felt like it was another era.

Wow, I didn't expect the backlash from mentioning TFL. Is there another place to find more acceptable hat etiquette? I'm trying to follow the accepted guidelines, but it isn't just automatically passed on any more. My father is a hat wearer, but I haven't lived with my parents for over 30 years and I didn't wear a hat then. I can't observe too many hat wearers on a regular basis. I'm pretty much on my own - well except for everyone here!

Matt

About 20 years ago when I got out of the military I always took off my hat when going inside. Habit I guess. I don't wear my hat inside to much just depends on were I'm at.

Wow, I didn't expect the backlash from mentioning TFL. Is there another place to find more acceptable hat etiquette?

Some of them on TFL play dress up as Nazi's. The Piker can't abide that.

We got the point the first time, Piker. Back on topic, please.

I tip my hat to the gentle nudge of the Mods.

"Public" inside spaces, I leave the lid on, "Private" inside spaces, I "take it off"

Comes from my time at the USMMA, we had to wear our "Covers" (peaked cap) in hallways (public) but took them off if entering a living area or classroom (private). Pity I flunked out.

BoilermakerJones wrote:When in a restaurant that has no other place to put my hat, I will put it crown down in my lap and put my napkin over it.

With a hat on my lap, I don't fit under a table.

Actually what I do is set the brim on my legs and the crown sits between my legs. It isn't the most comfortable way to go, but its better than getting stuff on it.

Matt

Someone mentioned the quandary of finding a clean spot to put your hat in a restaurant, etc.

The solution for me is simple: I just put it on my knee.

Tony Rush

Simply as this... NO.

Out of habit, I take my hat off as I walk in the door, and put it on as I step out - not one step before or after (that's the military habit). Good to see that it's not bad manners to wear a hat in a mall or lobby, though. It's always been a pain carrying a hat around in the mall. I absolutely NEVER wear a hat while sitting down at a restaurant, however. I've always put the hat on a knee, but it tends to slide off. I think I'll try Boilermaker's brim method.

alanseijas wrote:My question to you (with a poll) is:

Do you really take your hat off when entering a building?

I know this is old school proper etiquette; but in todays world, is it really necessary? I mean, I know that I'm supposed to tip my hat to a lady too, right?

For no reason in particular, I see a distinction between the practice of removing one's hat and tipping a hat to others.

And with no disrespect intended, what one person might call "old school", others just call "class". I think it makes perfect sense to leave one's hat on in "public" indoor areas (hotel lobbies, malls, etc.)

But, in a restaurant, home, office, etc.?

Nope, it comes off.

Tony

TonyRush wrote:

alanseijas wrote:My question to you (with a poll) is:

Do you really take your hat off when entering a building?

I know this is old school proper etiquette; but in todays world, is it really necessary? I mean, I know that I'm supposed to tip my hat to a lady too, right?

For no reason in particular, I see a distinction between the practice of removing one's hat and tipping a hat to others.

And with no disrespect intended, what one person might call "old school", others just call "class". I think it makes perfect sense to leave one's hat on in "public" indoor areas (hotel lobbies, malls, etc.)

But, in a restaurant, home, office, etc.?

Nope, it comes off.

Tony

I agree. Our society has become so casual that people don't feel like they need to have manners. In turn, the class that was a direct outcome of those manners has been slowly lost.

Yes but only if im sitting down for a meal or entering some ones house, as a sign of respect

I was aware of some of the rules regarding being indoors or outdoors, and it's certainly interesting reading it from a modern point of view. Could anyone who's posted above comment about what, if anything, would have been done differently "in period"? I'm working on a play that's set in the 1940s, very film noir, and would love to have some real specific details about proper hat usage and etiquette ... particularly because it could be useful for some characters to 'screw it up' occasionally, either on purpose or as an insult to whom they're speaking. I know it won't matter to most of the audience, but it helps to have as many of the details as authentic as possible. And seriously, I'm looking for anything that you have any info on ... was it impolite to show the inside of the hat while you were holding it? (that's a big no-no in A CHORUS LINE, for instance); does one hold it with one or two hands? how would a man hand his fedora to a servant in a rich person's home, and would it make any difference if it was a male or female servant? are there protocols about how/when to deal with both a hat, an overcoat, and a suitcoat? for that matter, do you take your hat off when you enter the restaurant, or only once you're about to sit down? etc etc. If it's accurate, no detail is too trivial!

Or, is there some link that you could send me to for the same questions? Again, I'm not looking for what's evolved into modern usage, but what was actually done in the USA from the mid '30s - mid '50s.

Thanks in advance!

Ted

I found this link a while back on hat etiquette:

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/Clot ... d_caps.htm

-raider 57

Great link raider 57!

While similar to other texts on the subject, the background was fascinating to a history/trivia buff like me.

Matt

BoilermakerJones wrote:Great link raider 57!

While similar to other texts on the subject, the background was fascinating to a history/trivia buff like me.

Matt

Thanks Matt. I too liked the reference of the military salute dating back to midevel knights opening their faceshields as signal of friendliness.

-raider 57

Jehster - I sent you a PM in regards to your play. Let me know if there's anything we can do for you on The FC Side.

I haven't gotten my Fedora yet but when I get mine I can imagine I would take it off it I planned on staying in the building for awhile like if I had to take my coat off but if I just walk in to chat or something I'd leave it on.

St. Dumas wrote:I don't wear a fedora, but I wear a baseball cap sometimes. I hate it when people wear hats in restaurants.

SD

May I ask why you do not wear one?