Indoor hats

[Faithless]

I like to wear hats and have been approached by people telling me to take my hat off when I step indoors.

I have a hat on outdoors due to the cold but some people feel I must remove it when I step inside a building.

Why is this, what does it have to do with etiquette/manners?

Does anyone have a definitive answer as to why it is not ok to wear hats indoors? I have challenged people as to why they feel I should take off my hat and I have not ever had an intelligent response.

Yours in sartorial hatted elegance

Faithless

[Fearless]

By taking it off indoors you indicate to your kind hosts (out of respect) that you trust them enough not to cut off your head with a sword.

I think it goes back to times of old where people wore metal head gear, suit of armor and all that kit.

Old wives tale? Not sure where I heard it. I think I asked the same question years ago when watching a cooking show when a guy was eating at a table with his hat on and was being criticised... pretty damn random! I could be totally wrong.

I have to get some sleep but I might look it up again tomorrow unless someone else has confirmed the same.

[IVPITER]

Rules don't seem straight forward. link

Hats traditionally thought of as "women's hats," with ribbons, bows, feathers, flowers, or other ornamentation, or in delicate colors and materials, including the small hats worn on the front of the head and known as fascinators, may be kept on indoors for all occasions, except when you're wearing a large hat at the movies, the theater, or any other kind of performance event. In this case, remove it and place it on your lap so that people behind you can see the stage.

Seems that it is okay for women's hats to be worn indoors. And hats in general can be worn in shops, certain business and public transit places.link

And as Fearless said, it may go back to times of knights as a way to show respect. At least according to wikipedia

Removing one's hat is also a form of greeting: the origin of this is that knights were expected to remove their helmets when meeting their king; not to do so would be a sign of mistrust and hostility

[rayne]

Doing some basic searching on google, most of the links inform me that it is rude for a man not taking his hat off but women are exempt from this social rule. (Side note: Why is it rude for men not women? Why do we get a free pass?)

It's a stupid "rule" that no one I've read seems to have an answer for more than "It's bad, mmmkay". Wearing a hat indoors doesn't hurt anyone.

[Lilith]

I asked these exact questions of my Grandma once (she was very proper and always insisted on manners like these) - To not take your hat off is to criticise your host's hospitality - It's a host's responsibility to make you as comfortable as possible and to look after your coat and hat while you visit them - but a woman's hat was often pinned to (or built into!) her hairstyle, so it was understood that women might leave their hat on without insult to the host.

That's how I remember it, anyways.

[Goldenmane]

Hat protects head, from weather and bird shit.

Not taking hat off inside indicates that you think it likely that your host has a shitty roof, which will let rain in, or bird to shit on you.

"I'll come into your house, but I'm leaving my fucking raincoat on, you filthy fuck."

[Faithless]

I googled this subject and could only find archaic reasons for indoor hat removal.

In my younger years working in hospitability I saw people almost come to blows due to a misconceived sense of slight, feeling the hat wearer lacked respect but again no good reason could be given as to why this action lacks respect.

Recently, I notice that in some venues you are asked to remove head ware for security reasons. This I can understand and am happy to comply with.

[FSM]

Originally Posted by rayne

Side note: Why is it rude for men not women? Why do we get a free pass?

Your species get away with a lot of stuff!, it must be those boobie things...

Dave.