Hat Etiquette

[rtabern]

Regardless of how you feel on this topic --> I would like to discover the origin of where the tradition started saying it was rude to wear a hat in certain places. Why do people think its rude to wear a hat in the dining car or indoors? Most everyone said its "just common courtesy" and I understand that -- but that got my curious mind searching here for the actual origin... or who decided that ettiquite?

Personally, if someone had dirty hair (as in, someone who has been in coach for 3 days with no shower access) -- I'd probably rather they have a hat ON!

Just sayin'...

RT

 

[Tony]

As with all social rules pertaining to fashion, they change over time. Today, living in jeans is the norm, whereas 50 years ago only hoodlums and cowboys lived in jeans.

Hats, mostly baseball style caps, can be worn continuously (especially if you are wearing jeans too). True, a lot of guys use such a cap to hide thinning hair, dirty hair, or simply morning hair.

You should only remove your cap if removing your jeans would be OK too.

 

[makai1976]

I guess I don't get the "it's just common courtesy" thing. No doubt it's true, but it's old-fashioned and what's the point? Is there a logical reason for doing this? Otherwise, it seems like it boils down to "things used to be done this way." Thankfully we've shed some of the outdated traditions in American society.

 

[NETrainfan]

I guess I don't get the "it's just common courtesy" thing. No doubt it's true, but it's old-fashioned and what's the point? Is there a logical reason for doing this? Otherwise, it seems like it boils down to "things used to be done this way." Thankfully we've shed some of the outdated traditions in American society.

You mean like powdered wigs?

 

[skyguy]

Hi everyone! So I have an atypical question that the folks from a bygone era may be best able to answer for me. Given my receding hairline, my scalp's susceptibility to sunburn, and a desire to change fashion trends, I have started wearing more formal hats (fedoras and the like). However, despite my searching of the internet, I don't have a clear idea of when I should wear my hat on the train. My general understanding is that in public places the hat should be on, in dwellings and restaurants the hat should be off. The presence of females seems to complicate things, with a general trend towards a general doffing of the hat. Given the indoorsy nature of the train, my understanding is that the hat should be off in the train, especially the dining car. However this is based on 40 year old etiquette.

My question to you guys/y'all/yinz: Have modern mores changed this dynamic? What do you think proper hatiquette is? Does it vary by hat style? Which car I'm in? Should I just not care?

I'm a wearer of your style and am rarely found outdoors without a hat on my head but I don't wear one on the train mostly because there's no convenient place to put it where it won't get damaged or soiled. On the other hand, I see baseball caps worn all over the train.

"Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man" ZZ Top

 

[Anderson]

To each his/her own totally... and I'm going to keep wearing my Amtrak hats on the train and even if the DC if I see fit... but I have to say I am VERY surprised at the opinions expressed here. I always thought a railfan wearing a RR-themed baseball hat on the train was okay, but it seems that opinion is mixed 50-50... and its like 10-90 against in the DC. Very interesting! And wow... I think it's cool you wear a suit jacket and tie in the DC... because it would remind me of the Great Days of RR'ing in the 1950's... but I am definetly not going to pack that when I go on vacation just for the DC. Then again, when I was in Boston for a wedding recently I kept the tux an extra day and wore it down at South Station to get some shots of me in front of the Acela in a tux... in fact its my Christmas card shot this year!

If I may, I think there's a distinct chance that regular train riders are likely to hold slightly more old-fashioned views. That said...wherever I'm going, I almost always have a reason to pack a coat and tie (if for no other reason than if I'm in a city I rarely get to, I'm probably going to take pains to have a fine dinner somewhere). It also stems from my first (recent) train ride back in 2006 or so: On my grandmother's advice, I made sure I was well-dressed for the occasion. Bless her, she was almost 90 at the time, and she remembered that era quite well...she actually took steps to make sure I had everything worked out well for the trip. So...I do stick to those fashion rules as best I can.

Now, on that trip, the hat-at-seat served a rather practical purpose (as it has for millions over the years), namely helping me to get a bit of shut-eye (I was riding coach overnight...so yes, I did in fact use the hat to sleep through as much of the Carolinas and Georgia as possible). Unless I misremember, while it went with me to the DC, but it definitely it came off when I got in there.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Why do people think its rude to wear a hat in the dining car or indoors? Most everyone said its "just common courtesy" and I understand that -- but that got my curious mind searching here for the actual origin... or who decided that ettiquite?

I'll take a stab at trying to explain this.

Originally hats were used to help keep rain or sun off your head while you were outside. This was the same purpose behind umbrellas. Now imagine you walked into a home or a building with an umbrella still over your head. People might wonder what your problem was or if you thought you were about to be hit by falling debris or something. Imagine that you sat down to dinner still holding that silly umbrella over your head. Some of us would be rather confused as to what was going on. Maybe in your mind you're simply trying to use it to cover up your unwashed hair or hide some bump on your noggin or whatever, but the rest of us won't know that. All we see is some weirdo holding up an umbrella while they eat. I can't speak for everyone but that's how folks who wear hats inside look to me. It doesn't anger me so much as it makes me scratch my head and wonder what exactly they think they need to be shielded from indoors.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Regardless of how you feel on this topic --> I would like to discover the origin of where the tradition started saying it was rude to wear a hat in certain places. Why do people think its rude to wear a hat in the dining car or indoors? Most everyone said its "just common courtesy" and I understand that -- but that got my curious mind searching here for the actual origin... or who decided that ettiquite?

Just sayin'...

RT

Robert, I think I might be able to answer your question. When I was in grade school, long before you were born hboy: we actually had a class on etiquette. We were taught which order people should be introduced, who should open a door for whom, flag etiquette, etc., and when and where hats should be worn. Books on etiquette were everywhere; you might have heard of Emily Post.

At that time, "rules" of etiquette were common practice everywhere. Anyone who didn't follow the "rules" was looked upon as having bad manners. On reading the replies to this thread, it seems there are still many who regard wearing a hat in the dining car as bad manners.

 

[JayPea]

I usually wear a hat any place, other than in a restaurant, and that applies to the dining car as well. I remove it before entering the car. My hair is so fine (and getting sparser :lol: that no matter how carefully I comb it, two minutes later it looks as if I was standing in front of an airplane propeller. Men's hairspray doesn't even work. It's much easier for me to look halfway presentable if I cover my hair up. Naturally when I remove my hat for the diner my hair looks terrible, but it would look like that anyway!

 

[Scott]

No shirt, no shoes, no service. If people have nothing better to do than get upset over someone wearing a hat in the DC, or worse, on board, then I say Amtak must being doing pretty darn well on that particular run!

 

[makai1976]

Why do people think its rude to wear a hat in the dining car or indoors? Most everyone said its "just common courtesy" and I understand that -- but that got my curious mind searching here for the actual origin... or who decided that ettiquite?

I'll take a stab at trying to explain this.

Originally hats were used to help keep rain or sun off your head while you were outside. This was the same purpose behind umbrellas. Now imagine you walked into a home or a building with an umbrella still over your head. People might wonder what your problem was or if you thought you were about to be hit by falling debris or something. Imagine that you sat down to dinner still holding that silly umbrella over your head. Some of us would be rather confused as to what was going on. Maybe in your mind you're simply trying to use it to cover up your unwashed hair or hide some bump on your noggin or whatever, but the rest of us won't know that. All we see is some weirdo holding up an umbrella while they eat. I can't speak for everyone but that's how folks who wear hats inside look to me. It doesn't anger me so much as it makes me scratch my head and wonder what exactly they think they need to be shielded from indoors.

Maybe they just like the way it looks? I think it would be hard to compare wearing a hat and holding an umbrella over the dinner table.

Keep in mind that this comes from a time when you'd also be allowed to smoke with dinner (or anywhere else), where significant sections of society were second-class citizens, and where few people were obese.

 

[NETrainfan]

Our experience, during national and international travel, is that good manners is so much more important than etiquette rules. And, of course, etiquette rules around the world vary so much-such that something polite in one country might be considered rude in another.

Thus, if we are seated with people on a train, we are concerned with kindness, thoughtfulness, respect, and good communication rather than specific etiquette "rules" like when to wear a hat or which fork to use for salad.

 

[leemell]

As with all social rules pertaining to fashion, they change over time. Today, living in jeans is the norm, whereas 50 years ago only hoodlums and cowboys lived in jeans.

Hats, mostly baseball style caps, can be worn continuously (especially if you are wearing jeans too). True, a lot of guys use such a cap to hide thinning hair, dirty hair, or simply morning hair.

You should only remove your cap if removing your jeans would be OK too.

I think you will find that a judge in a courtroom would disagree.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Our experience, during national and international travel, is that good manners is so much more important than etiquette rules. And, of course, etiquette rules around the world vary so much-such that something polite in one country might be considered rude in another.

Thus, if we are seated with people on a train, we are concerned with kindness, thoughtfulness, respect, and good communication rather than specific etiquette "rules" like when to wear a hat or which fork to use for salad.

They only give you one fork anyway....I think...

 

[guest]

I almost always wear a ballcap outdoors, and when driving my car - a matter of shielding my eyes from the sun - which sunglasses do not adequately do.

However I consider it impolite to eat at a table with others while wearing a hat, and I always remove mine.

I don't presume to tell others what to do - but if someone is seated at a table with me and they leave their hat on, I tend to have a negative impression of that person. Not extremely negative, but I would not take them as seriously in a conversation as I would someone who was more conscious of what many consider old-fashioned manners.

 

[Scott]

Another thought. While it is true I would never wear a hat in a formal restaurant, it is hard to consider eating in the DC a formal affair when one's meal is served on plastic, disposable dinnerware.

 

[Guest]

People are worried about hats? How about worrying about people running around on the train in flip flops. First, that's a safety hazzard in my opinion, second, I don't want to hear your feet clicking throughout the train, third, I don't want to see your ugly feet. Now I find that WAY more repulsive.

 

[Ispolkom]

No gentleman wears a hat inside, but given that I've eaten breakfast with passengers wearing pajamas and (in one memorable case) a nightdress, I can't bring myself to do more than sigh about how are living in fallen times.

Can we all agree put on clothes before coming to the dining car?

 

[lthanlon]

Since it's now acceptable to wear baseball caps at all times, perhaps passengers could be issued ones in various colors and with bills cocked to positions indicating destination and seat or room assignment. Street gangs have already proved this means of categorization is rapid and efficient.

 

[jmbgeg]

Hi everyone! So I have an atypical question that the folks from a bygone era may be best able to answer for me. Given my receding hairline, my scalp's susceptibility to sunburn, and a desire to change fashion trends, I have started wearing more formal hats (fedoras and the like). However, despite my searching of the internet, I don't have a clear idea of when I should wear my hat on the train. My general understanding is that in public places the hat should be on, in dwellings and restaurants the hat should be off. The presence of females seems to complicate things, with a general trend towards a general doffing of the hat. Given the indoorsy nature of the train, my understanding is that the hat should be off in the train, especially the dining car. However this is based on 40 year old etiquette.

My question to you guys/y'all/yinz: Have modern mores changed this dynamic? What do you think proper hatiquette is? Does it vary by hat style? Which car I'm in? Should I just not care?

I have a friend who wears a baseball cap virtually all waking hours after taking a morning shower, and has for decades. No one seems to be offended by his attire. Personally, I have not worn hats since the 80's (about a 5 year cowboy hat stint).

 

[Scott]

Since it's now acceptable to wear baseball caps at all times, perhaps passengers could be issued ones in various colors and with bills cocked to positions indicating destination and seat or room assignment. Street gangs have already proved this means of categorization is rapid and efficient.

Words to live by from a man with some strange looking wig in his profile picture...

 

[lthanlon]

Words to live by from a man with some strange looking wig in his profile picture...

I tip my wig to you!

 

[Pastor Dave]

Since it's now acceptable to wear baseball caps at all times, perhaps passengers could be issued ones in various colors and with bills cocked to positions indicating destination and seat or room assignment. Street gangs have already proved this means of categorization is rapid and efficient.

I'm sure you meant this in jest. But, then again, you might have an idea worth considering... :blink:

 

[hhswami]

I personally find wearing a baseball style cap on an overnight coach trip a necessity. When in the seat attempting to catch some sleep during nighttime hours, the bill pulled down over the eyes keeps hidden any light which may otherwise be distracting. I'll always remove it when in the dining car, but find no need to do so in a cafe car setting. If a sleeper is involved with the segment, the cap stays in a carry on, but is there as an option upon arrival.

 

[rtabern]

Well, I see how everyone on here feels about ball caps... but how about Fez's??? Does that get its own ettiqute topic -- or is it considered a hat and should also not be allowed in the dining car?? WHOOZ??? :giggle: