Throughout history hats identified social standing and removing a hat was a gesture of respect. In the “old days,” men took off their hats in Christian churches, when they entered someone’s home, when greeting a boss, and always in the presence of a lady. Do you think this is a thing of the past that no longer applies? Why is it polite to remove your hat? Let’s talk about it…
Drew Wilson: “No, they still should do so. I see people leave hats on in church. Unreal.”
Chris Carlisle: “You also open doors for ladies, and say yes ma’am/ sir no ma’am sir, and respect your elders…..the world has gone downhill a lot in the last 50 years.”
Rusty Rentfro: “Also pull to the side of the road and remove your hat for funeral processions.”
Moneica Mocci Wilkie: “Four years ago my now ex-son-in-law was sitting at my dinner table with a ball cap and “wife-beater” shirt on. I asked him to put a shirt on with sleeves and please remove his hat. (Two of my Grandsons were at that table!) He said this is how I eat. I said not in MY HOME. He got up and picked up his plate of food. “Well then, I will eat somewhere else!” Me: “Not with my food! Please leave the plate!” He did… hatefully.It was less than 6 months (Thankfully) they divorced. Grandma has rules! I taught my Grandsons a lesson that day.”
Michael Webb: “Hat etiquette suffered when we stopped being a hat wearing society. At one point almost all men wore a hat of some kind or another. When the fashion trend away from wearing hats businesses stopped providing hat checks, and hat racks. I was raised right, but when I eat at a restaurant that does not provide a safe place for my hat. Then the safest place for my hat is on my head.”
Ramona Adams: “Men don’t take baseball hats off. Part of the issue is that some of them are either bald or balding. They are in hiding.”
Charlene Morris: “It’s called poor parenting!”
Darlene Norton: “My true Texas son is in his 50’s and he removes his hat indoors. Always.”
Tracy Taylor May: “They still remove their hats indoors, and at the dinner table. However, in the last 20 years or so, baseball caps don’t seem to fall into those perimeters anymore. But I do often see 35+ year olds remove ball caps at the table.”
Dallas Rivas: “As times change, etiquette changes. According to modern etiquette, it is now acceptable to wear a hat indoors. Took me a while to agree but unfortunately, time doesn’t stand still. We move ahead and keep evolving.”
Nicholas Etheridge: “I was always taught to remove your hat for church, food, flag, and women.”
Robert Perales: “My mom always taught me to be respectful but it was my father and grandfather who taught me how to be respectful like holding the door open and taking off your hat when walking into a building.”
Alvino Perez: “Growing up with my Grandparents hats always came off indoors. Hats were never allowed at the eating table. I still follow these rules.”
JW Stewart: “Yes, well lots of outdated ideas have gone by the wayside. As long as you are courteous to others, that’s what matters.”
Nancy Kidd: “I was sitting in a courtroom one time and everybody stood as the judge walked in and there was a man out in the congregation who still had his cowboy hat in. The judge pointed to him and said “Get that hat off of your head in my courtroom.” The guy said out loud, “your honor, I don’t take my hat off for anyone but my momma.” The judge just called ”BAILIFF” and off the guy goes to jail, hat and all. You had to be there to really appreciate how humorous it was.”
Nick Page: “I take my hat off when I feel it’s appropriate . But the fact is ,there are no hat racks anymore . Not at restaurants . Anywhere . So if I’m at a nice place with my wife , yes . If I’m at a Burger King , not so much . I get the etiquette thing, but it doesn’t apply to ball caps apparently . The only choice is to put it on the floor, another chair, or on the table . It used to be etiquette for women to wear long floor length dresses and 3 petticoats . What happened there?”
Robin Morgan: “Texas manners and respect is something that sets us apart from other places. We were all taught to respect our elders. Wait for the gentleman to open the door or pull out the chair. Say “yes ma’am or no sir” as a show of respect. Still do. Remove hats indoors, particularly in church. And yep don’t like that some don’t anymore. All these practices are still around in small town Texas and in many other cities. But we have been infiltrated by many out of state people who bring lesser manners of respect. Oh, and we were taught not to say “yeah” to adults…yes sir, yes ma’am. At 85 I still practice these time-worn traditions.”
Ralph Tello: “There’s no respect left in the world!”
Oscar Garza: “Definitely in church.”
Ramon Chapa Jr.: “Always, remove your hat to be polite. In the Army, we had to remove our cap. It’s just being polite!”
Traci Martinez: “In our house…military dad.. as you enter, you take it off… but we have gotten past this and now it’s when you greet my Dad and sitting at a table with a hat on is a big No No in our house.”
