Classic Hat Etiquette
Classic Hat Etiquette Rules
These hat etiquette rules were culled from etiquette books
published before 1970. Do you have a favorite classic hat
etiquette rule? Let us know and we'll publish it here!
* Shall I Wear a Hat?
* When Women Wear Hats * A Gentleman and His Hat in an
Elevator
* A Man and His Hat Out of Doors
* A Gentleman Lifts His Hat
* A Boy Takes Off His Hat
Etiquette Books
May we recommend. . .
* Essential Handbook of Victorian Etiquette
* The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette (March 2000)
* Emily Post's Etiquette (16th Ed) Shall I wear a hat?
Not withstanding the continued practice of certain younger
women to go hatless on all occasions, best taste exacts that in
a city a hat be worn with street clothes in the daytime. In fact,
it is impossible for a hatless woman to be chic. With an
evening dress a hat is incorrect.
Emily Post. Etiquette: The Blue Book of Social Usage, 1959.
* Attention to Detail: A Gentleman's Guide to Professional
Appearance and Conduct
* The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men's Clothing
When Women Wear Hats
Hats or some head covering is worn at church services in
those denominations requiring it. In the country, when hats
are worn at all by women, they may be removed with coats if
desired. It is usual at house christenings, weddings, and
funerals to treat the house, for the occasion, as if it were a
house of worship and for women to keep their hats on. This,
however, is not technically necessary, either for guests or for
the woman of the household. At garden parties or garden
weddings it is purely a matter of preference whether a woman,
who has been shown to a cloak room first, decides to remove
her hat or leave it on as an important part of her costume.
In town at formal receptions, including wedding receptions,
teas, luncheons, and meetings women guests usually keep
hats on if they have worn the. But at wedding receptions in
particular, hats are often removed especially if the reception
includes dancing. Although, except perhaps at the home of an
elderly and very conservative woman, on such an occasion
the lack of a hat would not be in any way remarked these days.
In fact, even at formal luncheons the modern hostess often
suggests that guests leave their hats with their coats, if they
wish. Certainly if most of the women at such an affair are
hatless, one or two women who cling to the older convention
in the matter will seem inelastic, to say the least.
Hats worn with dinner suits or dinner dresses are intended to
remain in place throughout the evening and are usually tiny
enough not to obstruct the view of those behind one in the
theater. If there is any doubt about a hat obscuring someone's
view at the theater, the movies, or a meeting, a woman should
remove it promptly. If she's asked to remove it by someone
having difficulty seeing beyond her, she should do it
immediately with murmured apologies.
Amy Vanderbilt's New Complete Book of Etiquette: The Guide
to Gracious Living, 1963.
A Gentleman and His Hat in an Elevator
* Emily Post's Etiquette (16th Ed) A gentleman takes off his hat
and holds it in his hand when a lady enters the elevator in an
apartment house or hotel--any building which can be
classified as a dwelling. He puts it on again in the corridor. A
public corridor is like the street, but an elevator in a hotel or
apartment house has the character of a room in a house and
there a gentleman does not keep his hat on in the presence of
ladies.
But in public buildings, such as offices or stores or buildings
which contain neither apartments nor assembly rooms, the
elevator is considered as public a place as a bus or a trolley
car. What is more, the elevators in such business structures
are usually so crowded that the only room for a man's hat is on
his head!
A Man and His Hat Out of Doors
A situation that requires some dexterity is that of a gentleman
on a Sunday or weekday in a city street who stops to speak to
a lady of his acquaintance, in taking his hat and his glove off,
and in getting his walking stick and his cigarette out of the
way. This constitutes a maneuver that needs considerable
practice to be done without effort, though the process is easy
enough to describe. First of all, he transfers cigarette and
stick, if encumbered with either, to his left hand, takes off his
hat and transfers it to left hand, and at the same time grips the
fingers of right glove, pulling it off! He than gives her his
gloveless right hand. All of which perhaps explains why the
smart would never carries anything but a crooked-handled
stick which can be hung on the left arm. If the gentleman and
lady walk ahead together, he puts his hat on; but while he is
standing in the street talking to her, he must remain hatless,
no matter how cold the wind nor how torrid the sun, for so
long as she may be pleased to stand and talk to him. Nor may
he smoke. In the country he may very well be bare-headed and
also be smoking a pipe, but in a city street there is no
vulgarity greater than for a man to stand talking to a lady with
his hat on, cigar, pipe, or cigarette in his mouth.
It should not be necessary to add that, out of doors, every
American citizen stands with his hat off at the passing of the
flag and when the national anthem is played. If he didn't, some
other more loyal citizen might take it off for him. Also every
man should stand with his hat off in the presence of a funeral.
A Gentleman Lifts His Hat
Lifting or tipping the hat is a conventional gesture of
politeness shown to strangers only, not to be confused with
bowing, which is a gesture used to acquaintances and friends.
In lifting his hat, a gentleman merely lifts it slightly off his
forehead--by the brim of a stiff hat or by the crown of a soft
one--and replaces it.
When walking with a friend who bows to a lady who is a
stranger to him, a gentleman lifts his hat without either bowing
or looking directly at the lady. This is because it is a fixed rule
of etiquette that a gentleman must never stare at a lady.
If he passes a lady in a narrow space, so that he blocks her
way or in any manner obstructs her, he lifts his hat as he
passes.
. . . A gentleman lifts his hat whenever he says"Excuse me,"
"Thank you," or speaks to, or is spoken to by a lady. Needless
to say, he always takes his pipe, cigar, or cigarette out of his
mouth as he lifts his hat, takes it off, or bows. And a gentleman
always lifts his hat to his wife when he encounters her, or
joins her, or takes leave of her in public, because, if for no
other reason, the public does not know the lady is his wife.
A Boy Takes Off His Hat
A young boy must learn to take off his hat to a lady or a
gentleman. He should also take it off to a girl, or at least lift it.
To another boy he either makes a gesture of salute, or waves
his hand, or very likely calls out, "Hi Jimmy!"--unless the boy is
with his mother or another lady, in which case he takes off his
hat if he knows her.
Emily Post. Etiquette: The Blue Book of Social Usage, 1959.
These hat etiquette rules were culled from etiquette books
published before 1970. Do you have a favorite classic hat
etiquette rule? Let us know and we'll publish it here!
* Shall I Wear a Hat?
* When Women Wear Hats * A Gentleman and His Hat in an
Elevator
* A Man and His Hat Out of Doors
* A Gentleman Lifts His Hat
* A Boy Takes Off His Hat
Etiquette Books
May we recommend. . .
* Essential Handbook of Victorian Etiquette
* The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette (March 2000)
* Emily Post's Etiquette (16th Ed) Shall I wear a hat?
Not withstanding the continued practice of certain younger
women to go hatless on all occasions, best taste exacts that in
a city a hat be worn with street clothes in the daytime. In fact,
it is impossible for a hatless woman to be chic. With an
evening dress a hat is incorrect.
Emily Post. Etiquette: The Blue Book of Social Usage, 1959.
* Attention to Detail: A Gentleman's Guide to Professional
Appearance and Conduct
* The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men's Clothing
When Women Wear Hats
Hats or some head covering is worn at church services in
those denominations requiring it. In the country, when hats
are worn at all by women, they may be removed with coats if
desired. It is usual at house christenings, weddings, and
funerals to treat the house, for the occasion, as if it were a
house of worship and for women to keep their hats on. This,
however, is not technically necessary, either for guests or for
the woman of the household. At garden parties or garden
weddings it is purely a matter of preference whether a woman,
who has been shown to a cloak room first, decides to remove
her hat or leave it on as an important part of her costume.
In town at formal receptions, including wedding receptions,
teas, luncheons, and meetings women guests usually keep
hats on if they have worn the. But at wedding receptions in
particular, hats are often removed especially if the reception
includes dancing. Although, except perhaps at the home of an
elderly and very conservative woman, on such an occasion
the lack of a hat would not be in any way remarked these days.
In fact, even at formal luncheons the modern hostess often
suggests that guests leave their hats with their coats, if they
wish. Certainly if most of the women at such an affair are
hatless, one or two women who cling to the older convention
in the matter will seem inelastic, to say the least.
Hats worn with dinner suits or dinner dresses are intended to
remain in place throughout the evening and are usually tiny
enough not to obstruct the view of those behind one in the
theater. If there is any doubt about a hat obscuring someone's
view at the theater, the movies, or a meeting, a woman should
remove it promptly. If she's asked to remove it by someone
having difficulty seeing beyond her, she should do it
immediately with murmured apologies.
Amy Vanderbilt's New Complete Book of Etiquette: The Guide
to Gracious Living, 1963.
A Gentleman and His Hat in an Elevator
* Emily Post's Etiquette (16th Ed) A gentleman takes off his hat
and holds it in his hand when a lady enters the elevator in an
apartment house or hotel--any building which can be
classified as a dwelling. He puts it on again in the corridor. A
public corridor is like the street, but an elevator in a hotel or
apartment house has the character of a room in a house and
there a gentleman does not keep his hat on in the presence of
ladies.
But in public buildings, such as offices or stores or buildings
which contain neither apartments nor assembly rooms, the
elevator is considered as public a place as a bus or a trolley
car. What is more, the elevators in such business structures
are usually so crowded that the only room for a man's hat is on
his head!
A Man and His Hat Out of Doors
A situation that requires some dexterity is that of a gentleman
on a Sunday or weekday in a city street who stops to speak to
a lady of his acquaintance, in taking his hat and his glove off,
and in getting his walking stick and his cigarette out of the
way. This constitutes a maneuver that needs considerable
practice to be done without effort, though the process is easy
enough to describe. First of all, he transfers cigarette and
stick, if encumbered with either, to his left hand, takes off his
hat and transfers it to left hand, and at the same time grips the
fingers of right glove, pulling it off! He than gives her his
gloveless right hand. All of which perhaps explains why the
smart would never carries anything but a crooked-handled
stick which can be hung on the left arm. If the gentleman and
lady walk ahead together, he puts his hat on; but while he is
standing in the street talking to her, he must remain hatless,
no matter how cold the wind nor how torrid the sun, for so
long as she may be pleased to stand and talk to him. Nor may
he smoke. In the country he may very well be bare-headed and
also be smoking a pipe, but in a city street there is no
vulgarity greater than for a man to stand talking to a lady with
his hat on, cigar, pipe, or cigarette in his mouth.
It should not be necessary to add that, out of doors, every
American citizen stands with his hat off at the passing of the
flag and when the national anthem is played. If he didn't, some
other more loyal citizen might take it off for him. Also every
man should stand with his hat off in the presence of a funeral.
A Gentleman Lifts His Hat
Lifting or tipping the hat is a conventional gesture of
politeness shown to strangers only, not to be confused with
bowing, which is a gesture used to acquaintances and friends.
In lifting his hat, a gentleman merely lifts it slightly off his
forehead--by the brim of a stiff hat or by the crown of a soft
one--and replaces it.
When walking with a friend who bows to a lady who is a
stranger to him, a gentleman lifts his hat without either bowing
or looking directly at the lady. This is because it is a fixed rule
of etiquette that a gentleman must never stare at a lady.
If he passes a lady in a narrow space, so that he blocks her
way or in any manner obstructs her, he lifts his hat as he
passes.
. . . A gentleman lifts his hat whenever he says"Excuse me,"
"Thank you," or speaks to, or is spoken to by a lady. Needless
to say, he always takes his pipe, cigar, or cigarette out of his
mouth as he lifts his hat, takes it off, or bows. And a gentleman
always lifts his hat to his wife when he encounters her, or
joins her, or takes leave of her in public, because, if for no
other reason, the public does not know the lady is his wife.
A Boy Takes Off His Hat
A young boy must learn to take off his hat to a lady or a
gentleman. He should also take it off to a girl, or at least lift it.
To another boy he either makes a gesture of salute, or waves
his hand, or very likely calls out, "Hi Jimmy!"--unless the boy is
with his mother or another lady, in which case he takes off his
hat if he knows her.
Emily Post. Etiquette: The Blue Book of Social Usage, 1959.
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