“Hatiquette”

This is a quick primer on how to be a gentleman when wearing your hat. If you follow these basic rules of hatiquette, you’ll not only wear your hats with style and class but also with confidence.

1. Always tip your hat when introducing yourself to a lady.

This is a sign of respect, plain and simple. You should always tip or remove your hat when you introduce yourself to a lady. The practice of tipping one's hat to others is similar to how many cultures bow to show respect, which is a tradition that’s been taking place across the globe for centuries.

2. Always set your hat down on it’s crown.

There are two important reasons for doing this: First and foremost to preserve the shape of your hat. If you set the hat down on it’s brim you will flatten out the brim and it will lose it’s shape. Setting it down on it’s crown helps maintain the shape of your hat longer and helps the hat wear better as less of the surface area of the hat is touching anything.

3. Never touch another person’s hat without permission.

Someone’s hat is one of their most prized possessions and considered a VERY personal item. It’s a reflection of them and their personality. Back in the wild west and “good old days” touching another man’s hat was equivalent to fightin’ words.

4.Always remove your hat during the national anthem and during prayer.

Just like it’s a sign of respect to remove your hat in the presence of a lady, you should always remove your hat and hold it over your heart during the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance and during prayers.

5. Can you leave your hat on in a bar?

It depends. A general rule is that you remove your hat in private spaces and can leave your hat on in public spaces, but to some it’s a little more complicated than that. A bar is almost always considered a public space at all times, regardless of whether you're seated or not.

6. Can you leave your hat on in a restaurant?

Again, many will default back to the public vs. private space rule of “hatiquette”. Some hat experts will tell you that if you’re seated at a standard height table, you must remove your hat. The exception to this rule is if there’s nowhere safe or clean to place your hat, then and only then is it permissible to leave it on your head instead of placing it on a dirty floor or on the table where food could be spilled on it.

* Some hat experts will also tell you there’s a “high top exception” to this entire rule. If you’re sitting at a high top table it’s perfectly fine to leave your hat on your head. (Also most high top tables are located in or around the bar, so there’s that too.)

7. If you’re in a situation where you’re not sure what to do…

Default to the basic rule for hatiquette, which is to wear your hat when outdoors and take it off indoors. This isn’t my rule, this is the gospel according to menswear historian Bill Thompson.