Hat Etiquette

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gmcguire

Train Attendant
Joined
Feb 12, 2008
Messages
35
Location
Santa Cruz, CA
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?
 
gmcguire said:
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?
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Doff it when you feel appropriate, it's a nice gesture, and obviously OFF in the DC, and NOT placed on the table. Chair, or knee if seat next to u is occupied.
 
Hats should only be worn when there's nothing between the sky and your head. Wearing a hat while under any protective structure is considered an insult. Or at least that's how I was taught.
 
I wear an Amtrak ball cap pretty frequently while I am on the train. I find the crew is more likely to talk to me, or at least about my hat. There are usually a few people on board wearing hats throughout the trip, although I agree with RRdude I've never worn the hat while in the dining car.
 
Granted I might be a little more relaxed in my dress code because I am almost always on the train for fun daytrips somewhere in the Midwest... or for vacation... and almost never for business... but I honestly don't see a problem with wearing a ball cap anywhere on the train, including the dining car. I could see why some might not want to wear it in the DC (because it's probably the most formal place on the train) -- but I have done it numerous times and have seen plenty of other do it -- and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

Only once have I seen a dining car stewart ask someone to take off their hat -- and that was on the Capitol Limited in the late 80's... when I was like 10.

I guess it also depends on what type of hat you are wearing -- I mean if it's a knit hat -- I would say NO to wearing it in the dining car. However, I like to wear my Amtrak hats (sorta like a previous poster said) when I am on the train -- I usually go between my Trails & Rails green ball cap and more recently my black Coast Starlight hat -- both are clean and are RR related -- and that seems appopriate for the DC even in my book.
 
I'd say a definite "no" to the DC (if I'm taking a sleeper, I usually wear a jacket and tie to meals...but I'm also quite old-fashioned in this regard, rather in spite of my age) and to any "social" area. In Coach, however, I think it's a debatable point...particularly on a crowded train, I think you can make a reasonable case for wearing your hat at your seat, if just to protect the hat from damage it would likely receive if stored anywhere else.

That said, an Amtrak hat would seem to occupy an odd position because of the nature of the train, and I suspect that might be allowable.
 
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gmcguire said:
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?
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May or may not help. http://www.gq.com/style/style-guy/accessories/200305/hat-etiquette
 
Pastor Dave said:
gmcguire said:
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?
Click to expand...
May or may not help. http://www.gq.com/st...5/hat-etiquette
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Did a bit of research and found this. In general, "public transportation" seems to count as a "public place", and Amtrak more or less counts as public transportation. Also, hat-on-in-car seems to be allowable (as long as it's not bumping on the roof, in which case you take it off for obvious reasons). The Dining Car gets exempted from, as it is in effect a sit-down restaurant.
 
If someone gets offended by something so insignificant as when you are supposed to wear a hat then I wouldn't worry about them anyway. Its what is under the hat that counts (your mind, not the receding hairline).
 
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!
 
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I really wouldn't worry about wearing a hat in to the dining car. Have you seen what people wear to the dining car? I don't think anyone is gonna care one little bit. In the OP's case, a formal hat would prob. make the car more classy.
 
Once in the 1980s I was sent down to Texas for work - and I recall stopping between Austin and San Antonio and catching a bite to eat in a "hole in the wall" place. They had unbelievable Texas beef Brisket served fresh off an open mesquite fire. And most of the men were wearing the appropriate style hats for that area - which just added to the moment, I felt like a cowboy coming in off the trail. So in a case like that - how can you knock them for eating lunch with their hats on.
 
Take off your hat when you eat. That's just plain courtesy. Other than that, wear it if you want to, but I usually doff my hat (baseball-type caps most of the time) whenever I'm indoors.
 
I pretty much follow tradition when wearing a hat...

IN THE STATION

  • I've kept my hat on while waiting in Chicago Union Station, Seattle King Street Station, Los Angeles Union Station and Denver Union Station.
  • When I'm in Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago, though, I'll remove my hat. The low ceiling in this room makes it feel less like a public space.
  • If I'm having a conversation with a lady, I remove my hat off regardless of location.


AT THE TICKET COUNTER OR QUIK-TRAK KIOSK

  • I do not remove my hat if I'm being assisted by a gentleman Amtrak representative.
  • I do remove my hat if I'm being assisted by a lady Amtrak representative.


ON THE TRAIN

  • The Dining Car is a restaurant; I never wear my hat there.
  • The Sightseer Lounge feels like a bar that serves snacks, and since everybody I know keeps his or her cowboy hat on in a saloon, I have no problem wearing mine here.
  • However, if I plan to spend time on the upper level watching the scenery during daytime, I won't wear my hat since it could block someone's view.
  • I generally do not wear the hat if I'm going to take a brief, there-and-back casual stroll through the train.


Here's an informative article about hat etiquette. And for those contemplating the purchase of a hat, here's My Guide to the Cowboy Hat Mystique.
 
I always wear my baseball cap (the only hat I ever wear), and keep it on. I dont see why i should take it off on a train, its not anyone's home.
 
TVRM610 said:
I really wouldn't worry about wearing a hat in to the dining car. Have you seen what people wear to the dining car? I don't think anyone is gonna care one little bit. In the OP's case, a formal hat would prob. make the car more classy.
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Place your dirty hat on my table and I will remove it personally, using force if necessary. Removing your hat is just common courtesy. If you have no idea what manners are or why they exist, you have no place in a civilized society. Do you wear you hat in church, in court or during the pledge of allegiance? If you do you will be told to remove it. Point is that there are places to wear your stinkin hat and places not to.
 
My Mother told me if you wear a hat while eating, you will become bald in your later years!!

I never wear a hat while eating, however, I am becoming bald in my later years!!
 
I have several drawers of beautiful colorful old brochures from the 40's and 50's. Almost nobody is wearing a hat. True, I did not see any hats in the dining car, but saw few anywhere.

The only group that stands out at all(and not many of them), seem to be men wearing hats when traveling on business, as in trains which catered to overnight business travel.

That is about it. Of course all dress wss more formal back then, no bandanas, etc.
 
daxomni said:
Hats should only be worn when there's nothing between the sky and your head. Wearing a hat while under any protective structure is considered an insult. Or at least that's how I was taught.
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I was taught the same rule both at home and in the military and I follow it. I do have a bit of a problem with folks who wear them in restaurants and the DC.If I am traveling, I take hats that can be folded, thus eliminating the storage problem. That's the reason for the popularity of garrison caps in the service.
 
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dlagrua said:
TVRM610 said:
I really wouldn't worry about wearing a hat in to the dining car. Have you seen what people wear to the dining car? I don't think anyone is gonna care one little bit. In the OP's case, a formal hat would prob. make the car more classy.
Click to expand...

Place your dirty hat on my table and I will remove it personally, using force if necessary. Removing your hat is just common courtesy. If you have no idea what manners are or why they exist, you have no place in a civilized society. Do you wear you hat in church, in court or during the pledge of allegiance? If you do you will be told to remove it. Point is that there are places to wear your stinkin hat and places not to.
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Thanks for saying "MY table".

Seems to me removing a hat while in the dining car presents the opportunity for God knows what to become airborne and end up on the table or worse yet in my food.
 
Shawn Ryu said:
I always wear my baseball cap (the only hat I ever wear), and keep it on. I dont see why i should take it off on a train, its not anyone's home.
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I am the exact same way, baseball cap, and it remains on my head until I go to sleep. Do people seriously have nothing else to worry about than what I'm wearing? Ashame on them.
 
Sorry, I was guest above. I also want to add that I wear a baseball hat frequently because of a bump I got when I was young. My brother hit me hard with a baseball bat right on the forehead (yes, deservingly) and at certain times it becomes more noticeable than others. I believe people who are remarking that a hat is inappropriate have not been on a college campus recently. Everyone wears hats, and professors don't mind them in classrooms. It's changing times and you're welcome to hold your beliefs, but don't force them on the younger generation please.
 
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