Ok, what is up with this... what is up with men wearing hats indoors? When I refer to indoors, I am meaning such places like public restaurants, public stores, etcetera. I understand if you work there and your job requires you to wear a hat or you are part of a public service (police, military, etc.). What I am referring to is these guys that just walk around wearing their hats like nothing. What happened to common courtesy and being a gentleman? When you enter a restaurant, take your hat off and leave it off until you leave. Worried about your hair or lack there of? Who cares. Being a gentleman is more impressive than some comb-over or bed head hair. Here is a little bit of Hat Etiquette to help educate you.
A gentleman should remove his hat as he enters a building, including a restaurant, home, classroom, theater, church. This rule includes baseball caps and casual hats. Hats
are to be removed when inside, except for places that are akin to
public streets, e.g., lobbies, corridors, and elevators in public
buildings. In public buildings, the elevator is considered a public area, and therefore an area where a gentleman may leave his hat on.
A gentleman should take off his hat and
hold it in his hand when a lady enters an elevator in any building which
can be classified as a dwelling. He may put his hat back on in the
corridor. A public corridor is a thoroughfare of sorts, much like the
street, but elevators in smaller buildings such as hotels or apartment
homes tend to have the character of a room in a house.
Men are also expected to remove their hats during the playing of the National Anthem.
A woman may leave her hat on during the playing of The National Anthem
when indoors, unless it is considered unisex like a baseball cap. When
wearing such a unisex cap, a woman should follow the same guidelines as
for men.
Removed hats are held in hand in such a way that only the outside and never the lining is visible.
For men, hats are tipped, (or doffed) slightly lifting the hat off your forehead, when meeting a lady (remove your hat if you stop to talk), or to "say" to anyone, male or female-- thank you, hello, goodbye, you're welcome or how do you do. Tipping of the hat is a conventional gesture of politeness. This hat tipping custom has the same origin as military saluting, which came from the raising of medieval Knights face visors to show friendliness.