# Is the taboo against wearing hats indoors strictly American?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 29, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891 "2013-09-29T00:55:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/1 "2013-09-29T00:55:33Z")
Some folks at work objected to my wearing one inside. I didn’t care to fight it, but it did make me idly wonder if a similar cultural restriction exists in, say, Europe. Apparently doing it is frowned upon if you are not in the military.
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### Author:  [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/2 "2013-09-29T01:01:19Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#):
>
> Europe
Rural Slovenia is exactly the same as, say, London.
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/3 "2013-09-29T01:27:32Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Among many segments of the European population, it is considered rude to wear hats or other head coverings indoors, especially in churches, schools, private homes and respected public institutions. In churches, however, ladies are often exempt from this rule or even obliged to cover their heads in some Catholic churches.
From here:
Etiquette in Europe
> **[Etiquette in Europe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etiquette_in_Europe)**
>
> Etiquette in Europe is not uniform. Even within the regions of Europe, etiquette may not be uniform: within a single country there may be differences in customs, especially where there are different linguistic groups, as in Switzerland where there are French, German and Italian speakers.
> Despite this heterogeneity, many points of etiquette have spread through Europe and many features are shared. The ancient Roman Empire is a historical source, and the cosmopolitan royalty and also nobility were...
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### Author:  [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/4 "2013-09-29T01:33:03Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#):
>
> Some folks at work objected to my wearing one inside. I didn’t care to fight it, but it did make me idly wonder if a similar cultural restriction exists in, say, Europe. Apparently doing it is frowned upon if you are not in the military.
The US military has specific rules about when and where one wears a hat, and you must follow those rules exactly.
Failure to follow hat protocol is not treated harshly, but rather with pity. Failure to wear a hat when required is like not having pants on when expected.
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### Author:  [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/5 "2013-09-29T01:43:11Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#):
>
> The US military has specific rules about when and where one wears a hat, and you must follow those rules exactly.
> Failure to follow hat protocol is not treated harshly, but rather with pity. Failure to wear a hat when required is like not having pants on when expected.
Hmm. My workmates more seemed to say that I couldn’t wear one indoors UNLESS I was in the service, if that’s not what you’re saying. And I apolgize, Baron, for generalizing Europe as I did.
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/6 "2013-09-29T01:57:28Z")
What kind of hat? I wouldn’t wear a fedora or a homburg indoors, but would certainly wear a “cowboy hat” or a fez.
Yes, I do own a fez.
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### Author:  [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/7 "2013-09-29T02:01:46Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#):
>
> What kind of hat? I wouldn’t wear a fedora or a homburg indoors, but would certainly wear a “cowboy hat” or a fez.
>
> Yes, I do own a fez.
A baseball cap. Though a fez would be spiffy.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/8 "2013-09-29T04:28:28Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#):
>
> A baseball cap. Though a fez would be spiffy.
Fezzes are cool.
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### Author:  [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/9 "2013-09-29T04:34:44Z")
In the military you don’t wear hats indoors unless underarms or your job requires it. Having been in the military doesn’t excuse you from manners.
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### Author:  [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/10 "2013-09-29T06:32:51Z")
“Cowboys and Jews have a common bond. They are the only two groups to wear their hats indoors and attach a certain importance to it.”
Kinky Friedman.
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### Author:  [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/11 "2013-09-29T07:53:11Z")
> [@Glazer](#):
>
> In the military you don’t wear hats indoors unless underarms or your job requires it.
Under what conditions do your underarms require you to wear hats? 😃
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### Author:  [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/12 "2013-09-29T07:59:42Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#):
>
> And I apolgize, Baron, for generalizing Europe as I did.
Don’t worry - Barons tend to get uppity about little things like that :).
Certainly against traditional etiquette to wear any kind of hat indoors in the UK (at least for men - women in church for weddings often wear hats, though even that is much less common nowadays), but of course it depends on the situation. In the grill room at the Connaught, the waiter might specifically ask you to remove your bowler if you left it on, but no-one would bat an eyelid at you wearing your baseball cap in Tesco’s.
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### Author:  [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/13 "2013-09-29T08:00:42Z")
From my experience (I’m German who spent a few years in the UK, and also likes to travel), the rule not to wear hats indoors exists on the European continent as well but is not as strong a no-go as it is in the Anglo-Saxon world, be it the United States or the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth. This may, of course, be a simple result of the fact that there are, in general, fewer hat-wearing men on the continent than in the Anglo-Saxon countries.
Note that the taboo applies to men only, though. It’s perfectly acceptable for women to wear hats indooes, even in churches. I have read somewhere that these rules, like many fashion rules, date back to the days when wearing a hat would have been considered a preparation for fighting (putting on your helmet) and thus a threat when done indoors. Of course this may be folk history, like so many other attempts at explaining fashion and etiquette, but it sounds plausible and explains why the rule does indeed not apply to women.
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### Author:  [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/14 "2013-09-29T08:10:06Z")
Isn’t this pretty much a Christian thing?
[1. Corinthians](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2011&version=NIV)
> [@](#):
>
> 11 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
>
> On Covering the Head in Worship
>
> 2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. 3 But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man,[a] and the head of Christ is God. **4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.** 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.
>
> 7 A man ought not to cover his head,\*\* since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own[c] head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
>
> 13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, 15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. 16 If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.
From a restriction for church and worship to a general restriction on indoor hat use. Or does anyone have contradictory evidence?
And on a tangent, why does the pope get to wear a hat?
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/15 "2013-09-29T08:21:48Z")
The obligation (not permission!) for women to wear a head covering in church is indeed from Corinthians, but also one of the things that got corrupted pretty much from the get-go (can’t show my hair for modesty? here come lace and embroidery!) and one which got removed by Vatican II.
As for general etiquette, usually in Spain wearing a non-work-related head covering indoors is frowned upon.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/16 "2013-09-29T12:39:58Z")
> [@yabob](#):
>
> “Cowboys and Jews have a common bond. They are the only two groups to wear their hats indoors and attach a certain importance to it.”
>
> Kinky Friedman.
Gotta love the Kinkster.
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### Author:  [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/17 "2013-09-29T14:06:57Z")
Its a Western culture thing. Its gender based - for probably a number or reasons (women’s hats required pins and therefore couldn’t be taken on and off in addition to the modesty of covering your hair that is VERY old), and you get to wear them for religious reasons (Jews and Sikhs) without offending etiquette. Being a Yankee’s fan is not religious, no matter what borough you are from.
Its really starting to fall away - people wear baseball caps in homes and in public in America - but it isn’t something that will leave a good impression at work or with your friend’s grandparents.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/18 "2013-09-29T14:24:42Z")
> [@yabob](#):
>
> “Cowboys and Jews have a common bond. They are the only two groups to wear their hats indoors and attach a certain importance to it.”
>
> Kinky Friedman.
Israelis, being both Jews \*and \*cowboys, wear their hats wherever they want.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/19 "2013-09-29T15:19:53Z")
Take a look at old movies. Every man wore a hat in those days. Not doing so was very lower class. It was still the custom to take hats off when going indoors but the cool kids - like reporters and private eyes - kept their hats on as a way of signaling that they were above such middle-class mores.
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### Author:  [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/20 "2013-09-29T15:40:03Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> Take a look at old movies. Every man wore a hat in those days. Not doing so was very lower class. It was still the custom to take hats off when going indoors but the cool kids - like reporters and private eyes - kept their hats on as a way of signaling that they were above such middle-class mores.
Or, more likely, to help identify them to the viewer.
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