# 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:** 17
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2013, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/41 "2013-10-01T10:16:10Z")
> [@njtt](#):
>
> I think you are mistaken about the marking being discontinued, both the letters WD and the [broad arrow symbol](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_arrow) used with them seem to have continued to be used long after the demise of the Board of Ordnance (which introduced the Broad Arrow) and even after the War Department became the Department of Defence (at least if [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_arrow#Use_for_British_Government_property) is reliable). I think my father, who had served in WWII told me that the broad arrow and **WD** represented **War Department**.
I don’t recall saying the Broad Arrow symbol was phased out (IIRC it’s still used today) but my speciality is British military small arms and to to the best of my knowledge they were not stamped with WD markings after the turn of the century.
However, I did a bit of searching around and it seems clothing and some other items _were_ stamped with the WD markings, at least as late as WWII. So it’s certainly possible your Fez is a from one of the Colonial units in the North/East Africa (or possibly West Indies :p) units in the era before independence.
> [@](#):
>
> I have seen pictures of General Gordon in his fez, but I assumed that it was a personal affectation and a personal possession, rather than an official part of his uniform, supplied by the War Department. Gordon’s fez also seems to have been more conical than mine, which is almost cylindrical in shape,and made of fairly rigid dark red felt.
I agree it was likely a personal affectation, but one that probably made it acceptable for other officers to wear fezzes too, if they felt like it. That was sort of how things could get done back then 😛
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2013, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/42 "2013-10-01T11:00:53Z")
Just NEVER lay your hat on a bed.
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### Author:  [@Dax-ion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dax-ion)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/43 "2013-10-03T04:24:38Z")
I grew up in New York and Long Island in the Seventies and I can’t bare to wear a baseball cap even in a McDonalds or Starbucks. It makes me mental for some reason to see other people wear hats indoors. Even women unless they are like a million years old and dressed to the teeth… even then. Seeing people eating with a hat on makes me most especially uncomfortable. As for some people wearing cowboy hats indoors? I am shocked! SHOCKED! I have no idea why I feel this way but it is literally on the order of seeing people chew with their mouths open for me. No problem though if it is a religious thing like a skullcap. Uniforms with hats are fine too. I’m almost getting used to baseball caps and Gim’e caps. Now that so many people chew with their mouths open in public I think I’m just giving up about the damn hats and counting my blessings if they are not asking me if I like “see food”…
A German friend was teasing me though because I feel I must cover my hairy arms and legs with long sleeves and long pants if I will be sitting near people like in a restaurant or on a plane. It came up because he wanted to know why American men war knee length swimming trunks instead of Speedo bikinis. He said knee length shorts of any kind looked ridiculous on men in his opinion. He said in Germany adult men can wear shorty shorts without shame.
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### Author:  [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/44 "2013-10-03T13:44:12Z")
Speaking of cowboy hats: When I grew up in Texas and Oklahoma from the early 60’s to the mid 80’s, true cowboys _always_ removed their hat indoors in every place I can think of. It was considered a matter of respect, and respect is very important to a cowboy. I say “true” cowboy, because I saw this beginning to change during the Urban Cowboy era.
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### Author:  [@Dax-ion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dax-ion)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/45 "2013-10-03T15:30:32Z")
I find that somehow vindicating, PoorYorick.
Really I have no idea why I have such a visceral revulsion to indoor hat wearing… I am very open minded about haberdashery and costume otherwise. Jugolo ninjas welcome at my pancake house just please take off your snap-back.
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### Author:  [@EdwardLost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdwardLost)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/46 "2013-10-03T17:36:55Z")
The fact that we still use the term “hat-in-hand” means there is some persistent notion that removing one’s hat is a sign of humility and respect – and leaving it on is a sign of disdain, defiance, or aggression.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/47 "2013-10-03T18:30:31Z")
Wow, I had no idea that people had such strong feelings regarding hats indoor. I always assumed it was just this archaic American custom, like no white shoes after Labor Day.
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### Author:  [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/48 "2013-10-03T19:09:58Z")
To me, guys in baseball hats (it always seems to be baseball hats, I’m not in cowboy country) inside seem to lower the tone of a place. It’s okay at a bbq joint where people wear plastic bibs or a honky tonk with peanut shells on the floor but at anywhere north of that, it’s just too casual.
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### Author:  [@Dax-ion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dax-ion)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/49 "2013-10-03T20:34:58Z")
Yep. Makes me think of a guy with a spent toothpick hanging out’a his gob.
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### Author:  [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/50 "2013-10-04T15:15:27Z")
American here.
In most indoor settings, it is considered rude, unusual, or awkward to wear a hat indoors, with a few exceptions. Religious headcoverings are probably the biggest exception - it is generally not considered unacceptable to cover your head if this is actually required or strongly encouraged by your religion, and some religious buildings (e.g. churches, mosques) with encourage or allow women to do so if this if this is a teaching or common practice in that faith. E.g. if a woman wants to attend an Amish service, she might want to wear a hat or something for social purposes, but generally she would not be expelled for violating the rule, only stared at or “counseled”.
It is _very_ rude for a man to wear a hat in a Catholic church. I think this is related to 1 Corinthians 11 and praying with your head uncovered. I have personally witnessed this on a tour of a monastery on the US east coast - after a few minutes one of the teen boys on the tour was told to _take that hat off, it is very rude_.
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### Author:  [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/51 "2013-10-04T16:00:52Z")
Depends upon your place of business and your role.
Is this an office setting during business hours and you’re an employee working in the office? If so, then “no hat”. But if you’re a satellite tv installer and you work primarily out in the field, and you are in the office to pick something up before heading back out, then sure, ball cap seems okay.
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### Author:  [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/52 "2013-10-04T16:21:24Z")
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned this:
> **[The Dreamer](https://americanliterature.com/author/hh-munro-saki/short-story/the-dreamer/)**
>
> The Dreamer by H.H. Munro (SAKI)
> [@](#):
>
> “Where is your hat?” she asked.
>
> “I didn’t bring one with me,” he replied.
>
> Adela Chemping was slightly scandalised.
>
> “You are not going to be what they call a Nut, are you?” she inquired with some anxiety, partly with the idea that a Nut would be an extravagance which her sister’s small household would scarcely be justified in incurring, partly, perhaps, with the instinctive apprehension that a Nut, even in its embryo stage, would refuse to carry parcels.
>
> Cyprian looked at her with his wondering, dreamy eyes.
>
> “I didn’t bring a hat,” he said, “because it is such a nuisance when one is shopping; I mean it is so awkward if one meets anyone one knows and has to take one’s hat off when one’s hands are full of parcels. If one hasn’t got a hat on one can’t take it off.”
>
> Mrs. Chemping sighed with great relief; her worst fear had been laid at rest.
>
> “It is more orthodox to wear a hat,” she observed, and then turned her attention briskly to the business in hand
Read for the spoiler…
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### Author:  [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/53 "2013-10-04T16:39:16Z")
[Tony Soprano](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr3mlbv16Cw) can settle this one.
“They don’t sell hot dogs here. They took the bleachers out two years ago.”
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/54 "2013-10-04T23:08:31Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#):
>
> American here.
>
> In most indoor settings, it is considered rude, unusual, or awkward to wear a hat indoors, with a few exceptions.
I happen to agree with this personally, but I don’t think it reflects the prevalent attitudes of 2013. I say this because I see men with baseball hats (or baseball-style hats) in restaurants all the time.
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### Author:  [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/55 "2013-10-05T00:36:37Z")
> [@mbh](#):
>
> The meme of “I’m being oppressed because someone asked me to remove my hat” is also recreational outrage.
You have as much right to ask me to take my hat off as I do to tell you to take your shirt off.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/56 "2013-10-05T01:35:50Z")
> [@TBG](#):
>
> You have as much right to ask me to take my hat off as I do to tell you to take your shirt off.
Don’t make me take off my belt.
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### Author:  [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-taboo-against-wearing-hats-indoors-strictly-american/669891/57 "2013-10-06T01:29:16Z")
To paraphrase P.J. O’Rourke, “a gentleman should remove his hat when entering a room, and leave it off for the rest of his life; nothing looks stupider on a guy than a hat.”
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