Hat Etiquette For Fashionistas

Hats are an essential article of clothing to accessorize everyday wear. Fashionable hats keep you warm and protect your face from outdoor elements.

But are there times when you should take off your hat?

Knowing when it is proper to take off your hat is as critical as wearing the right hat for the occasion.  

The History of Hat Etiquette

Historically, hats have been an important identifier of social standing, wealth, and religion. Removing a hat was known to be a gesture of respect. Whether it be entering a house of worship, another's home, or a lady's presence, men were expected to remove their hats.

During medieval times, knights would remove their helmets to reveal their identity and show respect. Interestingly enough, ladies historically were exempt from removing their hats and could keep them on if they wished.

Why were women not required to remove their hats?

Bows, pins, and ribbons often secured fashionable hats onto a woman's head. These features made removing a hat difficult, so they were not liable to the same hat etiquette rules as men. 

In the past, hats served the additional purpose of protecting your face from debris like dirt. This naturally meant that as the day wore on, one's cap would gradually become layered in filth.

Men would remove their hats when they entered buildings because the hat was dirty, and they didn't want to contaminate anything they touched indoors.

In the current day and age, men and women both remove their hats as a sign of respect and to practice personal hygiene.

Proper Hat Etiquette You Should Know

What are important etiquette rules that those who wear fashionable hats should be aware of?

Men still have to remove their hats when they enter a building, but they can leave them on while walking through a public place. If a man is planning on staying in a specific area for an extended period of time, such as an office, restaurant, church, or theater, he should remove his hat.

Most importantly, etiquette rules for fashionable hats have remained the same throughout history.

The modern woman is still not required to remove their headdress when entering a building. However, the exception to this rule is if they are wearing a unisex hat.

Men and women should remove their unisex hats when entering a building. If your fashionable hat obstructs a person's view due to its wide brim, then the hat should be removed indoors, even if you are a woman. This is why fashionable hats with wide brims are meant for daytime, not for occasions such as the theater.

Please note: that those who have or are undergoing cancer treatments are exempt from these rules.

Men's Hat Etiquette

When can men's hats be left on?

Men's designer hats can be worn in places such as:

• The outdoors
• At indoor or outdoor athletic events
• Public transportation
• The post office
• The airport
• The hotel
• An office lobby

When should men's hats be taken off? 

• In a home
• During mealtime
• During introductions, whether indoors or outdoors
• A house of worship, unless a head covering is required
• Inside a workplace, like an office
• Schools
• Libraries
• Courthouses
• Town halls
• Restaurants
• Coffee shops
• At the movies or theater performances
• During the national anthem

Women's Hat Etiquette

In regards to fashionable hats designed for women, designer hats can remain on in places such as:

• Someone's home
• Luncheons
• Weddings
• Garden Parties
• Religious Services
• At the movies or theater performances
• During the national anthem

When should women remove their fashionable hats?

• If it is blocking someone else's perspective at the theater or a wedding
• Indoors at a place of employment

Unisex Hats Etiquette

Unisex caps, such as baseball-style hats, follow the same hat etiquette rules as men's hats, with the exception of athletic events. You can wear baseball cap-style hats at indoor or outdoor sporting events except when the national anthem is playing.

What Are The Types of Fashionable Hats For Specific Occasions

Now that we better understand the specific locations where you can wear fashionable hats and how the rules differ for men's and women's fashion, we can talk about the types of designer hats best suited for particular situations.

Fashionable hats include hat styles such as berets, boater hats, fedoras, beanies, and brimmed hats. Designer hats come in a variety of color schemes, styles, and shapes.

Here are the benefits of matching the correct cap to the occasion and what those features are.

Fedora Hats

Fedoras are an excellent accessory to wear due to their applicability to any situation. You can wear these fashionable hats to any event, whether it be casual or formal.

In the past, people strictly wore fedoras for formal occasions. The fedora's current versatility makes it a favorite designer hat for men and women alike. A pliable brim and an indented crown with a pinched center crease characterize fedoras.

Fedoras typically comprise wool felt. 

Wide Brim Fedoras

Wide-brim fedoras are stylish hats that are a classic look for social gatherings and luncheons. The Jade Wool felt fedora hat is a wide-brimmed hat with a span of four inches. This wool felt designer hat is available in alabaster, black, russet, almondine, pearl gray, lilac, peach skin, and misty.

Hat etiquette dictates that wide-brimmed hats not be worn after 5 p.m. Therefore, you should avoid wearing fedora hats with more breadth to movies and theater performances at nighttime.

However, wide-brimmed fedoras are well-suited for social gatherings like luncheons with friends where the width of one's hat doesn't interfere with anyone else's vision.

Short Brim Fedoras

A short-brim hat should have a brim that is less than four inches.

Fedora hats with short brims like Eric Javits' Mr. Squishee are excellent designer hats for sporting events. The Mr. Squishee is lightweight and easily transportable. This designer hat is available in natural and black, cream and black, peanut and white, original and black, or original and cream.

Easily remove and place this short-brimmed fedora into your pocket, tote bag, or purse during the national anthem to follow male hat etiquette rules while at an athletic event. Protect your face from the sun while following crucial hat etiquette rules.

Sun Hats

You might be under the impression that you should only wear sun hats outdoors. While sun hats make fantastic accessories to wear on a boat or at the beach due to the protection they provide from the sun, sun hats have a wide range of shapes and styles to choose from that make them well-suited for multiple occasions.

You can wear fashionable hats in the sun that shade the face, neck, and sometimes shoulders from direct sunlight. This wide brim means that sun hats should not be worn indoors at the movies or during a theater performance to avoid obstructing anyone else's vision.

Our Aruba sun hat is a chic hat style that is unique in terms of daytime hats. You can find Aruba in cream and black, original and peanut, natural and black, or latte mix. The cotton ribbon attached to the Aruba hat can be comfortably tied under your chin or behind your head in the back, based on your preferences.

You can wear this lightweight, Squishee designer hat during mealtimes, the homestead, garden parties, and weddings. 

Bucket Hats

Bucket hats are trendy and modern hats that are only increasing in popularity. Due to their public appeal, these designer hats are versatile in appearance, and you can coordinate these hats with several outfits.

The Charlie bucket hat comprises super felt wool yarn macrame. You can wear bucket hats consisting of short brims in warm or cool weather. The Charlie is available in the colors plum, cocoa, or midnight. You can wear a bucket hat at numerous events, but this rule is subjective based on the material and style of the bucket hat.

Ensure you follow hat etiquette when wearing bucket hats in a public setting and remove the accessory during a wedding or when you are in a house of worship.  

Berets

Berets have historically been a prominent hat accessory that has remained relevant to modern fashion. The beret is famous due to its sophistication and versatility in how you style it with each ensemble.

A beret is a soft, round hat with a flat crown. The beret typically has a flat shape but can change its form when placed on one's head. Since berets are a piece that lacks a visor, there is more opportunity to wear berets and follow hat etiquette guidelines.

Create an elegant look that you can wear indoors or outdoors with our Leather beret. This women's Italian leather beret elevates your outfit with a unique and modern finish. The leather beret comes with an adjustable drawstring that allows more personalization for a custom fit. Unlike some other beautifully fashionable hats, you can wear a beret indoors at the movies or theaters. 

Summary

Hats are an essential accessory to crafting the perfect overall outfit. Ensure you follow proper hat etiquette to remain fashionable and respectful of others.

You can be proud that you know the hat etiquette guidelines when you wear your fashionable hat from Eric Javits designer brand today.