Hi everyone. I hope maybe someone can explain what is so awful about wearing a hat inside? My dad has a major hair across his butt about wearing hats in the house. My brother wears baseball caps a lot and my dad is always telling him to take it off in the house. He will also tell Tyler's friends to take off their hats in the house. A while back Tyler and his friends got into a trend of wearing knit caps all the time not just in the winter time. That used to drive my dad bat crap crazy and many times he would snatch it off Tyler's head and ask him how many times he had to tell him not to wear a hat inside the house and then not give Tyler the cap back.

I wear hats quite often because I have to if I go outside when the sun is out. Many times I didn't take it off when I came inside but strangely my dad never said anything to me about it, just Tyler. I have asked my dad why you aren't supposed to wear hats inside and he just says " because you just don't,  that's why". My grandpa is exactly the same way so I wonder if it's maybe a German thing. Or some kind of way outdated etiquette my dad just picked up from him. I also wondered if it was perhaps a military thing. Whatever the Marine corps does to people seems to last forever. My dad is totally anal about how his bed is made and how his clothes are put away. He also uses weird phrases like grabasstic for something stupid and squared away as in cleaned up. So it wouldn't surprise me if the hat thing is some military or Marine thing.

If anyone can explain this I would appreciate it. Surprisingly my google search about it didn't give me an answer. It's kind of scary when google fails me.

I'd guess it's a military thing, or just a holdover from earlier times. In the service your hat went on and came off as you crossed the threshold of a door. Not before, not after. Those things really stick with you.  And of course, in the good ol' days, all men wore hats, you tipped it to ladies, and wearing it inside was extremely disrespectful.

My two cents worth. 

Hugs, Devlyn

@Julia1996:   Your dad is right!!!

In my opinion it is still disrespectful to wear a hat, especially a ball cap inside a church or a restaurant or many other indoor locations.   
Yes, @Devlyn  is correct about military procedures....  in the military we always removed our "cover" when entering a building of any kind... if we didn't and there were other military officers and personnel within sight we would hear about our transgression immediately.....   
....besides, why cover up our heads and our faces... those features are what make us recognizable....   that is another reason that most banks and government buildings will require hats, helmets and hoodies off when entering.

Danielle

When I used to attend church, females were allowed to wear hats inside. Males were not. It was about courtesy and respect. In the South, it is common for men to remove their hats in front of women, for the same reason. That could explain why your dad doesn't make a fuss about you wearing a hat, but will jump all over your brother about it.

We were taught by my mother that it was rude for boys and men to wear hats indoors but not for women or girls. She never gave a reason so I suspect it is one of these old traditional rules. My mum would be furious if my brother's wore a hat indoors. She is English but did spend a lot of her youth living in India and Germany.

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According to Dr. Google it seems to have started in medieval Europe, where knights and soldiers took off their helmets to demonstrate that inside was safe for others.  It seems this is a custom, because it's been a custom.  There doesn't seem to be any pressing need for this tradition to continue.  There are cultures that always wear head covering of some sort, sometimes male and sometimes female.  I'm not sure why people would believe this custom should continue while so many others have faded.

As someone who is follically challenged, I would even suggest this sort of arbitrary rule could be considered discriminatory.

Take care,
Paige

As my coast guard friend passed down to me (specicifcally for when eating): The mess hall doubled as the emergency hospital, so removing your hat was a sign of respect to fallen comrades.

I really like when gentlemen take their hat or caps off in the presence of a lady. Lol
Yeah that's a bit outdated but I think seeing a guys head is nice. Even if it's shaven bald! 
Also, I think it's very rare a guys outfit matches with a hat. For women it's possible but not really for men. In my "expert" opinion on fashion... Lol

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Quote from: Allison S on August 13, 2018, 07:03:31 PM
I really like when gentlemen take their hat or caps off in the presence of a lady. Lol
Yeah that's a bit outdated but I think seeing a guys head is nice. Even if it's shaven bald! 
Also, I think it's very rare a guys outfit matches with a hat. For women it's possible but not really for men. In my "expert" opinion on fashion... Lol

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Average guy says "whatever, my [insert fave sports team here] hat goes with everything...everything!"

Quote from: MissyMay2.0 on August 13, 2018, 08:10:01 PM
Average guy says "whatever, my [insert fave sports team here] hat goes with everything...everything!"

Lol [emoji23]

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Quote from: MissyMay2.0 on August 13, 2018, 08:10:01 PM
Average guy says "whatever, my [insert fave sports team here] hat goes with everything...everything!"

Quote from: Devlyn on August 13, 2018, 12:25:55 PM
I'd guess it's a military thing, or just a holdover from earlier times. In the service your hat went on and came off as you crossed the threshold of a door. Not before, not after. Those things really stick with you.  And of course, in the good ol' days, all men wore hats, you tipped it to ladies, and wearing it inside was extremely disrespectful.

My two cents worth. 

Hugs, Devlyn

Ah memories of a squinty eyed drill sergeant asking "is the m-fing roof leaky, private?" and then getting a bunch of well needed exercise...

Quote from: Colleen_definitely on August 14, 2018, 09:49:05 AM
Ah memories of a squinty eyed drill sergeant asking "is the m-fing roof leaky, private?" and then getting a bunch of well needed exercise...

Exactly!

Probably just comes from an older school of manners. People never used to wear hats inside but they often were expected to wear one outside. Sounds a bit OCD about certain habits, if he was military tidiness and such is drilled into you, so that wouldn't surprise me.   

There is already a shelter over your head if you're indoors.

Also, military thing.

It is just a generational age group thing. I see it as a mark of respect and courteousness, I also don't really care if it's not followed. I do doff my hat at the conclusion of a golf game or meeting someone new so that I am open and seen fully. You just have to massage your company and mix of generations.

I remember that when I was young, there were hatstands in the lobbies of houses and near the entrances of restaurants.  I haven't seen a hatstand for many years now.  They may be irrelevant in the UK as few men wear hats nowadays, although some wear peaked headwear such as baseball caps on sunny days.  Even Andy Capp style flat caps are rarely seen now.

Quote from: Kylo on August 14, 2018, 10:50:46 AM
Probably just comes from an older school of manners. People never used to wear hats inside but they often were expected to wear one outside. Sounds a bit OCD about certain habits, if he was military tidiness and such is drilled into you, so that wouldn't surprise me.

Oh he is OCD about some things I find quite weird that come from his time in the Marines. He's totally weird about how his clothes are put in the closet and drawers for one. But besides the hat thing his weirdest OCD thing is his bed. He makes it up like the second he gets out of it. And it has to be made up a certain way. When I change all the sheets I don't even bother making his bed because no doubt he will do it over. I just put the folded clean sheets on the foot of the bed. I asked him what was the big deal with the bed and he said it was just habit from his military days. Apparently in the military the white glove inspection is a real thing and not making up your bed correctly can get you into trouble. I have always found that totally weird. I thought the Marines trained people to be ruthless and efficient killers. How does bed making and how well you clean a barracks have any relevance to making someone a good soldier??  Then on the opposite end of things is my brother. The only time his bed is ever made up is when I change sheets. His attitude is " why bother making the bed when you're just going to sleep in it again".

The military makes you do all sorts of stupid things for appearance and such.  It has absolutely nothing to do with fighting directly, but it is a discipline sort of thing.  It also makes sleeping in a hole that you dug a little less awful because at least you don't have to make that stupid bed.

There is nothing wrong with it. For the last 50 odd years my summer attire is an Angel's hat and shorts and polo shirt. The military emphasizes discipline so I would guess it has something to do with that. Men wore hats until the mid fifty's, and there was some etiquette to it. But that was even before my time. To me it's not about respect. It's about keeping my hair under control.