Hat etiquette

The Stock Show is in town and as is traditional, the day of the parade down 17th street is declared 'western wear' day by the Mayor. A lot of 'cowboy paraphernalia' was in evidence around town, particularly in the City and County Building and the Webb Building. Lots of Cowboy hats. The Mayor was even sporting one.

I don't often wear a hat to work (on very cold days to keep my head warm) but have been wearing a cowboy hat for years. In my younger (rodeo and roping) days I wore one all the time. I wore one today: 20X Beaver.

As I got into the elevator I, as I always do, took my hat off. It is a matter of good manners to remove a hat indoors, but particularly in an elevator: a gentleman always removes his hat in an elevator.

It got me thinking about hat etiquette. That etiquette was commonplace when men wore hats regularly but once Jack Kennedy made going bare headed acceptable the etiquette went away (for the most part) as well - though the hat has made a comeback, it is the ubiquitous 'baseball cap'' which I am not sure counts.

At any rate, as I took my hat off in the elevator, I was reminded of long-time Dallas Cowboy football coach Tom Landry. Tom was old school. Always dressed in a jacket and tie on the sidelines and always wore a hat: a short brim fedora, if I remember correctly. The only time he did not wear his hat was when they played in a domed stadium. He noted that hat etiquette had always taught him that a gentleman did not wear his hat indoors and since a domed stadium was 'indoors' he would not wear his hat.

I guess I am old school, as well.