Cowboy Hat Etiquette

As a member of the older generation, our rules were. 1. Never wear a hat indoors unless it's a bar / dance hall. 2. You can wear boots without a hat, but you never wear a hat without boots. 3. Always set you hat down on the crown, never set it down on the brim. 4. Never set your hat on the bed. 5. Straw hats are for the heat, felt hats for for dress or cold. 6. Always remove your hat for The National Anthem and talking to women.

Young man, as a geezer, I would just like to compliment the parents who raised you. It's refreshing to see a polite and respectful young man. Love your videos!

“Asking a man to borrow his hat is like asking a man to borrow his girl, it ain’t gonna happen.”- Caleb Odell, Heartland.

In the 80's we believed that if a lady grabbed your hat and put it on, she was letting you know she wanted to be with you.

I live in Texas. We typically have about nine months of summer, one month of autumn and two months of winter. So it's straw hats for the vast majority of the year. Felt hats are usually reserved for what little cold weather we get and when its time to dress up for more formal occasions like weddings, nice dinners, etc.

I have a rope operated pully system that lowers the hat onto my head. That way i don't grab it at the wrong spot.

When I went to my mom's home ranch in rural Mexico my when my cousin greeted my mom he took of his hat and kissed her hand and said at your service. I was blown away and immediately gained huge respect for him.

I’ve heard all these guidelines before, but it’s a good reminder. I usually follow all of them except for talking to women. I do remove my hat when I’m introduced to a woman, or I’m introducing myself, but I’ll usually put my hat back on after introductions. The only things you didn’t mention that I would have is 1. Remove your hat during the national anthem, 2. Remove your hat when the flag is being raised or lowered, and 3. I always remove my hat during a prayer.

As someone who started wearing a cowboy hat 2 decades ago, I found the "list" of rules where I could wear my hat absoultely rediculous. After hearing all the rules from so many people, it boiled down to: You can wear it in your house, and you can put it on when you get out of the car, but then your suppose to take it before you enter 90% of inside buildings. Basically, they had it so I only wore my hate from getting out of a car till we got where we were going, then take it off again. Insane. I NOW will only take it off at the movies; church; or if a host requests it.

I definitely feel hat etiquette changes depending on region. Etiquette in my area (Missouri/Arkansas) is a bit different from what you stated, and it's quite interesting as some parts are the same, but others are different. For example, messing with someone else's hat and grabbing the hat by the crown is the same. Though I want to point out what's different for me as I think it's interesting... - You typically take off your hat when being introduced to a lady. However, if the lady is also wearing a western hat, then just tipping your hat is a fair sign of acknowledgment and respect. - You are welcome to wear your hat when dancing with a lady. - Wearing a hat when indoors or eating is considered fine. However, it is considered rude to not take off your hat for the anthem or when entering banks, elevators, and offices. - Willingly taking off your hat and placing it on the head of a lady (or man, no judgement here), is a way of saying you are taking them home for the night. The exception to this is family members, in which passing your hat onto them is a sign of respect and honor.

My favorite point you made is that these are guidelines. There's never any good reason to lose your cool over someone not following these rules. If someone is being nasty to you because you wear the hat, then you can start using the rules against them to let everyone see them for the snakes they are. Wear the hat and have a good time doing it!

Thank you for this , Iv had the same cowboy hat since I was 15 I’m 25 . In highschool I was always bullied for wearing it and haven’t had it on since then and now that I’m older I don’t have much confidence to wear it but now cuz of this video and my gf so thank you man

Here’s what I was taught. in common areas inside of a building, hallways, auditoriums, it’s OK to wear a hat. When you go into private residence or private office, the hat should be removed. you can wear a hat into an elevator unless a woman is present, at which point, the hat should be removed. always tip your hat when meeting or saying good bye to a woman. Never wear a hat to the dinner table. There is always a safe place to put your cowboy hat. I will put the hat brim down if there’s an area for the front third of the hat to hang over the shelf otherwise the hat should be placed crown down.

Just for everyone’s information: there’s a really great book called “the cowboy hat book”. By William Reynolds and Ritch Rand. I received it as a gift and have enjoyed it and reviewed it many times 🤠

I take off my hat when I'm at someone's house, when I'm standing for the flag or I'm praying. I wear it inside my house and the store. For the most part I wear it all the time.

Been wearing cowboy hats since I was 4 I’m now 72 I wear it indoors, outdoors , everywhere. The only times I take it off is if someone asks , in a restaurant and there is a place to keep it and during the National anthem. I don’t always have boots on when I where one but most of the time I do .

Dunno if someone else has commented it, but the tradition of taking hats off indoors actually dates back to medieval times with armor and helmets. It was considered rude to not take ones helmet off inside of another man's home/place of business, because it implied that you did not trust him to protect your head for you. Basically implying that he was either treacherous or that his dwelling was unsafe to enter.

I've been wearing Western wear for a year now. I did like the refresher.

When my mom and dance would dance,my mom would hold his hat in her right hand that rested on his shoulder. That way,he could remove his hat to show her respect but Not get his hat stolen. My dad told me ,"never dance with a woman with your hat on."

One of the exceptions to the felt when it’s cold, straw when it’s hot rule is the niche of the horse breed show world. In Paints, Pintos, and Quarter horses, almost everyone used felt black hats all year round as a part of the uniform. Maybe that is changing now but it’s still the primary dress hat used. I believe this is due to the felt hats being for formal events.