What happened to taking your hat off inside?

I just visited the Scottish war memorial building (very impressive), and I was surprised by the number of men who kept wearing their hat or cap inside.

Is taking your hat off to show respect too much to ask for? Or am I just being old fashioned?

Do you wear a hat inside, especially when visiting a church, or for instance a memorial? Or do you take it off when entering?

+1 on your thoughts here, Johan.

There was a heated debate in another thread a few weeks ago that was more generally on the topic of evolving (or is it devolving) manners.

Your mention of churches and memorials -- clearly solemn places -- would seem to argue for using one's best manners, even if they're old-fashioned and seemingly obsolete.

I am guessing, based on that other thread, that someone might dissent on this.

I doff my hat.

johant1968 said:

I just visited the Scottish war memorial building (very impressive)

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The one in Edinburgh Castle?

gegarrenton said:

The one in Edinburgh Castle?

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Indeed. Very impressive.

johant1968 said:

Indeed. Very impressive.

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Definitely. It was much bigger than I thought going in. Very substantial collection of artifacts as well.

No hats indoors, unless at a sporting event. It MUST come off during National Anthem too.

No hats indoors with some exceptions, fast food restaurants, gas stations etc. Most stores I'm ok with keeping a hat on, though it depends on the store. Definitely off for any sit down restaurant (if I can find a place to put it that is), house, school, church.

jlanger said:

No hats indoors with some exceptions, fast food restaurants, gas stations etc. Most stores I'm ok with keeping a hat on, though it depends on the store. Definitely off for any sit down restaurant (if I can find a place to put it that is), house, school, church.

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I used to follow the take it off while inside rule, but no more. Many times it is just too awkward to carry it around in my hand. Definetly off in church, I just get a seat near the end of a pew so I can leave a little space to place it on the seat. As far as sit down restaurants, if there is an extra chair it comes off, if no place to safely place it it stays on my head. I will not place it on a table. Very few establishemts have safe manned hat checks any longer, so I choose safety for my hat.

I very seldom wear one and when I do it's usually on my way to workout so it comes off then. My one exception is when I cycling I wear a cap under my helmet. When going into a store or cafe, I remove my helmet but leave the cap on.

About the only place I don't remove my hat is when I go into the post office to pick my mail up. I am only going in to the P.O. box then right out of the building. Any other public building or private residence I remove my hat as I enter the door.

jlanger said:

No hats indoors with some exceptions, fast food restaurants, gas stations etc. Most stores I'm ok with keeping a hat on, though it depends on the store. Definitely off for any sit down restaurant (if I can find a place to put it that is), house, school, church.

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This is my view also! With also malls and department stores. No hat on table, ever, and with a young daughter, we have a diaper bag that works to put my hat in.

A gentleman takes his hat off when entering a building.

I'm in my thirties. I still wouldn't get five steps into my parent's house wearing a hat before my old man removed the hat by smacking me in the head.

Learned that lesson a long, long time ago. So did my friends...

I don't take off my hat everywhere when entering a building. Offices, houses, churches, memorials, nicer sit down restaurants, but for the most part if im out running errands the hat stays on my head.

If you are inside you take your cover off period.

jlanger said:

No hats indoors with some exceptions, fast food restaurants, gas stations etc. Most stores I'm ok with keeping a hat on, though it depends on the store. Definitely off for any sit down restaurant (if I can find a place to put it that is), house, school, church.

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This.

What happened to removing hats indoors?
What happened to establishments providing a place to place it?

There are no coat/hat checks in even midscale restaurants, and honestly, I've never noticed one at the higher end steak houses ($60/plate).
In a booth or if there is a spare seat, I can rest my hat beside me. If the table is large enough I can rest it on the table away from the food.
Even at a place as low-class as Denny's, is it too much to ask that they put a simple hook on the wall?
At a banquet-like setting where the guests are crowded elbow to elbow and there is not enough room on the table for the food? What then? If I try to hang it on my knee, it ends up on the floor. This is a big problem for me at professional luncheons, and my only alternative would be to leave the hat in the car (defeats the purpose of having it).

Sure, when I wore a ballcap or bucket hat, I'd just roll it up and stuff it under my thigh. That doesn't work for a fedora.

As mentioned in the other thread, I will leave mine on indoors if I am "on the move" such as shopping in a retail establishment, or in other situations in a lobby, or lobby-like area.
Once I move through a secondary passageway, or into an elevator, I am then "settled" to do my business and the hat comes off.
Likewise if I need to speak to someone in the lobby area such as to request a table or ask directions to an office, the hat comes off.

I agree whole heartedly regarding the hat issue. I don't think young people are instructed in proper ettiquete

plan80 said:

I'm in my thirties. I still wouldn't get five steps into my parent's house wearing a hat before my old man removed the hat by smacking me in the head.

Learned that lesson a long, long time ago. So did my friends...

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Life lesson, my 75 yo gpa doing that to me when I was about 16 wearing my baseball hat when I was eating at his table. He packed one heck of a wallop and was the only time I ever remember him being mad at me, to this day, unless at a fast food place and always at someone's house, the hat goes off at the table (or I feel really uncomfortable).

+1,000 This is how I was taught. I remember when Bum Bright was coach of the Houston Oilers. They played in the Astrodome. Bum was conflicted about taking off his hat there, but he was certain his mommy would make him take it off. There was a roof on the Astrodome, so it was indoors.

musicman1951 said:

A gentleman takes his hat off when entering a building.

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If I am wearing a hat, I will remove it wherever appropriate based on respect for my host. I think THAT is what a gentleman should do. I feel no need whatsoever to act "gentlemanly" with my hat in a store, for example.

There is and has been only one place where I insist that a hat be removed in my home, and that's at my table. I also remove any hat at anyone else's table. Never a restaurant, though, unless I want to.

I also do not allow any electronic devices there, but that's another story.