By Len Wilcox
WESTERN VIEW
One of my favorite writers published a piece that told the rules for wearing a cowboy hat. That writer is Bob Boze Bell, an Arizona cowboy who is also the publisher of “True West Magazine.”
Now, I like wearing a cowboy hat; not only is there nothing better for shading your head and neck, it’s a statement about who I am and where I come from. I think Bell agrees with that, and I appreciate that he took the time to write down these rules.
He says that the first rule is that it is not okay to touch a cowboy hat that isn’t yours. Of course, we all know that from a popular country western song, but it bears repeating; it just isn’t done. Except by grandkids; they are exempt from this rule, when it comes to grandpa’s hat.
Bell says that Hat Rule #2 is iron-clad. Do not wear your cowboy hat in mama’s house. Actually, in any mama’s house. Mothers are sacred. The only exception here is, former mother-in-laws, providing she is the one who never thought you were good enough to marry her daughter.
Hat Rule #3: Tip your hat like you mean it. Don’t just flick the brim – remove it from your noggin so there is no confusion, you’re acknowledging someone. But don’t be waving it around like some hillbilly shouting for help.
Hat Rule #4: Wearing hats indoors is complicated. Like Bell, I grew up in cattle country, and I was taught to tip your hat to a lady. And you take it off in a church or home, and when seated in a restaurant or theater. In a public building, you can keep it on.
Hat Rule #5: On the dance floor. In the old days, cowboys wore their hats and never took them off. But, so many fights broke out when hats got bumped during dances that now you take your hat off while dancing.
Hat Rule # 6: Most of the hat rules cowboys adhere to are not applicable to a cowgirl.
Hat Rule #7: Hats come off in church, except at “Cowboy Church,” where hats are worn, but they must be off for the Lord’s Prayer.
I hope that clarifies the proper etiquette for wearing a cowboy hat. Thank you, Bob Boze Bell of “True West Magazine,” for your words of wisdom.
I do not recognize Len Wilcox as an authority on Western head ware! The hat pictured appears to be that of an urban cow-poser. ?
Or a Crocodile Dundee hat . . .
I’ve seen worse… how bout a decent enough leather hat, then polished until it shined like boots?
Hmph! That’s my favorite hat! And I don’t have any cows to pose. 😉
It is a cool hat… I’m envious.
Now, if it had sequins and a dramatic fringed veil, I might object… 😀
I tip my hat to you for sharing that information.
Right back at you, thanks! 😉
Take hat off inside military bulding and for national anthem.
Absolutely.
Although i wear cowboy hats/Stetsons, and have always comported myself as described, I’ve never really thought about the “official” rules. Removing your hat is a sign of respect, which is why I keep it firmly mounted while dealing with local government… 🙂
Ummmmm … —Diane at RVtravel.com
You are a wise man, Nr. Wolfe.
How is removing a hat a sign of respect? And what respectful thing would you do if you had no hat?
i think it is neat that you mentioned that no one should touch someone else’s hat! Especially mine!
Sounds fine except the restaurant part. Exactly where would one be expected to place the hat to be safe from spills or damage?
Sometimes I put mine on an empty chair, on top of my wife’s purse. It only comes off if she’s around, as she enforces the no-hat-with-meals rule with a vengeance.
Leave it in the truck. You do have a truck, don’t you?
My hat stays on until I decide to take it off. Period. Church; restaurant; home; I see no intrinsic reason to doff the hat.
Like a true narcissist, of course you don’t.
It is called “manners” or “courtesy” or “etiquette”. It is a way of making other people comfortable when they are around you. There are even books about it.
It used to be said, “If a man takes his hat off in the house, he’s a gentleman. If a man does not take his hat off in the house, he is only pretending to be a gentleman. If a man isn’t wearing a hat, there is no gentlemanliness about him.” Then JF Kennedy kind of killed hats, being the first President not to wear one at his inauguration.
It is very difficult for children to learn manners when they never observe them.
If you cant dance with your hat on for a good two-step ,you need to learn how but anytime your polishing your buckle the hat comes off
Around here you need to have some cattle and/or a horse or two to justify wearing a cowboy hat. Also, if you think you need to wear your hat indoors, you better have two x chromosomes. Otherwise, you’re just another “hey look at me” clown with a weak ego. Definitely not a gentleman.
Len — You left off Rule No. 8: When you take your hat off you set it down “brim up” so the luck doesn’t run out.
Seemed tongue in cheek to me. But I’m a cowgirl so the rules don’t apply. I love my Stetson and wear it sans rules as I see fit. Well, one rule, I wear it level. No cutesy back or side tilt.
Like the song says, “A hat’s not a hat unless it’s tilted”.
Problem I noticed lately, is a lot of restaurants or buildings no longer have a place to hang a hat.
And if you do hang it up it may go on a head without you! I set mine on an empty chair beside me.
Thank you, Len! I enjoyed reading through these. I grew up on a farm with cows not a ranch, so I wear a baseball cap, not a cowboy hat because I am more farmer than rancher. Still, it was an interesting look into a different culture. Safe travels! 🙂
Well, that’s one man’s opinion. I’ve traveled around the country somewhat and it would seem to me that different places have different customs. So that kinda negates anyone espousing that there’s any hard and fast rules on hat wearing.
Oh, I’m sure that the rules of not wearing a hat in church is hard and fast as is tipping your hat to a lady. But how you tip your hat is up to you not some Arizona dude that writes a dude rag.
Now my momma started me wearing a cowboy hat and manly footwear around the house before I was 3. I was still wearing the hat in her house even after we put her in the ground. She always liked them on my dad and on me.
I can’t remember ever dancing without a hat!