What is cowboy hat etiquette?

What is the cowboy hat rule?

The most important rule of cowboy hat etiquette is to never mess with another cowboy's hat. Not only is it considered bad luck, but this is an extremely personal item that is often expensive.

Is it socially acceptable to wear a cowboy hat?

Cowboy hats should be removed for most formal occasions (besides rodeos, Western events and related). The only exception for a cowboy to continue wearing their hat during a formal occasion would potentially be a cowboy/Western event such as an outing at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

What does a cowboy hat symbolize?

A hat provided shade, protection from the elements, and warmth for the wearer, but could also be used to fan a fire, as a vessel for drinking water, or waved from horseback to catch the attention of a fellow rider in the distance.

Is it proper etiquette to wear a cowboy hat indoors?

Take your cowboy hat off when you're indoors.

Another key to being a proper cowboy is to remove your hat when you go inside. Elevators, lobbies, and building corridors are an exception to this rule, but once you're in a room with other folks you should remove your hat, especially if there's a lady present.

Cowboy Hat Etiquette

What does a black cowboy hat mean?

In American films of the Western genre between the 1920s and the 1940s, white hats were often worn by heroes and black hats by villains to symbolize the contrast in good versus evil.

What does flicking your cowboy hat mean?

You might have seen some users on TikTok start their videos by flicking the brim of their hat. Or, they use the entire video to do it to the backdrop of a country song. In short, doing this is simply a greeting to say hello.

Why do you not put a cowboy hat on the bed?

If you've got a cowboy hat on your head, make sure it tips upward for luck. And no matter what you do, don't ever set your cowboy hat on a bed! It's a commonly held superstition that a hat set on the bed invites bad luck to enter your home.

Why do cowboys get their hats upside down?

Most cowboy hats are turned up on the brim, setting the hat upside down will keep the brim from flattening and help hold its original shape. Another reason and this is purely superstition, it will let your good luck run out of the hat.

Why wear a feather in your hat?

And people have been wearing bird feathers on hats for hundreds of years. But feathers were not just worn for decoration – to improve a person's appearance. Hundreds of years ago it often meant something else. A feather could represent a person's standing, success or even, in some cases, a kill.

Can you wear a cowboy hat with shoes?

Note: If you want to wear sandals or tennis shoes then by all means wear your cap. It's an absolute disgrace to a cowboy hat sitting on a head that has anything but boots on its feet. If you follow these rules then my hat's off to you.

Do you have to wear boots with a cowboy hat?

If you are going to wear a cowboy hat, boots are pretty much a must. It's going to look wrong if you try to go out with some sneakers on. You should also tuck in your shirt and most likely wear a nice black or brown leather belt. Fancy belt buckle is optional.

Is it OK to wear a felt cowboy hat in the summer?

Technically, the felt cowboy hat season begins after Labor Day. However, felt hats are often worn for formal occasions. So, if you're attending one during the summer, it makes sense to wear felt, even though the weather is hotter. Felt hat season runs until May (or Memorial Day, if you want a specific date).

Can you wear a cowboy hat to a wedding?

We've been receiving quite a few questions about whether their groom or groomsmen should wear their cowboy hats during the ceremony. The answer is – there is no right or wrong answer. That is a personal preference.

How should a cowboy hat sit on your head?

Cowboy hats follow the natural shape of your head, so they should fit firmly on your forehead and the back of your head while feeling a bit looser at the sides. If the hat is too tight, you could wind up getting a headache. If it's too loose, it'll blow off or keep twisting around on your head.

Can I pull off a cowboy hat?

Some people will remove it by the brim, but cowboy hat etiquette, tradition and best practice say to remove it by the crown. If you need to adjust your hat or take it off, place it down on the crown or use a hat rack. When you remove your hat or adjust it, whatever the reason, do not show the inside to anyone.

What does 10X mean for cowboy hats?

Hats between 1X–5X were usually made of wool and or hare with a small amount of beaver, if any. A 10X hat contained 100 percent beaver. Today, hats are marketed with ratings from 1X to 10,000X, felt and straw alike.

What are Mexican cowboy hats called?

Many early Texan cowboys adopted the Spanish and Mexican sombrero with its flat crown and wide, flat brim. Also called the poblano, these hats came from Spain. The Mexican variation of the sombrero added an even wider brim and a high, conical crown.

Why do we take our hats off indoors?

Hats aren't worn indoors as a sign of respect. The tradition of men removing their hats indoors is thought to date back to the practice of medieval knights removing their helmets when entering a building as a signal of friendly intent.

What is the superstition about a hat on the bed?

Leaving a hat on a bed might suggest somebody has died. Historically, during some funerals a hat was placed over the closed portion of the casket near the feet of the deceased. A hat placed on a bed is said to have the same connotation of the casket which was said to evoke their spirits.

What does it mean when a man tips his hat at a woman?

Tip Your Hat

Generally, only men tip their hats. For men, hats are tipped, slightly lifting the hat off your forehead, when meeting a lady (remove your hat if you stop to talk), or to say to anyone, male or female, “thank you,” “excuse me,” “hello,” “goodbye,” “you're welcome,” or “how do you do.”

What does tipping your hat mean?

Definition of tip one's cap/hat

1 : to touch one's hat or cap or to lift it off one's head as a way of greeting or saying goodbye to someone He tipped his hat to her as she walked past. 2 —used informally to say that one admires or respects someone I really have to tip my hat to those people for all their hard work.