Cowboy Hat Etiquette: The Rules and When to Take It Off

The short version: take your hat off for the anthem, the Pledge, prayer and funerals, at the dinner table, in someone’s home, and at indoor weddings and church. Wear it outdoors and in casual public places. Set it down on its crown, keep it off the bed, and keep your hands off other people’s hats.

That covers most days. The rest of this page is for the tricky ones, plus the reason behind each rule. A rule you understand is a lot easier to remember at a funeral than one you memorized, and a funeral is a poor place to start guessing.

What is the cowboy hat rule?

There isn’t a single rule. “The cowboy hat rule” is the name people give to a short code of manners that Western hat makers, retailers and etiquette writers repeat with only small differences. Resistol, Cowboys & Indians, American Hat Makers and Tecovas all list the same core:

• Hat off for the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer.
• Hat off at the table when you eat.
• Hat off indoors when the setting is formal. Resistol says that in informal settings, you can wear it.
• Set it down on its crown, never on its brim.
• Never put it on a bed.
• Never touch someone else’s hat without permission.

Everything else is a variation on one idea.

When do you take a cowboy hat off?

For the anthem, the Pledge and a passing flag, this one has the force of law behind it, sort of. The U.S. Code asks men not in uniform to remove their headwear with the right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, with the hand over the heart. That’s the same posture for the anthem (36 U.S.C. § 301), the Pledge (4 U.S.C. § 4) and a flag going by in a parade (4 U.S.C. § 9). Veterans and service members out of uniform may salute instead.

For prayer, the hat comes off. Cowboys & Indians puts it plainly: regardless of your own beliefs, show respect. That includes the invocation before a rodeo, so don’t save the hat move for the first ride.

At funerals, men take it off indoors, and Pinto Ranch adds that the hat comes off when the casket passes in a procession. Wide Open Country says the same for the procession.

At an indoor wedding or church service, it comes off. American Hat Makers and Pinto Ranch both say so, and Emily Post includes houses of worship for men unless a head covering is required. One known exception: at some cowboy church services the hats stay on, though True West reports they still come off for the Lord’s Prayer.

In someone’s home, take it off at the door. Emily Post lists this first for men. Think of the doorway as the hat’s checkpoint.

At a restaurant table, take it off too. Resistol says to remove it at the table or while eating, as respect for the host, the cook and the people you’re eating with. Somebody stood over that stove. The least the hat can do is step aside.

When you’re introduced to someone, take it off. Emily Post says so indoors or out, unless it’s very cold. Pinto Ranch adds elders, clergy and one-on-one conversations indoors.

Courtrooms, schools and libraries are on Emily Post’s list for men. True West’s rancher source puts courtrooms more bluntly: wear it there and “the judge will nail you.” She would know better than most of us, so take her word for it.

When can you leave it on?

Outdoors, almost always. That’s what the hat is for.

In public pass-through spaces, Emily Post lets men keep a hat on in elevators, on public transit and in hotel, office and airport lobbies. Tecovas agrees on lobbies and elevators, and adds that customs vary by region, so read the room.

At a restaurant counter or a fast-food place, Pinto Ranch and Fort Worth Magazine both allow it. The table is the line. The building has nothing to do with it.

At rodeos and country concerts, Diane Gottsman, an etiquette author, says to wear your hat proudly. The exception is the person behind you. If your brim is between them and the stage, it comes off or you move. They bought a ticket to see the band, and your crease isn’t on the setlist.

On the dance floor, sources disagree. True West says some halls, mostly in Texas, ask for hats off after too many brims collided. Justin Boots says to keep it on while dancing unless asked. Gottsman says take it off if you’re bumping people. Follow the house rule, and if there isn’t one, watch the regulars.

Play along · 14 situations

Hat on or hat off?

Fourteen situations, straight from the quick reference table further down. Make your call, get the reason, and see where you land. No peeking at the table.

1 of 14

Score 0

The situation

National anthem or Pledge of Allegiance

Hat onHat offIt depends

Answer key (spoilers, and handy without the game)

1. National anthem or Pledge of Allegiance: Off Federal law asks men not in uniform to remove headwear and hold it at the left shoulder, hand over heart. Most Western sources expect it from everyone in a cowboy hat.
2. U.S. flag passing in a parade: Off Same Flag Code posture as the anthem.
3. Prayer, including a rodeo invocation: Off Resistol and Cowboys & Indians both list it, whatever your own beliefs.
4. Church service: Off Emily Post, American Hat Makers and Pinto Ranch agree. Some cowboy churches keep hats on until the Lord's Prayer.
5. Indoor wedding or funeral: Off American Hat Makers and Pinto Ranch both say so.
6. Funeral procession or casket passing: Off Pinto Ranch and Wide Open Country both call for it, indoors or out.
7. Someone's home: Off Emily Post lists it for men and for all ball caps.
8. Restaurant table: Off Resistol, Pinto Ranch and Emily Post agree.
9. Restaurant counter or fast food: On is fine Pinto Ranch and Fort Worth Magazine allow it.
10. Being introduced to someone: Off, or a tip of the brim Emily Post says hats come off for introductions; Western sources accept a tip for passing greetings.
11. Elevator, hotel lobby, airport: On is fine Emily Post and Tecovas both allow it in public spaces.
12. Courtroom, school, library: Off Emily Post lists courthouses and schools.
13. Outdoor rodeo or concert: On Diane Gottsman says wear it proudly, unless it blocks someone's view.
14. Dance floor: Ask the venue Some halls, mostly in Texas, ask for hats off; others leave it to you.

What are the cowboy hat rules for women?

Women get more leeway indoors, and the anthem is where the sources part ways.

The traditional etiquette view comes from Emily Post. A woman’s fashion hat may stay on in someone’s home, at luncheons, weddings and garden parties, at religious services, at indoor shows, and even during the anthem and when the flag passes. It has to come off when it blocks someone’s view and indoors at work. Baseball-style caps are treated as unisex, and Emily Post says those come off in the same places a man’s would.

A cowboy hat sits somewhere in between. It’s worn by everyone and often styled as part of the outfit, and the Western sources don’t agree on which column it belongs in:

• Tecovas says cowboy hat rules “don’t just apply to men.”
• Gottsman says keeping a hat on is acceptable for women, as long as it doesn’t block views or crowd anyone’s space.
• True West’s rancher source says most hat rules don’t apply to cowgirls, and calls that exemption sexist herself.

So here’s the practical answer, and this part is a judgment call: wear it indoors at casual events, keep the brim out of everyone’s sightline, and take it off for the anthem, prayer and a funeral. Taking it off when you didn’t strictly have to is the cheaper mistake. Shop the women’s cowboy hats if you’re picking one for a specific event.

Where should you put your hat when it’s off?

Crown side down, or on a hat rack. Resistol says setting it on its crown preserves the shape, and American Hat Makers says to set it crown down short term and store it upside down so the brim isn’t affected. The cowboy reason is luck: Fort Worth Magazine says a hat set crown down keeps its good luck from running out. Either way you’re covered, which is the best kind of rule.

A few places to skip:

• The bed. Resistol, Cowboys & Indians, American Hat Makers and Pinto Ranch all call it bad luck. Fort Worth Magazine says the origin is argued over, with theories that include coffins and head lice.
• The dinner table. Gottsman says crown down on a flat surface is fine, just not that one.
• The back of a chair. Gottsman calls it the worst option, with the floor only slightly better.
• Under your chair. Justin Boots says never push it under a chair or toss it on the floor.

At a party, Gottsman suggests asking the host to set it somewhere crown down for you. During the anthem, the hat’s spot is in your right hand at your left shoulder. If you’re just holding it for a minute, Pinto Ranch says to keep the inside toward you, since the band and lining are “not for anyone to see but you.”

Should you hold a cowboy hat by the crown or the brim?

The sources disagree on this one. American Hat Makers, Pinto Ranch and Tecovas say to take it off by the crown. Justin Boots says to hold it by the brim so the crown keeps its shape. Tecovas allows the brim if you use both hands, front and back.

Both camps are protecting something. Pulling by one side of the brim bends it, and pinching the front of a felt crown in the same place over the years wears it thin. Vary your grip, use both hands on the brim when you set it on your head, and the hat will forgive you either way. For the rest of the upkeep, see the care section of our felt cowboy hats guide.

How do you tip your hat?

A tip is a quiet hello or thank you. Justin Boots describes it as tilting the hat slightly forward with a nod. Gottsman describes a lighter version: touch the brim with a finger while you hold eye contact. Tecovas lists the times it fits: meeting someone, saying goodbye, and when someone thanks you for holding a door.

Traditionally men tipped to women. American Hat Makers says that in the Old West men tipped their hats only to women, and notes that in some places today that could read as sexist. A tip works for anyone you want to greet. For a first introduction or a formal moment, a tip isn’t enough, and the hat comes all the way off.

Is it rude to touch someone else’s cowboy hat?

Yes. Every Western source we checked that mentions it agrees. Resistol says never touch a cowboy hat without permission, and adds that in the old days it could start a fight in a bar or bunkhouse. Tecovas calls it one of the most important rules and says never put another person’s hat on your own head. Wide Open Country points out that a hat is a personal item, and often an expensive one.

Does it matter where you are?

Some. Tecovas notes that customs vary by region and suggests reading the room. Pinto Ranch says formal settings mean hats off indoors and informal ones allow them back on. Ranch country, a Texas dance hall and a city wedding run on different defaults. When you’re unsure, watch what the locals do, and if they’re split, take it off.

What should you wear to stay inside the rules?

Etiquette has a dress code too. Gottsman says felt and fine woven straw are the most formal choices for weddings and dressy events, and Resistol says some events call for felt in any season. A plain black felt hat handles funerals, formal weddings and evening events. Straw is for summer daytime, outdoor and casual. Browse cowboy hat styles to see the crease options, and measure first with the size chart, because a hat that falls off when you nod is its own etiquette problem.