

Discovering Hats, a New Generation Brims With Anxiety Over Etiquette - grellas
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703748904575411874109848424.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_5

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po
I wear hats all the time, and they are almost never ball caps. I follow pretty
traditional hat wearing rules:

Take it off or tip it when you first meet someone.

Take it off if you go inside, especially someone's home.

If you're in the subway or a hallway of a public building or something it's
optional.

If in doubt, take it off.

If you're worried about your hair being messed up or that the hat is part of
your style, you're too vain. Grow up.

Note that the rules for women are different. Basically pretend the rule is
this: wearing a hat is to protect your head from falling water. If you wear it
in someone's home, store or restaurant, you're saying "I'm afraid you have a
leaky roof." That would be rude so don't do it.

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pvg
This has many of the hallmarks of what Jack Shafer at Slate calls 'Bogus Trend
of the Week' stories. He's tracked a few dozen over the years -

[http://www.slate.com/default.aspx?id=3944&da=&qt=%22...](http://www.slate.com/default.aspx?id=3944&da=&qt=%22bogus+trend%22)

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nandemo
Hats are fairly common among young Japanese nowadays, including ladies. You
might still stand out by wearing one, but not too much. I usually wear one
myself and I used to worry if I should take it off inside restaurants, but I
noticed that nobody else seems to bother.

(Incidentally, I now have an easy opening line: "nice hat", often followed by
"thanks, yours too".)

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po
It's funny, when I wear a hat here in Japan and meet someone, I don't know
wether to tip my hat or bow. I usually end up doing both in an awkward hat-
taking-off, hide-behind-my-back and bow ceremony. I don't think Japanese
natives have that issue because they weren't taught to take off their hat.
They just leave it on and bow.

In the west you would probably bow with your hat held over your chest, left
arm behind you (like at the end of a theatrical performance), but in Japan
your arms should be at your sides or slightly behind you.

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nandemo
As far as I can remember, the last few times I met Japanese people informally
they extended a handshake (I don't know if it's a "foreigners can't possibly
know how to bow" or a "I want to speak English/act like a Western" thing). In
formal situations I'm not wearing a hat.

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po
It's neither. Without stereotyping too much, Japanese people generally look
for compromise and will seek common ground. The offer of a handshake is part
of that. They like to shake hands with foreigners. They do also appreciate a
bow in return.

But yeah, I agree with you. That's why I take mine off still.

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gn
<http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html>

