# Gentlemen - Do You Remove Your Hat



## Jules

When you’re indoors, do you remove your hat?  

Were you taught to do this and have you changed with the times?

Watching Yellowstone, a modern western, all the men had their cowboy hats on at a dinner.  All the ranchers I knew, always removed their hat when indoors or when greeting you.  

I know women weren’t expected to remove their hats in the 50s and 60s, so this may be a sexist question.


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## tbeltrans

Today, I took my wife to a clinic to get her second COVID shot.  Funny thing, I consciously noticed that several guys were wearing hats in the waiting room.  I saw cowboy hats and baseball style caps.  Then, I see this thread and it is timely.  Interesting how that works.

I never wear a hat myself, so for me it is a non-issue, but interesting how this comes up here today.

Tony


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## asp3

The main reason I wear a hat these days is because of Covid hair, so no.  I wear a baseball style hat indoors and out much of the time.  Occasionally when my wife leans in for a kiss I "bill" her.

During normal times when I'm wearing my baseball style hat to protect my face from the sun I generally don't take it off indoors due to having hat hair.


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## jujube

The "Dutch Masters" ( like the ones you used to see on cigar boxes) in old New York used to ONLY wear their hats (with the huge plumes) when sitting down to eat. The rest of the time, they were carried in the hand and used for gesturing and bowing.

Hat factoid of the day.


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## Gaer

My late husband was an ole buckeroo and he always removed his cowboy hat when eating in a restaurant or in a bar.
It's proper ediquitte.
There is a sallon on the main street in Pagosa Springs, Colorado who will not serve anyone unless he takes off his hat and he will be asked to  leave.
It's just an old rancher's thing to be courteous.

Though, If I were out with a man who did not remove his hat, I would never mention it.


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## MrPants

I don't wear hats; never have so, it's not an issue for me


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## Aunt Marg

My grandfathers always took their hats off when inside, and for many years I served tea at church bazaar's (early teen years), and the ladies always removed their hats once inside.


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## Pepper

asp3 said:


> The main reason I wear a hat these days is because of *Covid hair*, so no.  I wear a baseball style hat indoors and out much of the time.  Occasionally when my wife leans in for a kiss I "bill" her.
> 
> During normal times when I'm wearing my baseball style hat to protect my face from the sun I generally don't take it off indoors due to having *hat hair*.


Always an excuse, I see.  tsk tsk.


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## Aunt Marg

asp3 said:


> The main reason I wear a hat these days is because of Covid hair, so no.  I wear a baseball style hat indoors and out much of the time.  Occasionally when my wife leans in for a kiss I "bill" her.
> 
> During normal times when I'm wearing my baseball style hat to protect my face from the sun I generally don't take it off indoors due to having hat hair.


I have to side with Peps on this one, Asp, some pretty flimsy excuses there. ROFLMAO!


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## Pecos

I always take mine off when I am inside. In addition to growing up in Western States, the Navy (where I spent 31 years) was pretty firm about taking your hat off inside. If fact, if you were in the Navy and were wearing your hat inside, that meant that you were probably involved in an Article 15 evolution.


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## Murrmurr

While living on a farm we always wore hats outside, and always took them off and hung em up in the front porch before going in the house. While I was beginning to bald, I wore ball caps to cover it up and rarely took it off. But by then removing your hat wasn't a *thing*. These days I don't care about my hair loss and wear a ball cap or a straw hat only while I'm outside, because sun, rain, and baldness aren't a good mix.


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## Lewkat

Men always removed hats in our family when indoors and always in the military as well.  Once, while I was with son and his wife we stopped to eat at a restuarant for dinner and he did not remove his baseball cap.  So I did and he quickly grabbed and put it back on saying his hair was a mess.  I told him either he goes to the men's room and combs or I leave.  He combed it.  His wife never opened her mouth.


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## Dana

_My husband is from Virginia, US. Old style manners which I love. He removes his hat indoors, in front of a lady and occasions that require it. However, in Australia, no one thinks badly if a man keeps his baseball hat on indoors in a casual setting._


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## JonDouglas

I take off my hat/cap whenever entering a private home, or a more formal meeting, dinner. etc.  I tip my hat to ladies but otherwise it stays when outside the house.  The old noggin still has a decent bit of hair but it's thinning and I like to keep the head warm in the cold and shaded in the heat.


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## Buckeye

All gentlemen remove their hats indoors.  If you don't, you're not a gentleman.


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## Don M.

About the only time I wear a cap or hat is when I'm outdoors, to keep the sun out of my eyes.  I'm kind of old fashioned with respect to hats, in that I think they should be removed when indoors....especially in a public setting, like a restaurant.


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## horseless carriage

Buckeye said:


> All gentlemen remove their hats indoors.  If you don't, you're not a gentleman.


For hat etiquette, you only have to watch an episode of the British detective program, set in WW2, called Foyle's War.
Hats removed indoors, hats doffed to a lady, hats removed if a hearse with a coffin should pass by. In Christian churches hats are always removed, other faiths do it their way, it's customary for men to cover their head in a synagogue. That's why you see men wearing the kippah. (skullcap.) Here's a conundrum, when dining outside, say on the cafe's patio, should a man still remove his hat?


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## Dana

horseless carriage said:


> For hat etiquette, you only have to watch an episode of the British detective program, set in WW2, called Foyle's War.
> Hats removed indoors, hats doffed to a lady, hats removed if a hearse with a coffin should pass by. In Christian churches hats are always removed, other faiths do it their way, it's customary for men to cover their head in a synagogue. That's why you see men wearing the kippah. (skullcap.) Here's a conundrum, when dining outside, say on the cafe's patio, should a man still remove his hat?
> View attachment 151495


_Not only his hat, but also his jacket and tie_


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## timoc

I always forget to take a bag, so I have to use my hat when I go collecting mushrooms.


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## horseless carriage

Dana said:


> _Not only his hat, but also his jacket and tie_


Remove my jacket and tie? What! You will be suggesting that hats should be worn back to front next. It's the end of civilisation I tell you.


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## Dana

horseless carriage said:


> Remove my jacket and tie? What! You will be suggesting that hats should be worn back to front next. It's the end of civilisation I tell you.


_...in addition, lose the socks and shoes, run along the beach and feel the sand between your toes, run down to the water's edge and dip your feet in the water_


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## Lara

horseless carriage said:


> Here's a conundrum, when dining outside, say on the cafe's patio, should a man still remove his hat?
> View attachment 151495


Absolutely leave your hat on, if you want, at an outdoor cafe for sun protection but the sea breeze may remove it for you! I love the pic of you and your wife looking so stylish.


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## JimBob1952

Randy Newman had the last word on the subject....


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## Buckeye

JimBob1952 said:


> Randy Newman had the last word on the subject....


Joe Cocker did it better.

But that great song is about a lady in a private situation, not a fella in a restaurant or other indoor establishment.


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## JimBob1952

Buckeye said:


> Joe Cocker did it better


 
That's often true about the songs Randy Newman writes.


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## terry123

Buckeye said:


> All gentlemen remove their hats indoors.  If you don't, you're not a gentleman.


Very true!


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## mike4lorie

My ballcap always comes off at the door, and if I forget now and then, it ALWAYS comes off at the dinner table...


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## Jondalar7

Old cowboy here, always take my hat off when entering a room. Courtesy growing up and demanded in the military. I wear baseball caps now and I do not take it off when I go into Home Depot or walmart but still a courtesy everywhere else. It gets me just a little to see the young men wear theirs eating at a restaurant.


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## 911

When in uniform, we never removed our hat when indoors. However, we seldom have reason to wear our hats. Anytime that I wore mine, the chin strap went under the bottom lip.


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## Brookswood

There's nothing like a well chosen hat to accent a good look.

That said, when in informal settings, I may keep my hat on if it is a smaller hat. I would never wear a big cowboy sized hat at dinner or in a formal setting.  However, if the dessert is really good, I might try to hide an extra serving in the big hat.   But, than can get messy if one forgets.

  One problem might be that many places don't have a place for a man to hang his hat.


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## SetWave

Yep. Hats off to you.


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## Glowworm

Sadly many forms of simple etiquette seem to have flown out the window.


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## Aunt Marg

horseless carriage said:


> For hat etiquette, you only have to watch an episode of the British detective program, set in WW2, called Foyle's War.
> Hats removed indoors, hats doffed to a lady, hats removed if a hearse with a coffin should pass by. In Christian churches hats are always removed, other faiths do it their way, it's customary for men to cover their head in a synagogue. That's why you see men wearing the kippah. (skullcap.) Here's a conundrum, when dining outside, say on the cafe's patio, should a man still remove his hat?
> View attachment 151495


I'm with Lara, leave your hat on. 

Those wearing hats would be the first I'd gravitate towards, because you know how I feel about hats... so classy.


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## horseless carriage

Aunt Marg said:


> I'm with Lara, leave your hat on.


My hair, what's left of it, hasn't seen a barber in twelve weeks, so I am going to take your advice Marg. The hat is staying on.


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## Aunt Marg

horseless carriage said:


> My hair, what's left of it, hasn't seen a barber in twelve weeks, so I am going to take your advice Marg. The hat is staying on.
> View attachment 154866


You look dashing, Horseless (as always)! 

So lovely to see you with a clean, freshly shaved face. Nothing is more sexy and manly to me.


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## fmdog44

"Indoors"? Why remove my hat?


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## Fyrefox

I usually only wear a hat when I'm engaged in mortal combat with snow removal, so this isn't much of an issue to me.  Teachers are still pretty insistent on getting elementary kids to remove their ball caps upon entering a building, and good for them!  Some hats are "statement" hats, and here is the bible on the subject.  It's usually best not to ask a Viking to remove his hat, lest he remove your head...


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## Glowworm

Fyrefox said:


> I usually only wear a hat when I'm engaged in mortal combat with snow removal, so this isn't much of an issue to me.  Teachers are still pretty insistent on getting elementary kids to remove their ball caps upon entering a building, and good for them!  Some hats are "statement" hats, and here is the bible on the subject.  It's usually best not to ask a Viking to remove his hat, lest he remove your head...
> 
> View attachment 154961


Interesting about the vikings. The popular picture of a viking with a winged or horned helmet is actually just a myth. The vikings wore helmets but there are no archeological finds or evidence that support the horn and wings theory. Towards the end of the nineteenth century horned and winged helmets started to appear in paintings depicting the viking period. Popularity spread when Carl Doepler designed the costumes for Wagner's opera Niebelungen. He studied paintings and drawings for inspiration and incorporated them in his costumes and the rest as they say is history - or is it?


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## horseless carriage

Aunt Marg said:


> So lovely to see you with a clean, freshly shaved face. Nothing is more sexy and manly to me.


Would you believe, I wore a beard for the best part of forty years, trimmed and tidy mind. In my early twenties, whilst attending an insurance medical with my doctor, I asked her if the mole on my face could be removed. She hinted that removal can cause hormone problems, adding a suggestion to grow a beard, so I did. However when I reached an age where the beard resembled Santa, I chose the mole and shaved the beard. Vain or what?


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## Happy Joe

Here in Colorado/the west, about the only time that I wear a hat is for sun protection while camping... Yes, I do remove it when indoors... even in a vehicle (its just easier).
I believe the custom of tipping ones hat to a lady has largely disappeared though.

For snow removal/winter cold protection, I wear a wool stocking cap while outdoors, only.
When younger I found that a beard offered quite a bit of cold protection for my lower face... in recent times I usually do not shave until after the snow is removed (seems to help, a little).

Enjoy!


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## Aunt Marg

horseless carriage said:


> Would you believe, I wore a beard for the best part of forty years, trimmed and tidy mind. In my early twenties, whilst attending an insurance medical with my doctor, I asked her if the mole on my face could be removed. She hinted that removal can cause hormone problems, adding a suggestion to grow a beard, so I did. However when I reached an age where the beard resembled Santa, I chose the mole and shaved the beard. Vain or what?


You look way more classy and dapper clean-shaven.


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## horseless carriage

Aunt Marg said:


> You look way more classy and dapper clean-shaven.


What a flatterer! How's the nicotine abstinence going? Here is my hirsute chin, what do you reckon, more hair than little Rosie?


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## Aunt Marg

horseless carriage said:


> What a flatterer! How's the nicotine abstinence going? Here is my hirsute chin, what do you reckon, more hair than little Rosie?
> View attachment 156128


A wonderful picture of you, Horseless.

I'm partial to the clean shaven look, but you definitely looked handsome with a beard, but not half as handsome compared to now.

There's just something about a man dressed up formally who takes the time to shave and take care of his skin that exudes a sense of cleanliness, freshness. In my eyes it's a more finished look... more polished and standout.

Nicotine abstinence is still on track, but, boy, have I had my moments. I'm 3 weeks into this now and am happy to say that today is one of my better days.


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## horseless carriage

Stick with it Marg, you may not know it but you are quitting a lot more than tobacco. The big tobacco corporations don't want anyone to quit, so they spray the tobacco prior to it being used in cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco. That spray contains as many as twenty addictive chemicals. No wonder it's tough giving up. When you can finally say that you have cracked it because you have lost the craving I will take my hat off to you, but until then. 

You see these grey baggy trousers, when they were cut out from the paper pattern, my wife realised that there might just be enough fabric to make a matching waistcoat/vest. What a lovely job she made of it too.


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## Aunt Marg

horseless carriage said:


> Stick with it Marg, you may not know it but you are quitting a lot more than tobacco. The big tobacco corporations don't want anyone to quit, so they spray the tobacco prior to it being used in cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco. That spray contains as many as twenty addictive chemicals. No wonder it's tough giving up. When you can finally say that you have cracked it because you have lost the craving I will take my hat off to you, but until then.
> 
> You see these grey baggy trousers, when they were cut out from the paper pattern, my wife realised that there might just be enough fabric to make a matching waistcoat/vest. What a lovely job she made of it too.
> View attachment 156269View attachment 156270


Awww... thank you so kindly for your thoughtful and supportive words, Horseless. You just made my day!

I'm going to try so hard.

Posh to the max! Your wife really knows her stuff, and you wear everything so very well.

There's something debonair about a man that wears dress shoes in shades of rich sable brown, tobacco, brownish/burgundy, or light tan/brown. It's the difference between a man looking ordinary and blending in with the crowd when wearing black dress shoes, or being a standout specimen... eye-candy for women, and the envy of other men when he branches out and wears something different.

The walking cane is the finishing touch for a most perfect ensemble.

I always check out peoples shoes.


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## timoc

I'm gonna stop lifting my hat to ladies, stop winking, stop smiling, stop opening doors for them, stop offering them one of my Smarties, stop walking in the road allowing them the safety of the pavement (sidewalk), stop allowing them to have my taxi while I walk home getting soaked by the rain, phew....what a relief, I just woke up from a dream where it was considered ****** harrassment to do the above for ladies.


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## horseless carriage

timoc said:


> I'm gonna stop lifting my hat to ladies, stop winking, stop smiling, stop opening doors for them, stop offering them one of my Smarties, stop walking in the road allowing them the safety of the pavement (sidewalk), stop allowing them to have my taxi while I walk home getting soaked by the rain, phew....what a relief, I just woke up from a dream where it was considered ****** harassment to do the above for ladies.


When I saw a lady, laden with baggage, struggling to open a door, I stepped forward and opened it for her. "Allow me!" I said "Just because I'm female I'm not useless," she retorted. "when I was a small boy," I replied, adding, "my mother told me that many people would enter my life and go again just as quickly, I would have but a fraction of a second to make an impact." 

The woman stared at me for what seemed like minutes, but was probably no longer than ten seconds. Finally she said: "Wise woman, your mother," and with that she was gone. I had to smile though, my mother died young, somebody else that I know had lost their mother young. She had comforted me and told my that my mother would be with me always and then she told to simply speak to her. Ordinarily I would have clammed up after that verbal onslaught but I guess my mother wasn't having her son spoken to like that without retaliation. As I smiled my thoughts were: "Thanks Mum."


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## Mr. Ed

I do not remove my hat, I Curtsy


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## Ruthanne

When I was growing up I always heard that men should remove their hats indoors so it has stuck with me.  I always considered a hat as outerwear so really can't see why they would be worn indoors.  People do as they please now, though.


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## horseless carriage

The hat etiquette that I grew up with: 
During the national anthem, you should take your hat off. If you fail to do this, be prepared for a dirty look or a sharp word from someone standing nearby who has more sense and more respect for their country.
When you enter any establishment, especially a restaurant, you should immediately remove your hat. You should leave it off until you exit the establishment. This applies to churches, residences, and courthouses as well. When you approach the receptionist or security guard at an office or hotel, remove your hat.

When you say hello to someone on the street, if they are a woman, you may want to tip your hat to them or simply touch the brim as you say hello. If you stop to talk with a woman on the street, remove your hat for the duration of the conversation. When you are sitting at a restaurant table, do not put your hat on the table. Put it in a chair, on your knee, or ask the server if there’s a place it can be kept during your meal.

We live in a much more casual world than decades past, and just as the style has relaxed over the years, so have the rules around proper hat etiquette. Old fashioned it might be, but just as other rules of etiquette still apply, like not interrupting the speaker, or not calling someone by their first name until you know them well enough, so too does hat etiquette, at least it does in my book.


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## Brookswood

The right hat makes one look good anywhere.


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## SetWave

I was raised in a very strict military household to be an officer and a gentleman. Some of it stuck . . . so, the hat comes off indoors.


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## Jules

This is something I didn’t know.  


horseless carriage said:


> When you are sitting at a restaurant table, do not put your hat on the table. Put it in a chair, on your knee, or ask the server if there’s a place it can be kept during your meal.


While watching a tv show, the man took his hat off and put it on the floor before the meeting.  He was probably trained to do this as a kid.  Other gents on the show haven’t been as gentlemanly.


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## fmdog44

The hat stays on everywhere.


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## Linda

I haven't read all the responses here and I don't want to offend anyone but I think it's way off base to make a big deal about someone wearing a hat indoors.  It doesn't matter at our house as my husband has a beautiful set of white hair and only wears a hat out in the sun.  

The wearing of a hat indoors does not measure what sort of a man you are.  Not in my book.


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## oldiebutgoody

Here in Minnesota men don't always remove their baseball caps when indoors.  But more often than not, everyone removes their shoes when entering someone's home.  With the bad weather that we have your shoes and boots often carry loads of mud and/or snow and you don't want to  mess up another person's home.


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## horseless carriage

Brookswood said:


> The right hat makes one look good anywhere.




So glad you said that. The hat is bespoke, made for me by a lady in Belgium.
The bow tie my wife made from an oddment left over from a shirt. I love it.


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## Dana

horseless carriage said:


> View attachment 158568
> 
> So glad you said that. The hat is bespoke, made for me by a lady in Belgium.
> The bow tie my wife made from an oddment left over from a shirt. I love it.


_Not thinking of wearing that at Ascot any time...are you!_


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## horseless carriage

Don't worry, I am so upstaged at Ascot nobody even notices me.


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## timoc

Before the pandemic, a woman I know was wearing a huge, floppy, bright canary yellow hat with feathers. 
I told her that her hat was unique and worthy of Ascot and that I liked it.
She told me that there were three that she liked at the store, but settled on this one because she didn't want to be conspicuous.


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## Dana

horseless carriage said:


> View attachment 158608View attachment 158609
> Don'y worry, I am so upstaged at Ascot nobody even notices me.


Always a few idiots around!


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## horseless carriage

A singer of recent times whose jazzy style of swing is much appreciated by my wife & I, a lady name of: Car Emerald. Got to love her hat(s)


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## horseless carriage

Dana said:


> Always a few idiots around!


I prefer, colourful eccentrics.


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## Dana

horseless carriage said:


> View attachment 158611
> A singer of recent times whose jazzy style of swing is much appreciated by my wife & I, a lady name of: Car Emerald. Got to love her hat(s)



_That's my hat!!! I wore one almost identical to the Melbourne Cup year before last!_


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## horseless carriage

Dana said:


> _That's my hat!!! I wore one almost identical to the Melbourne Cup year before last!_


Photos, photos!


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## Dana

horseless carriage said:


> I prefer, colourful eccentrics.



There is a time and place for everything...we have a fancy dress party each year at our house with a different theme. I love it. During the year we have musical evenings and people are encouraged to dress up in any period costume, or just a hat...


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## Dana

horseless carriage said:


> Photos, photos!


_Sorry, horseless, there is no way I want my pictures on social media, however, if you look through the social pages in Oz, you may catch more than a glimpse of moi_


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