Good Breeding/Disturbing Trend Double Feature: Bad Behattitude
Although the Bootstrap Gentleman’s feelings on baseball caps are no secret, regardless of the chapeau, if you choose to outfit your head, do so with manners. At the theatre Saturday evening I was all set to enjoy a solid three hours of deeply depressing Arthur Miller dialogue when I came face to brim with the shameful scene above. Only gentlemanly composure saved that ridiculous hat from being flipped down into the cheap seats.
Wearing a hat in public carries with it certain rules of conduct. You should, for example, always remove or respectfully tip your hat when greeting a lady. Hats should also be taken off in elevators. (In an episode of Mad Men, Don Draper took it upon himself to remove the hat of an insolent ruffian in a moving elevator-need I say more?) Also, the type of hat should be dictated by the occasion and worn as it was designed to be worn, never backwards or more than 20 degrees askance. The theatre is no longer a top hat event (because society has degenerated to one step above apedom) but it is certainly not yet a baseball cap venue.
In addition, and perhaps most importantly, hats should never be worn anywhere indoors unless you are entering, leaving or required by religious edict to do so. To be behatted inside a public space is considered to be most rude by anyone who matters and a clear sign of poor breeding.
To supplement the cap it looks like this man got dressed in an equipment room for his big cultural night out.
Get the hook.
Bootstrap
