FewAmericanstiptheirhatstoday,partlybecauseetiquettehasloosenedandpartlybecausetheydon’twearhats.Untilthe1950s,however,mencommonlytippedtheirhatstowomen,andremovedthementirelyindoorsandinelevators.(In1949,thefirstknownguidelinesforelevatoretiquettewereissued:menweretoldtoleavetheirhatsonbecausetoomanywomenwerecomplainingofknocksontheirheadswhenmensalutedincrowds.)Butinthe18thcenturyitwasnotconsideredbadmannerstoweartheirhatsindoors.Amanwouldtakeitofftogreetalady,butthenhewouldputitrightbackonhishead.Thereasonfordoingsoisperfectlyplain.Inthefirstplace,thehatservedasabadgeofrankthroughmostofthehistory,avisiblemarkofstatus.ThistraditionmayhaveitsrootsinRomantimes.InancientRome,aheadcoveringwasansymbolofsocialorpoliticalsuperiority.Inthesecondplace,onecouldnotdrawaswordeasilyifhewasholdingthehatinhishand.
Justascoveringtheheadsymbolizeddominance,souncoveringitsymbolizedsubmission.EversincetheearlyMiddleAges,toremoveone’shat-whetheritwasmadeofclothormetal-hassignifiedobedience.Theoriginalsenseofthecustomismirroredintheexpressions"withhatinhand"(whichmeans"showingexcessiverespect,andtooeagertoobeyandserve",)and"Itakemyhatofftohim"(whichmeans"Iexpressmyadmirationforhim.")
