Another Victorian Female Fad

“Good Morning, Sir,” she said

They Tip Their Hats!

What the Girls Are Now Doing–A San Francisco Invention That Has Caught on in New York and Chicago

It is the fashion in the East now for girls to tip their hats by way of salutation!

The New York damsels were the first who had the courage to expose their precious bangs to the elements whenever they met a friend. Then the Chicago girls followed their example, and now the fashion has reached San Francisco.

Etiquette has not yet asked ladies to tip those dainty little creations, all lace and feathers, nor yet the towering flower gardens that are the bane of our theaters. The hat that girls tip is a special headgear, warranted to be put on and taken off easily, and to stand hard wear and tear. It was patented by a San Francisco firm, so that for once we can claim the glory at having dictated fashion to the East. Untrimmed, the hat looks a sort of cross between a cook's cap dyed black and a man-of-wars-man's hat. It is only when examined conscientiously that its entire originality is discovered. 

Upon a circular band of straw, an inch and a half in depth, is posed a plate of fine chip straw about ten inches in diameter. The front of the band is pleasingly ornamented with a strong peak of glazed leather, which can be firmly grasped and used to raise the hat, without any injury to the entire construction. The hat has quite a rakish appearance when trimmed. This is usually done by encircling the band of straw with ribbon and velvet and gracefully tilting up one side of the brim, with flowers or a plume of feather. – San Francisco Call, 1893

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia 

1920’s Train and Travel Etiquette

  

Nancy and Peter Knew That Good Manners Mark the Well Bred Person

Nancy and Peter were returning from their short stay in Florida. On the train Nancy watched folks and decided that many of them were good travelers but that a few needed some lessons in train and travel etiquette. For instance, there was the woman who came into the dining car without a hat. It is true that the train was her home for the time being, but it was a home in the sense that a hotel is a home—just temporarily, and as such it becomes a place in which a person maintains certain formalities. Then there was the woman who traveled with much jewelry and wore it all. The train is no place to shine like the morning star, nor is it the place where one’s dressiest clothes are worn. No longer do women feel correctly dressed for traveling only when they are in blue serge, but the well bred woman is still inconscpicuous in her clothes when she travels.   

Another little habit of many travellers which annoyed Nancy was the conversational one. Invariably her seat was close beside two people who felt compelled to tell each other the life history of themselves, their families even unto the uttermost relationship. Confidences which should never be given to one’s dearest friend seem to fall from the lips of some travellers into the ears of veriest strangers. Nancy and Peter were courteous in their greetings to folks on the train, they gave a friendly greeting, passed the time of day and then stopped. Books, magazines, papers were always close at hand and were used to stop many attempts at wearisome and long drawn out conversations. – “Nancy Page” for the San Pedro Pilot, 1929

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia 

Etiquette for Ladies’ Hats

Should the ladies pouring at a formal tea wear hats? Common sense seems to be the basis of your etiquette, and in my humble judgment hats at this time do not sound sensible.

Good Taste Today ...

Shall I Wear a Hat With Afternoon Dress in the Evening? When Pouring Afternoon Tea?

Dear Mrs. Post: We seldom wear formal clothes in our simple community, which fact I contend is no reason why the ladies here may not go to evening parties wearing afternoon dresses and no hats. Don’t you agree with me? There are several new residents who have been turning up on such occasions with hats on. 

Answer: The general rule is if you wear an afternoon dress (meaning a dress not suitable for general wear on the street), in the evening, then you should go without a hat, but if you are wearing a street dress, then you should wear a hat But whether the hats you describe are bad form or not, depends entirely upon their type. In other words, if they are an indoor type of hat, they are quite as suitable to wear with afternoon dresses as to go without. In fact, they are decidedly a fashion of the moment.

Dear Mrs. Post: Should the ladies pouring at a formal tea wear hats? Common sense seems to be the basis of your etiquette, and in my humble judgment hats at this time do not sound sensible. 

Answer: This question is best decided by the arbitrary custom of each community. In New York, for example, a deputy hostess always wears a hat unless she is a house visitor, and even in this case she is likely as not to wear one. Neither dress or hat for a deputy hostess should be too tailored. – Emily Post, 1937

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia 

Women's Hat Etiquette

The Fair Hat —  Etiquette has not yet asked ladies to tip those dainty little creations, all lace and feathers, nor yet the towering flower gardens that are the bane of our theaters. The hat that girls tip is a special headgear, warranted to be put on and taken off easily, and to stand wear and tear. 

Ladies Now Tipping Hats

**************

It is the fashion now for girls to tip their hats by way of salutation. The New York damsels were the first who had the courage to expose their precious bangs to tbe elements whenever they met a friend, then the Chicago girls followed their example, but the fashion was started on the Pacific coast, and the hats that are worn to be tipped by ladies, are the invention of a San Francisco firm and Los Angeles milliners are now busy trimming them for the many purchasers.

Etiquette has not yet asked ladies to tip those dainty little creations, all lace and feathers, nor yet the towering flower gardens that are the bane of our theaters. The hat that girls tip is a special headgear, warranted to be put on and taken off easily, and to stand wear and tear. It was patented by a San Francisco firm, so that for once we can claim the glory of having dictated fashion to the effete east. Untrimmed, the hat looks a sort of cross between a cook's cap, dyed black  and a man-of-wars-man's hat. It is only when examined conscientiously that its entire originality is discovered. 

Upon a circular band of straw, an inch and a half in depth, is posed a plate of fine chip straw about 10 inches in diameter. The front of the band is pleasingly ornamented with a strong peak of glased leather, which can be firmly grasped and used to raise the hat, without any injury to the entire construction. The hat has quite a rakish appearance when trimmed. This is usually done by encircling the band of straw with ribbon and velvet and gracefully tilting up one side of the brim, with flowers or a plume of feathers. It is called “The Fair Hat,” and predominates at the World's Fair. 

The hats are in two styles, trimmed and plain, and are so arranged, that they may be doffed at will. As yet they are new in Los Angeles, but before many days days it is safe to predict they will be seen in great numbers along the public thoroughfares. It will now be the proper thing when a young lady meets a gentleman friend to return his “doff.” Several of the society girls are practicing in private that they may perform the feat in public with proper grace. — Los Angeles Herald, 1893

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia