Headwear etiquette in Amsterdam

[Marco]

Hey metal, I really like you and you posts, so don't take this the wrong way, but its pretty much cultural. Wearing hats inside in Europe is rude and considered rude by most people you will encounter. Even if you do not get asked to take it off, they will often judge you. It used to be this way in the US.

Personally, I like to try and blend in when visiting and/or living year which mean hat comes off when I enter any establishment and in general I really avoid wearing caps.

Good luck with any decision you make, and again, I hope you take this comment with the positive point it was trying to make. Peace

PS: Relative to other countries, NL is pretty tolerant of caps. But wearing one brands you immediately as uber-tourist, unless you are a young person of color from the Biljmer.

[metal4mullets]

Hey metal, I really like you and you posts, so don't take this the wrong way, but its pretty much cultural. Wearing hats inside in Europe is rude and considered rude by most people you will encounter. Even if you do not get asked to take it off, they will often judge you. It used to be this way in the US.

Personally, I like to try and blend in when visiting and/or living year which mean hat comes off when I enter any establishment and in general I really avoid wearing caps.

Good luck with any decision you make, and again, I hope you take this comment with the positive point it was trying to make. Peace

PS: Relative to other countries, NL is pretty tolerant of caps. But wearing one brands you immediately as uber-tourist, unless you are a young person of color from the Biljmer.

Really? I honestly didn't even think about it that way as we saw MANY people wearing baseball caps. It was definitely the busy tourist season, though.

Do you live in Amsterdam? If what you say is true, and it automatically brands you as a tourist, I'll certainly skip wearing it on our next trip.

Let me ask you this; which is more acceptable, wearing a baseball cap or a shaved head? I usually keep my hair shorter than 1/2-1cm. If I walk in to a shop with a shaved head are they going to be just as judgemental?

No worries on your post...I didn't take any offense at all. I'm fairly young (and look even younger) so I rarely consider things like etiquette, unfortunately. It makes me feel a bit sick/regretful that I wore my hat everywhere

[colinzeal]

I dont think you should worry too much about having worn your hat everywhere buddy. It is true that generally speaking in europe it is proper etiquette to remove your hat indoors but it is not always going to be an issue. It depends where you are really, I doubt it would be considered rude for example at a concert venue but it is certainly not the done thing in a restaurant.

Is it not true that in America it is at times thought to be rude to wear a hat indoors? I recall an episode of The Sopranos where Tony takes major offence to someone wearing a baseball in a fancy restaurant. I know this is only television but it is surely a piece of social commentary about changing attitudes and peoples' idea of politeness?

I would say a shaved head (a 1 or 0.5 cut) is fairly common and nothing to be worried about. The skinhead look (i.e. a zero cut) still has its prejudices attached I am sure however

[Marco]

Yes I live here and I lived in Austria, France and Luxembourg, although I am American.

Shaved heads are fine, in fact its really fashionable in France to have a shaved head. And when the spirit moves me I get my hair super short.

Baseball caps are becoming more and more accepted across Europe since I first living here in the early 80s. That being said, some of it is related to the hip hop scene, or the attempt to pretend they are part of the hip hop scene.

I am also 40 and maybe behind the times (but I like to wear caps) but it is an American trait to wear caps 24/7.

You do see a lot of caps in Amsterdam, but I am giving you my opinion. Regardless, taking it off when you are inside, which I think is polite no matter where you are, but especially in Europe.

Have a great trip and remember, opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, and this is mine. Have a great trip.

[metal4mullets]

There are certainly places here in the States where it would be considered impolite to wear a hat...but I rarely frequent such places. I suppose I'm one of the rude people that wear my hat everywhere I go and all the time. The only place in recent memory I can remember wanting to take it off was in a church.

It's possible that it's the anti-establishment gene I carry that makes me think, "Hey, I'm wearing a hat; it's part of my attire and not a representation of who I am. Get over it.", but that really only applies to my attitude whilst in this country. In another country and culture I'd want to shed that attitude as I have more respect for them than I do my own part of society. Although, I still find it a bit sad and old-fashioned that people still judge you based on your wearing a hat. It's a piece of clothing that's no different that wearing a glove, or a shoe...it's just on your head. But I digress as this is a totally seperate issue.

Basically, on our next trip I'll most certainly ditch the hat and try my best to blend in. And I still feel bad about wearing it during our last stay *sigh*.

[colinzeal]

i believe the issue is about being able to see the eyes, which is a very important part of human communication, hence why it is considered rude.

i'd personally connect the wearing a hat indoors thing with surly rebelous teenagers, but thats just me

[metal4mullets]

i believe the issue is about being able to see the eyes, which is a very important part of human communication, hence why it is considered rude.

i'd personally connect the wearing a hat indoors thing with surly rebelous teenagers, but thats just me

Hmm...well, I never wear my hat low enough to cover my eyes. That makes me feel slightly better. And I'm always extremely polite and pretty cheerful...so maybe that helped as well.


Oh, and I suppose I still have a bit of that "surly rebelious teenager" attitude...just haven't quite grown up yet *sigh*

[StonedSince67]

Although, I still find it a bit sad and old-fashioned that people still judge you based on your wearing a hat.

when i was growing up in the 50s my dad and all the other commuters heading into chicago on the train wore proper men's hats as it was considered part of the dress code, in fact a hat was so important to my dad who worked in the financial industry that any new car had to have a roof high enough for him to be able to wear his hat in the car while driving

the people who wore baseball caps were baseball players, and only catchers wore them back-to-front

in the 60s all the commuters were leaving their hats at home and baseball caps began to be worn by everybody, the farmers had their own set of caps depending upon whom they bought their seeds from

my how times have changed

[metal4mullets]

when i was growing up in the 50s my dad and all the other commuters heading into chicago on the train wore proper men's hats as it was considered part of the dress code, in fact a hat was so important to my dad who worked in the financial industry that any new car had to have a roof high enough for him to be able to wear his hat in the car while driving

the people who wore baseball caps were baseball players, and only catchers wore them back-to-front

in the 60s all the commuters were leaving their hats at home and baseball caps began to be worn by everybody, the farmers had their own set of caps depending upon whom they bought their seeds from

my how times have changed

Hmm...maybe I should get myself a proper men's hat

I'm from the Midwest and know firsthand of farmer's headgear. Basically, where I grew up almost every male wore a hat be it a baseball cap, cowboy, wide-brim, etc. It's part of my upbringing I suppose.

[stardust999]

I think wearing hats can be a cultural, age and a gender thing, I have never been asked to take mine off (big fluffy thing) but my male friend generally has!!! In the UK i would say ppl of my parents generation think hats should never be worn indoors where as my younger brother doesn't see the problem.

To save problems and show respect i would take it off when you enter, as nothing like being shouted at to ruin the start of a good smoke!!!!

[Kacey420]

To save problems and show respect i would take it off when you enter, as nothing like being shouted at to ruin the start of a good smoke!!!!

Seriously. In 98 on my first visit, i was 19 and we visited Dampkring. The budtender kindly asked me to remove my hat. I apologized, and did. Then after smoking and being quite very high, I got up to get a drink and by nature put my hat back on. When he saw me, he wasn't so nice the second time. I was super embarrassed and bugged out a bit. Never again did i make that mistake.

[mark the martian]

I live in A'dam, and for me wearing a hat inside when you've come into a place and plan on staying a while is like wearing sunglasses inside, or sitting down with a backpack on inside, or, I dunno, wearing a raincoat inside. It just looks like you can't wait to leave the place, or that you're trying to look cool in a lame way

So in the states it's totally cool to wear a hat inside in cafes and stuff? I mean, you can do it here just fine, it's not some big no no or anything, but I see groups of pimply teenagers doing it more than anyone else

I think anyone that asks you to take off your hat inside somewhere informal like a cafe of something, and especially if they're a person working in a touristy place, is also kind of committing a small faux pas I think. They're talking to you like they would talk to a Dutch person, except they're speaking in English and they're talking to an American. I think it shows an equal lack of consideration, except the Dutch person lives in Amsterdam, is in this situation everyday, and should know better.

[Dobern]

Does everyone reckon this applies to all types of hat?

I personally don't wear baseball caps (they make my ears look HUGE ) however I do wear a beanie or skull cap almost all the time, and never really consider taking it off wherever I am.

I don't think baseball caps themselves are a big deal, however baseball caps with hoods up and over are a big no no over here in the UK. In fact just a hood up is pretty bad also. Maybe something to do with the rise of the chavs?

[Kingdoc]

I've seen it mentioned a few times here and there but I wanted to ask to make sure. What is the proper etiquette for wearing hats in Amsterdam? I wear a baseball cap pretty much 24/7. Am I expected to remove it upon entering coffeeshops, restaurants, museums, etc.?

Around here, you can wear a hat any where and at any time without anyone even noticing. Honestly, it doesn't bother me at all to remove it. I just wanted to hear from people that live in the 'dam, and have made multiple visits, as to what is expected of me whilst wearing it.

Its better to take it off when going inside,Ive seen tons of guys getting moaned @ over the last few trips,Cigarette packets on the table is another pet hate they have also,The dutchies are alright but you have to know how to handle them! some days you cant get away from them & other days they dont say very much,I just take them how i find them now .

[geoffk]

The dutchies are alright but you have to know how to handle them! some days you cant get away from them

Why would you want to get away from them in their own town?