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Fanuel Kangondo Deputy Lifestyle Editor
What is the significance of wearing a hat and what dignity does it bring to one wearing it? And what behaviour is expected of the wearer, is he of good intentions and worthy of belief and trust?

Contrary to misconception, not every rich man is a gentleman; to be a gentleman is a result of cultivated lifestyle choice than merely being born male and having a few dollars to splash around. Over and above of being born a male human species, gentlemen go the extra mile in deportment; their demeanour says they know all the rules.

But to misquote Shakespeare, the clothes do go a long way in making a personality. Which is not to say that high prices endow special qualities, in fact in some cases the opposite is true as they simply pinpoint the wearer as a crass noveau rich braggart.

Apparel that is the hallmark of a gentleman is not a suit or jacket and tie with matching trousers as commonly presumed, but a hat.
According to social commentator Cyprian Ndawana, a hat is a symbol of gentility and wearing a hat at formal social functions distinguishes one from the generality of men.

“There is a distinct genteel aura one carries around them by putting on a hat. Hats depict a caring and compassionate person, one who does not mean harm or gain unfair advantage over others. Arriving at a meeting wearing a hat conveys the impression of well-meaning to others on the panel. Hats have a disarming effect; tensions associated with meetings, especially ones with marked differences, somehow relent upon the arrival of an attendee with a hat,” he said.

Like sunglasses, hats are not to be worn inside buildings; they are to be taken off upon the first step on the foyer. However, the gentle manner in which it is held once removed from the head also portrays a warm and caring attitude.

Convention requires that a gentleman takes his hat off when greeting a lady he knows, or tilts it with the left hand when he does not know her. Taking off or tilting hats is a profound expression of honour towards the fairer sex, says Ndawana. It perfectly complements the tradition of opening doors for them.

“A hat is as tender as a bridal kiss; it is worn or held with the tenderness with which a bride’s hand is held. It is an indication of bliss and the building of mutually beneficial relationship. Slain human rights leader Martin Luther King Junior always wore hats to show that his campaign was motivated by love and not enmity.

“Hats add dignity to the wearer, hence in Zimbabwe; sons-in-law are expected to buy a hat for their fathers-in-law as part of the bride price. The hat signifies the social reverence one attains not necessarily by age or caste, but by having one’s daughter married,” said Ndawana.

Hats are not about fashion, by heritage. In schools, for instance, boys are drilled upon to take off hats as a sign of reverence when greeting elders. Of late, Zimbabwean men seem to be missing out on the gentlemanly finesse by not inculcating the tradition of wearing hats.

Some adages came into being to show the long held social significance of hats such as:

• I take my hat off to him – profound respect

• I tilt my hat – profound admiration and

• I eat my hat – profound submission of defeat or wrong doing.

African leaders such as President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan are well known for officially wearing their trademark cowboy hats which have very often courted controversy wherever they go.  At one stage the Nigerian leader defended this saying: “I was very weak, but once I discovered the secrets of hats, I was able to transform myself into a bold and confident person. And now you can see the bold steps I have been taking to transform Nigeria.”

President Jonathan has taken this love for hats a step further as he is known for hosting “hat catwalks” in his courtyard and does not only describe in great detail various headwear, from the bear hat worn by Russians in Siberia to the Mexican Sombrero, but their history too!

Early this year, American President Barack Obama opted not to try on the Naval Academy football helmet presented to him during a ceremony at the White House. He said: “Here’s the general rule: You don’t put stuff on your head when you’re president,” he said to laughter. “So, that’s politics 101. You never look good when you are wearing something on your head.” That is the Obama perspective and others will obviously see it differently.

Locally some of the politicians that have taken to wearing hats include former Finance Minister Tendai Biti as well as Hospitality and Tourism Industry Minister Walter Mzembi and some other Cabinet ministers who occasionally drop in the odd hat or cap especially at weekends or informal occasions.

It has also become a fashion trend to see both men and women wearing fedora hats in both formal and informal settings but very few have regard to the much expected hat etiquette particularly among the youths.  The hats including baseball caps are worn indoors and less is done to show respect to others.

It seems that in most public places and restaurants there is no provision for a coat-and-hat rack which would help when people remove their hats and some just do not bother to take them off at all.  It is expected that one removes his hat when the national anthem is being played or when a funeral procession is passing as a sign of respect.

In Christian circles there are also some rules governing the wearing of hats that are generally removed when one enters a place of worship.  Jewish men for example wear a yarmulke, or skull cap, as a sign of humility before God. Some Jewish men wear the yarmulke all the time except for swimming or bathing at least.

In a court of law wearing a hat is not allowed and has often been regarded as contempt of court.  Although there is no written law governing the wearing of hats, it is generally accepted that people use self restraint and respect especially in public places in a manner that is not offensive to others.

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