DEAR ABBY: At a black-tie-optional wedding, is it appropriate for a man to come wearing a cowboy hat and keep it on at the dinner table? -- CURIOUS IN PALM DESERT
DEAR CURIOUS: Hat etiquette decrees that it should be removed when a man is indoors. And according to The Campfire Chronicle (at stargazermercantile.com), "If you're in a restaurant that serves anything that isn't coated in barbecue sauce, it's probably best to lose the hat."