Is anyone here familiar with Red Hat Society?

[Pen]

If so, can you tell me about it?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm only familiar in that I know that it is for older women.  I have seen them at local tea shops etc. in their red hats.  

[PrincessMommy]

That's about all I know about them too.  

[Lady Florida.]

Like others I just know basically what it is. I think there's one in my city but I'm not positive. 

I also know that the name came from a poem about wearing a red hat and purple something (dress?). It was basically an "I'm going to do whatever the hell I want when I'm old" poem. The Red Hat Society is supposedly a group of women who do what they want but afaik they mostly just wear purple with red hats and go out for lunch.

Okay, I looked up the poem. Here it is.

[Lady Florida.]

Aw, I just read that she died at the beginning of this year. It seems she wrote the poem at age 29. 

 

Edited September 10, 2018 by Lady Florida.

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said:

 

Aw, I just read that she died at the beginning of this year. It seems she wrote the poem at age 29. 

 

 

I love her reading of her own poem! Thank you for posting that!

[Pen]

I’m old enough to join as a red hatter—should I give it a try?

[Lori D.]

46 minutes ago, Pen said:

I’m old enough to join as a red hatter—should I give it a try?

According to this Wikipedia article, it looks like it is open to women of all ages now. (Originally for those over 50.) It looks like it is a socializing and friendship club for encouraging women. I've seen red hat "events" of half a dozen to a dozen ladies going out for lunch or dinner here in town.

If that would be fun for you, sure, why not. (:D

Edited September 10, 2018 by Lori D.

[Pen]

I don’t know, but I lost one close friend to cancer, and 2 moved away.  The moved away ones and I still talk on the phone (as is true too with some yet older friends where I am the one who moved), but  it isn’t the same. So I am looking for places to meet more people who might become close not too far away friends. 

[mumto2]

Hugs......My mom belonged to three different red hat groups which all had their own personalities.  One group met for lunch in different local locations, fun lunches with extra to do like touring an iris bulb farm.  These ladies were for the most part no longer working but really sweet, they took turns calling my mom even after she couldn’t be active in it anymore.  Another group had many members working and was huge, like 100 with some overlap from other groups.  They met monthly at the same place, Elk’s Club, and had a buffet dinner with door prizes etc.  The third group was a tight knit little group that splintered off of another and died out with the members I think,  they did an assortment of things including some trips that were fun.   Met at houses, had beach party’s, quite creative.  

I think the best thing about the groups were the women all seemed to acknowledge the need to find friends and joining was the first move.  Because everyone joined for the same purpose everyone seemed to make an effort and be friendly.  My mom got to know women who she had known of for years because of the relatively small area.  I wouldn’t hesitate to join a group, just wish I had one to join!

Btw, before a certain age the woman wear lavender and pink I believe.

[Pen]

7 minutes ago, mumto2 said:

Hugs......My mom belonged to three different red hat groups which all had their own personalities.  One group met for lunch in different local locations, fun lunches with extra to do like touring an iris bulb farm.  These ladies were for the most part no longer working but really sweet, they took turns calling my mom even after she couldn’t be active in it anymore.  Another group had many members working and was huge, like 100 with some overlap from other groups.  They met monthly at the same place, Elk’s Club, and had a buffet dinner with door prizes etc.  The third group was a tight knit little group that splintered off of another and died out with the members I think,  they did an assortment of things including some trips that were fun.   Met at houses, had beach party’s, quite creative.  

I think the best thing about the groups were the women all seemed to acknowledge the need to find friends and joining was the first move.  Because everyone joined for the same purpose everyone seemed to make an effort and be friendly.  My mom got to know women who she had known of for years because of the relatively small area.  I wouldn’t hesitate to join a group, just wish I had one to join!

Btw, before a certain age the woman wear lavender and pink I believe.

 

Thank you!  This helps a lot!

 I am at the red hat stage, and I guess part of the group’s message would be to embrace that!

[Guest]

Do it! I totally would. 

[jewellsmommy]

A lady at our church is a red hatter. Her group gets together every week for brunch and cards.

[mumto2]

Pen,   Don’t spend too much time or money worrying about proper attire before the first meeting.  If you own something that vaguely works go for it.  My mom’s groups had fashion shows and sales where members sold stuff they made,  cute hats were what my mom bought at these.  They were really sympathetic to new members wardrobes didn’t contain much purple so don’t feel it’s a fashion show.

[Pen]

4 hours ago, mumto2 said:

Pen,   Don’t spend too much time or money worrying about proper attire before the first meeting.  If you own something that vaguely works go for it.  My mom’s groups had fashion shows and sales where members sold stuff they made,  cute hats were what my mom bought at these.  They were really sympathetic to new members wardrobes didn’t contain much purple so don’t feel it’s a fashion show.

 

Thank! I had found myself on Amazon seeing what they had in red hats!

 

I have no red hat. However, I do have purple gardening overalls, and a violet t-shirt. ?.  

Maybe no hat would help mark me as a newcomer and be a help. 

[mumto2]

56 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

Thank! I had found myself on Amazon seeing what they had in red hats!

 

I have no red hat. However, I do have purple gardening overalls, and a violet t-shirt. ?.  

Maybe no hat would help mark me as a newcomer and be a help. 

Sounds great,  definitely a step up from the purple sweats my mom wore to casual affairs!  The hats were a pretty big mix, from straw to winter beanie type. My mom’s collection improved vastly with time.  If there is something red in the baseball cap line in a kid bedroom I would borrow it for the meeting but otherwise no worries.  Saying that because I think ds has one. ?  I don’t think one of her real life friends that she joined with ever bought a hat but carried one of my mom’s to meetings.  Drove my mom nuts but........

[Pen]

1 hour ago, mumto2 said:

Sounds great,  definitely a step up from the purple sweats my mom wore to casual affairs!  The hats were a pretty big mix, from straw to winter beanie type. My mom’s collection improved vastly with time.  If there is something red in the baseball cap line in a kid bedroom I would borrow it for the meeting but otherwise no worries.  Saying that because I think ds has one. ?  I don’t think one of her real life friends that she joined with ever bought a hat but carried one of my mom’s to meetings.  Drove my mom nuts but........

 

Red is my favorite color in winter so I am surprised that I don’t have any red hat, since I have had nearly everything else from jeans to jacket in red.  And my son has a baseball hat collection, but not one is red.