Red Hat Society
 

Have any of you girls heard about the Red Hat Society?

The Red Hat Society is very prevalant in my area among elderly women, although women under 50 can also join (wearing a pink hat & lavender dress instead of the red hat & purple dress of the elder members).

Both my mother and (deceased) grandmother are/were members of the Red Hat Society, & now my sister & I are expected to join. I have nothing against the society but I really don't want to join, nor do I want to disappoint my mother (or my grandmother's memory). The pressure isn't just coming from my mother but my sister as well who is excited to join.
I've told both my mother & sister that I wouldn't want to join the society & not be an active member as it wouldn't be fair to whichever group I did join. (Presumably the same one as my sister, mother, & grandmother; as there are several groups in my area.)

Honestly, if I found extra time in my schedule I'd rather spend it being more active w/ Sigma Kappa, not a society that means nothing to me! Why won't she listen?

In my town, we also have the Red Hat Society. In my opinion, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Go ahead and join, afterall it'll make your mama happy :) (I'd use it as some major mama-daughter time!) You never know what you might miss out on by passing this chance up to become at least a little bit involved.

My mom was talking about this over the weekend. They have these groups all over where she is in Orange County, NY. She attends a club for retired people and "senior citizens" and they are looking to get a group like this started. I think this is one of those things that sounds wacky to us at our young ages but if we get older would probably be much "cooler" LOL. But groups like these are great for older people for socialization and to make friends, especially when many people they know begin to pass away.

My dad's wife is in it, in North Carolina. I think it sounds fun, once you reach the 50 year old age. This is the first I've heard that someone younger could join though. Perhaps that is a characteristic of their society only?

Dee

The Pink Hatters Society
 

My big sister, myself, and her neighboro have started a chapter of the Pink Hatters socitey. That is what the call ourselves until we reach 50. We have gotten together several times since our founding in Feb. and its a hoot to see all the look when we are dressed up in our regalia.

You can devote as much or as little time as you can!

My mom and some of her friends started a chapter. They were asking me a while ago if I could make a website for them. I don't really know what's the story behind them. But the ladies are already friends anyway that do everything together. I don't know why they need a title. :confused: Whatever makes them happy I suppose.

The local chapter is frequently in at the restaurant I work at for lunch meetings..they always look like they're having so much fun with each other! They never seem to have a particular agenda or anything to their meetings though..besides socializing :)

Anyone at any age is welcome to join, they only ask that if you are under 50, you wear the pink hat & lavender dress. I read about this on their web site because after my mom suggested joining I was also curious about any age restrictions.


I never thought of it as a way to spend more time w/ my mom. Maybe its her way of being more involved in our lives (my sister's life & mine) because we don't make her more involved in ours? Hmmm...quite a dilemma.

I was always confused about those ladies...

I work at an antique mall and always saw them as a gang of old people who get together and antique shop...

Later, I saw them at Old Chicago tipsy as hell and having a good time...

These ladies are alright.

My mother is a Red Hatter and I'll be joining/attempting to found a Pink Hatter chapter once I finally get a little settled. The whole idea is reminiscent of the old Southern ladies societies without the snootiness!

The Red Hat Society is so awesome. At a restaurant where I used to wait tables, I got a few Red Hat groups and they were always so nice and so funny. I think it ends up being a support network for aging women, though most Red Hats I know also accept not so aging women. It comes from that poem "When I am Old, I Shall Wear Purple". I can't remember who wrote it. It's definitely not some stuffy, old-biddies group.

A real RED hat society goes to the Grovepark Inn for Sunday brunch. At least so I read in the poem. My fiancee's grandmother is in one in Shelby, NC and once a year or month they go up dressed in red and purple and brunch.

TRUST ME any excuse to go to the Grovepark Inn should be taken. Its the best place on earth, even Lily Pulitzer mentioned it in her book.

It's by Jenny Joseph and it's called "Warning: When I am an Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple."

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple
with a red hat that doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
and satin candles, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired
and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
and run my stick along the public railings
and make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
and pick the flowers in other people's gardens
and learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
and eat three pounds of sausages at a go
or only bread and pickles for a week
and hoard pens and pencils and beer nuts and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
and pay our rent and not swear in the street
and set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.


I just wanted to say that my late Great Aunt, who was also my godmother, created a group called "GOSH" ("Girls Over Seventy, Honey") in Madison, Georgia. The women all got out and about on a regular basis and were each other's constant companions even as they lost loved ones.

I ADORE groups and organizations like these! They are so helpful and beautiful!!

I think of it as a soroity for older women....it kind of is....which is why I thought it was hilarious when my ex-boyfriend's mother ridiculed me for joining a soroity and then founded a Red Hat Chapter.

My boyfriend's mom is a member. She's showerd me pictures of their lunches and they all look so cute! :) She recently moved from the Los Angeles area to Carson City, NV and had an instant group of friends because of the red hats. :)

If anyone is really interested in knowing about this, their founder wrote a book recently, you can find it a barnes and noble. I almost picked it up, seemed like an interesting read.
red hats are all over my town, there are even several stores down town that cater to them, it's quite a sight to see a bunch of them out together, but from what I understand around here it's really hard to find a group that has space for more members, I don't think they have a membership critera but they do have a ceiling. The ladies seem to have alot of fun but, I couldn't see joining young I've never seen a younger woman in any of the groups around here.

I think the society is AWESOME, and I would love to join when I get old. :)

I think its a great idea for my mom & sister, but I want to stay active w/ Sigma Kappa Alum when I'm older. I don't want to be split by 2 groups...

I guess I'll have to look into what kind of time commitments there are. My sister isn't of a questionable age but I sure feel like I am, so maybe my mom will understand if I hold out for awhile. :)

I think this group sounds awesome. I had heard a bit about it, but never read the poem. The other day when I was in Hallmark I saw several things that were for Red Hat women including a small statue of an older woman dressed in a purple dress and red hat. I assume there are groups in Raleigh, but have never heard about them or seen them. I would love to join one of these groups when I get older or even join the Pink Hatter club before that.
And IheartAphi, I love the Grovepark Inn too! I didn't know Lilly wrote about it in her book. My roommate has the book, but I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet.

Maybe when you are older (over 50) it'll be more appealing? And maybe you can get some older Sigma Kappa alums involved in the Red Hat society. It might be a nice alternative--a group that you can just enjoy for the funness of it and not worry about all the business aspects or politics that often go along with alumnae associations.

I'd love to find a local Red Hat chapter that welcomes Pink Hats. I think it would be a blast!

A lot of chapters do, but some discourage younger women a little more than others. I think that my mom is pushing this so hard because they need members, pink or red hats.

*this is a colossal bump*

My mom is very active in the Red Hat Society and she loves it. I have encouraged her as I have seen it as a great sorority.

So today she calls me to ask questions about why she can't find Red Hat stickers etc anywhere and asked "are they licensing this". I did some quick online research and sure enough, they do. I can understand this as there is a need to protect Image, Brand etc.

A little more RESEARCH and now I am being bothered by what I am finding. RHS is NOT a non-for-profit organization. It was founded by two friends and it is a HUGE privately held corporation with one helluva marketing plan. They do NOT reveal their revenues and there is "national membership fees". There is no membership governance...and the worst part to me "the founder is the Queen Bee Mother". ::shiver::

Editted to add: I forgot to mention....they pay NO royalties to Jennifer Joseph the author of the poem that their "society is founded upon and Jennifer Joseph will not let them publish the poem in anyway. She detests the RHS and regrets her poem now.

I am not going to tell my mom about this because I think it would just frost her behind to no end to realize this.

I recently became acquainted with the "Blue Thong Society" for younger, hip women (who thing RHS is old fogey) until I realized VERY QUICKLY (before learning RHS is for-profit) that it was to the benefit of the three founders.

How do you all feel about such organizations? They start out fulfilling a altruistic need for comradery and socializing, but end up making their "founders" quite wealthy all in the guise of "social fun" without really mentioning the "private" for-profit part of it.

I saw the founders of the Blue Thong thing on a local news/lifestyle program here maybe two years ago. I don't have a problem with what they are doing per se, but you bring up a good point about how important it can be to check out whatever organization you might want to get involved with.

Do you have to pay dues or a membership fee to these groups? If all you want to do is go out and have a girls night out or a lunch date with some girlfriends I say go have fun (just don't drink and drive!)

It'll be interesting to see what kind of lasting value these orgs have.

I emailed one of the founders of the Blue Thong Society and recieved this response from their corporate attorney.

“In response to your questions regarding the corporate status of Blue Thong Society, Inc., here is the information that should help you. Blue Thong Society, Inc. is a privately owned corporation that is operated on a “for profit” basis. It is not a 501(c) charitable organization. The Board of Directors are elected by the shareholders who are the owners of the company. I hope this answers your questions.”


In other words, we are in the business to make our founders very wealthy women.

I quit.

Oh my...

I know a few ladies who are Red Hatters and they seem to have a really good time.

Never heard of the Blue Thong society. After reading through both of these threads and searching for myself, I've opted not to join the Red Hat Society when I get older as previously planned for myself. I'll contirbute my time and money elsewhere.

Mike & I were having dinner at a local pub a few weeks ago and saw a large gathering of the Red Hat Society there eating. I thought they looked adorable and they were really nice to us.

I am bumping this because I knew I read it on GC and I was bothered to read that the Red Hats are being seen as equal to legitimate women's organizations in another thread.

Ohh, this makes me sad. :(