Rabble-Rousers

Welcome

The Red Hat Society began as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with verve, humor and enthusiasm. We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life and, since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together. Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next.

The Red Hat Society was inspired by the poem ''Warning'' by Jenny Joseph, which begins, ''When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple with a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me...'' and ends, ''But maybe I ought to practice a little now?'' So we all dress up in our red hats and purple clothes and paint the town.

This ''disorganization'' has no official rules. Of course, to be a Red Hatter, one must be fifty years old or older and wear a red hat and a clashing purple ensemble at all meetings to keep up the spirit and purpose of the ''disorganization''. Women under fifty must wear a pink hat and lavender attire until THE BIRTHDAY. This adds an element of fun to aging, which we think is invaluable to women in our society who have learned to dread aging and avoid it at all costs. We believe aging should be something anticipated with excitement, not something to dread.

REMEMBER: RED HATTERS MATTER!