The Red Hat Society (RHS) is a social organization founded in 1998 for women over 50.
Easton Press Sue Ellen Cooper books
The Red Hat Society - Signed Limited Edition - 2009
(This page contains affiliate links for which we may be compensated.)
The Red Hat Society - Fun and Friendship After Fifty
The Society was started in 1997 when Sue Ellen Cooper, who now serves as Exalted Queen Mother, gave a friend a red fedora and a copy of Jenny Joseph's poem, Warning. Cooper did this several times and the friends in turn did the same, eventually spreading out and forming what is now known as the Red Hat Society.
The Red Hat Society takes its name from the opening lines of the poem Warning by Jenny Joseph, which starts:
"When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat that doesn't go and doesn't suit me."
Organization
The Red Hat Society fondly refers to itself as a "dis-organization" with the aim of social interaction, and to encourage fun, silliness, creativity, and friendship in middle age and beyond. The Society is not a sorority or a voluntary service club. There are no initiations or fundraising projects.
A founder or leader of a local chapter is usually referred to as a "Queen". Members are called "Red Hatters". Members 50 and over wear red hats and purple attire to all functions. A woman under age fifty may also become a member, but she wears a pink hat and lavender attire to the Society's events until reaching her fiftieth birthday.
Activities
Both Red and Pink Hatters often wear very elaborately decorated hats, and attention-getting fashion accessories such as a feather boa at the group's get-togethers. The Society's events vary depending on the chapter, but one of the more favored pastimes amongst most Red Hatters is attending or giving a tea party.
The organization has published four books: Red Hat Society: Fun and Friendship after 50 and Red Hat Society's Laugh Lines: Stories of Inspiration and Hattitude, Designer Scrapbooks the Red Hat Society Way (2005, Sterling), and The Red Hat Society Cookbook which features recipes submitted by members. Regional gatherings called "Funventions" are held several times a year, along with official Red Hat Society events.
The official Red Hat Society day is April 25 each year.
In 2006 the group successfully commissioned its own musical entitled, Hats! The New Musical for the Rest of Your Life.
Sue Ellen Cooper biography
Sue
Ellen Cooper, born on January 1, 1943, is an American entrepreneur and
the founder of the Red Hat Society, a social organization that
celebrates women and promotes friendship, fun, and the joy of aging
gracefully. Cooper's story takes an interesting turn when, in 1997, she
gave a friend a red hat as a birthday gift along with a copy of the poem
"Warning" by Jenny Joseph. The poem humorously contemplates the
liberation that comes with aging, expressing a desire to wear purple and
a red hat when one is older. Inspired by the sentiment in the poem,
Cooper and her friends began donning red hats and purple attire for
social gatherings, turning the idea into a whimsical and empowering
movement.
In 1998, Cooper officially founded the Red Hat Society,
creating a platform for women to come together, celebrate life, and
build connections. The organization quickly gained popularity,
attracting women of all ages who embraced the philosophy of embracing
life with a sense of playfulness and camaraderie. The Red Hat Society
encourages its members to enjoy life, pursue new interests, and support
each other in various endeavors. Members, known as "Red Hatters,"
participate in events, outings, and activities, all while proudly
wearing red hats and purple clothing. The society has grown into an
international phenomenon, with chapters around the world promoting the
idea that age should not limit one's capacity for joy and friendship.
Sue
Ellen Cooper's creation of the Red Hat Society has had a profound
impact on the lives of countless women, fostering a sense of community
and sisterhood. Her vision has resonated with individuals seeking to
challenge societal expectations surrounding aging and to embrace a more
vibrant and fulfilling later stage of life. Beyond her role as the
founder of the Red Hat Society, Sue Ellen Cooper has become an advocate
for positive aging, encouraging women to live life to the fullest and
find joy in every stage. Her innovative approach to creating a
supportive and lively community has left a lasting legacy in the realm
of women's empowerment and social connections.
Ode to the Red Hat Society
"A poet put it very well. She said when she was older,
She wouldn't be so meek and mild. She threatened to get bolder.
She'd put a red hat on her head, and purple on her shoulder.
She'd make her life a warmer place, her golden years much golder.
We read that poem, all of us, and grasp what she is saying.
We do not need to sit and knit, although we all are graying.
We think about what we can do. Our plans we have been laying.
Instead of working all the time, we'll be out somewhere playing.
We take her colors to our hearts, and then we all go shopping,
for purple clothes and hats of red, with giant brims a-flopping.
We're tired of working all the time, and staying home and mopping,
We order pies and chocolate fudge, and rich desserts with topping.
We crown ourselves as duchesses and countesses and queens.
We prove that playing dress-up isn't just for Halloween.
We drape ourselves in jewels, feathers, boas and sateen.
We see ourselves on television and in magazines.
We laugh, we cry, we hug a lot. We keep each other strong.
When one of us goes out for fun, the rest all go along.
We gad about, we lunch and munch, in one big happy throng.
We've found the place where we fit in, the place we all belong."
Source and additional information: Red Hat Society