Getting older doesn't mean getting boring. That's the message of a women's group called the Red Hat Society. NHPR's Trish Anderton caught up with them at the Wolfeboro Fourth of July parade.
WOLFEBORO HOSTS A CLASSIC FOURTH OF JULY PARADE WITH FIRE ENGINES, HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS TEAMS, AND ANTIQUE STEAM-POWERED CARS. BUT THIS YEAR, THERE?S SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT: ABOUT A DOZEN WOMEN DRESSED ALL IN PURPLE, WITH RED HATS.
Well today?s ensemble, I have a purple ankle length shift with stars on it
MARYANN RYAN IS THE LEADER, OR QUEEN MOTHER, OF THIS CHAPTER OF RED HATTERS.
My hat is a widebrimmed picture hat with a purple feather boa topped off with a tiara because after all, I am the queen.
THE RED HAT SOCIETY TAKES ITS NAME FROM A POEM BY ENGLISHWOMAN JENNY JOSEPH, CALLED ?WARNING.? IT BEGINS: WHEN I AM AN OLD WOMAN, I SHALL WEAR PURPLE, WITH A RED HAT WHICH DOESN?T GO, AND DOESN?T SUIT ME.? THE NARRATOR GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT LEARNING TO SPIT, AND SPENDING HER PENSION ON SATIN SANDALS, AND GENERALLY HAVING FUN. THE SOCIETY?S FOUNDER, CALIFORNIAN SUE ELLEN COOPER, SAYS IT?S A MESSAGE WOMEN FIFTY AND OLDER INSTANTLY UNDERSTAND.
008 132 my particular generation and those older did put family ahead of everything. Theres no bitterness about it. We just look at each other and know that we have given and nurtured and supported and held etc. and its kind of fun to say what was it I wanted to do.
COOOPER CAME ACROSS THE POEM 15 YEARS AGO AND NEVER FORGOT IT. YEARS LATER SHE GAVE A BUNCH OF HER FRIENDS RED HATS. THEN THEY DECIDED TO PUT ON PURPLE CLOTHES AND GO OUT TO TEA. THEY LIKED IT SO MUCH THEY KEPT DOING IT. TWO YEARS AGO, A LOCAL MAGAZINE WROTE AN ARTICLE ABOUT THEM. OTHER WOMEN BEGAN ORGANIZING. NOW COOPER IS THE ?EXALTED QUEEN MOTHER? OF A SOCIETY WITH OVER 3000 CHAPTERS.
ambience
THE RED HATTERS ARE NOT OVERTLY POLITICAL. THEY DON?T EMBRACE VOLUNTEER WORK OR EVEN SELF-IMPROVEMENT. BUT THEY DO ENJOY SOLIDARITY. JUDY HARRINGTON IS WEARING A BIG RED HAT WITH AN AMERICAN FLAG ON IT.
007 20 I don?t like to come out of my home and have my neighbors see me wearing purple and a huge red hat. But when I get with the girls and put the hat on it?s a whole different story.
THE CLOTHING IS IMPORTANT, BUT NOT AS A STATUS SYMBOL. RED HATTERS BRAG ABOUT YARD SALE DRESSES AND BARGAIN BASEMENT SHOES. AS A FORMER CLOTHING INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE, CAROL WALLACE ESPECIALLY ENJOYS DRESSING DOWN. WALLACE SAYS IT SIGNALS A SORT OF DɔENTE, AN AGREEMENT THAT AS OLDER WOMEN THEY CAN STOP COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER.
009 145 its first time in my life I?ve been with a group of women and all we do is love and support each other and laugh our sides off. // 12 100 theres not one of us that are jealous of each other or envious, its amazing
BECAUSE OF THAT OPENNESS, THE ORGANIZATION HAS BECOME A NATIONAL NETWORK FOR WOMEN. IF YOU?RE A MEMBER IN TEXAS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND YOU?RE GOING TO CALIFORNIA FOR TWO MONTHS, YOU MIGHT CALL A CHAPTER THERE AND GET PLUGGED IN TO THE ACTIVITIES.
54 100 man ? the red hats are coming. Yay red hats! Applause
MEANWHILE, IF THIS PARADE IS ANY INDICATION, THE SOCIETY STANDS TO KEEP GROWING. AS THE GROUP BEGINS MARCHING, PEOPLE ON THE SIDELINES LOOK SURPRISED, THEN PUZZLED. THEY TAKE IN THE OUTFITS AND SQUINT TO READ THE FIRST FEW LINES OF THE POEM ON THE SIDE OF THE FLOAT. THEN, AS THEY START TO FIGURE IT OUT, WOMEN ESPECIALLY BREAK OUT IN CHEERS AND APPLAUSE. MANY SHOUT QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO JOIN. SITTING ON THE SIDELINES, 35-YEAR OLD KRISTEN HAMMOND OF CONNECTICUTT SAYS SHE?S GOING TO WEAR PURPLE SOME DAY.
51 00 I like the fact that they?re out here so bold. Most of the time women over age 50 like to pretend they?re not. I like to see that women of all ages are out there wearing gorgeous colors, being as bold as they can.
IT?S A RESPONSE THAT WOULD PUT A JOYOUS TILT IN ANY RED HATTER?S BERET. EVEN IF THE GROUP DOESN?T HAVE AN AGENDA, EXALTED QUEEN MOTHER SUE ELLEN COOPER ADMITS THERE?S A MESSAGE BEHIND THE SILLINESS. IT?S THAT OLDER WOMEN REFUSE TO BE INVISIBLE ?. EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO WEAR A RED SEQUINED BASEBALL CAP AND PURPLE PANTS TO GRAB THE SPOTLIGHT. FOR NHPR NEWS I?M TRISH ANDERTON IN WOLFEBORO, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
