ABOUT OUR ORGANISATION



 
The Purple Orchids had their first playdate in March 2008.  I found The Red Hat Society purely by chance.  I was studying calligraphy and, as a term project, was asked to choose a poem and illustrate it.   I had seen a mention of the poem "Warning" in The Times newspaper a few months before.  When I googled and read the poem, I felt that it echoed my own feelings about growing old and  "turning beige".   Beige hair, beige clothes, beige carpets, beige walls etc. etc.  Talk about fading into the landscape !   I wrote out the poem in italic print and one of my daughters saw my work and begged me to do a copy for her and illustrate it, so she could put it on her kitchen wall (and hide a nasty bit of plaster).  When I came to illustrate the poem I knew my limitations.   Having never had an art lesson in my life, I had no idea how to draw.    How to illustrate the poem ?  well, I did what any self-respecting child of the 50`s would do - I went on the internet to "google" pictures.     OK, glass of brandy - yes, there was a picture.    String of sausages - yes, another picture.   Hey, I was really getting into the swing of this.    Right - Red Hat ! ! !    Up came "The Red Hat Society".   The rest, as you might say is history ! !    I telephoned a couple of friends and told them about the society and that I would like to start one in London.  Everyone was incredibly enthusiastic.   Within 18 minutes, I had logged on to the society, registered a chapter, and ordered the merchandise.   Three weeks later we had our first playdate - a pudding club.   Everyone brought their favourite pudding, I ordered some kazoos - the official Red Hat Society instrument - and dressed the table in purple and red tulips and balloons.   The kazoos were a disaster so they were quickly discarded.  
 
We meet up with other British Chapters of The Red Hat Society from time to time.  We were on The 2009  London New Years Day parade alongside our American sisters.   We are gradually gaining our own identity.   The official shoe of The Purple Orchids is the fur-lined purple Croc - in keeping with the line in the poem "I shall go out in my slippers in the rain".
 
The sight of a group of ladies, dressed up in red hats and purple outfits (or pink hats and lilac outfits for the under 50s), just enjoying themselves is a very compelling reason to want to join the sisterhood.  We are not "ladies who lunch" but "ladies who laugh".  We go on outings, to places where we have always wanted to go but never had the time or where nobody we know have wanted to join us.   Afternoon tea in the park, a trip to the zoo, a chic flick, quiz nights, line dancing, a day trip to France on the Eurostar, Ladies Day at the races.  You name it and we will try to do it.  
 
There is no hierachy here.   The founder of the Chapter is the Queen, purely because it was her idea in the first place !  and she will give you permission to remove your red hat if it gets too hot or if the people behind you at the theatre/cinema cannot see, but otherwise, everyone has a say in where we go and what we do.  We have daytime outings for our non-working chapterettes and evening and weekend outings for everyone.  By the age of 50, we are ready for some time for ourselves.   Having spent so much time looking after the needs of others, we are now in "the golden age".  
 
You are encouraged to invent a title for yourself.  For example the lady who spends all her time cleaning up after her family is "Mistress Muck",    The lady who says exactly what she feels is "Baroness Biggengobben",  The lady who loves shopping is "Baroness Buyalot" , the staunch Chelsea Football supporter is "Princess Chelsea",   The lady who always has pictures on her fingernails is "Princess nailart"   My own name was chosen because my favourite shop is Fenwick at Brent Cross !
 
At the age of 50, we have no intention of fading into the background.   The fashion industry is not interested in us anymore.  The cosmetic firms prey on the fact that we want to get rid of our wrinkles.  These are not wrinkles, these are laughter lines.   We have no intention of spending the rest of our lives wearing beige, being unpaid babysitters to our grandchildren, knitting, baking cakes and watching the soaps.   We are not Sagalouts !  the idea is not to go out and get drunk.   The idea is to go out and enjoy ourselves.    Find the inner child who likes dressing up and eating cake. 
 
Contact us today and join in the fun.
 
Looking forward to hearing from you
 
Red Hatter Hugs
 
  

                                                   
 
 
 
 
Queen Mal Shopalotten
of Phoenix Croix de Brent