Red Hat Society Day

Red Hat Society Day

Official Red Hat Society Day is April 25th, though local organizations may celebrate on their own days. 

This holiday commemorates the first meeting of The Red Hat Society that took place in 1998. This society is a social organization for women over 50. The original founder of this organization was Sue Ellen Cooper, who lived in California. In 1997, she gave her friend a red bowler hat for a birthday gift. Along with the red bowler, she gave her friend a copy of a poem by Jenny Joseph. The poem, titled “Warning”, began with the lines “When I am an old woman I shall wear purple. With a red hat that doesn't go and doesn't suit me.” More of her friends requested red hats for their birthdays and eventually they bought purple clothes as well to match the poem. On April 25, 1998, they all gathered for a tea party. This is considered the first meeting of the Red Hat Society. 

Today, the society focuses on promoting bonding among women. Originally, only women over 50 could join, but now the organization is open to women of all ages. The members still abide by the poem, however, and any member under 50 must wear pink hats and lavender clothing while those over 50 can wear the red hats and purple clothing. Red Hat Society members are very active and often do activities such as tea parties, games, and other social outings.

History of the color red

The color red and what it symbolizes has changed many times throughout history. It was one of the first colors used in prehistoric paintings. Ancient Egyptians and Mayans used the color red to paint their face. In ancient Rome, generals would use red to signify victories. In today’s modern world, the meaning of red varies from country to country. Europe and the United States when surveyed, said that red is the color of passion, anger, love, and joy. In many Asian countries such as China and India, red is the color of happiness and good luck. We often use the word red in expressions and idioms. Red can be used to express emotion such as “seeing red” when you’re angry. Expressions such as “to raise the red flag” and “in the red” represent a warning sign and represent financial trouble. Red is also used to call attention to both good and bad things. The red carpet is used for special events, whereas the catch someone red handed is to catch them doing something wrong. Perhaps the most famous use of red is a red herring, which is a false clue. This phrase is often used in crime shows and other investigative entertainment.  

No matter what your favorite red phrase is, today is a day to spend with good friends and to celebrate being together wearing your favorite red colored hat.