Wednesday, March 01, 2006

When I'm an old woman


I completely spaced the fact that I was starting a Photo a Day in March challenge for Scrappin Trends as part of my design team tasks until I read a reminder on Two Peas in a Bucket.
Apparently Two Peas is having a photo a day challenge on the photography board. So I can participate in both boards and get double the input.
Since it’s 8:30 a.m. and I don’t have a photograph for March 2006 yet, I thought I would post one of my favorite photos of this week.
Some of the older ladies in our little town started a chapter of the Red Hat Society and invited me to do a story on it for my newspaper. When I showed up at the ice cream parlor, there they were, dressed in red hats and purple clothing, looking absolutely charming.
The Red Hat Society was born from the poem “Warning” by Jenny Joseph.
The poem begins:
“When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.”

I remember this poem from my days working at Deseret Book (a book store featuring the works of LDS authors, and LDS friendly books). I though then, and I do now, the poem was utterly adorable. I also vowed at that point to be the kind of old lady who would wear purple “with a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.”
I had no idea how dangerously close I was to being an “old woman.”
The one rule of the Red Hat Society is women under the age 50 are only allowed to wear pink hats with lavender clothing. The rite of passage to full-blown Red Hat wearing is to have passed your 50th birthday. That’s only three years away, folks.
I am a late bloomer. I didn’t have my first child until I was 35 and my second DS was born days after my 30th birthday. With that in mind, I believe I can hold off membership to the Red Hat Society until I am at least 55.While I love the idea that old women can wear what they want and act as eccentric as they choose, I’m not quite ready to crown myself Queen Mother yet

9 comments:

Melissa Reid said...

Nice! You're coming along beautifully!!! Great color too!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I love the Red Hat ladies. I want to be one! Liza says NO WAY! I'm not old enough, which makes us the same, Alleen! Somehow fifty doesn't seem old enough to wear a red hat. Seventy, maybe. But, oh, I do love those feathers!

Have a great day!
Sophia

Gwyn Calvetti said...

Okay, I'm inspired. I'm in a Red Hat group--The Grateful Red--and I have photos from several events to scrap. None quite this charming, but at least it gives me the kick in the pants I needed! Thanks!

Sheila said...

Absolutely stunning!

Anonymous said...

So Cute!
I will have to get me a pink hat to wear =)

Rox -

Lorrie said...

I want to be a red hat society girl someday too! How pretty is that sweet lady in the first photo? My girlfriends and I joke that we'll be in our red hats and purple sweats scrapping out remaining days away!!! I still have another 10 years yet though...

Anonymous said...

Is there a mens chapter. The belt and suspenderrs bunch?

Anonymous said...

I've always worn what doesn't go and doesn't suit me. I thought it was a toddler/little kid thing. I guess there's not that much difference when it comes to not caring what people think and pleasing yourself. I started going backwards at age 50 so I am soon to be 44 and getting younger every day watch out when I get to 20 again! You'll have to take my car keys away when I return to 16.
To bro, yes! you must wear red suspenders and a plaid flannel shirt. Preferably an ugly one and always drive wearing your feed stor4e hat.

Anonymous said...

I always loved purple and red. I once made a valentine for a boy I really liked in my class, I forget who. I made them for everybody, valentines Imean, but I saw no reason to make them all red and white. I made his purple and red. I thought it was the prettiest one. I will never forget how upset Mom was about it. She really yelled at me and told me i couldn't give it out to him. I was devistated! I am old enough to wear red hats and purple dresses now. And even send purple and red valevtines!!!