The Red Hat Society

Okay, so you all remember my mom, right?

She's kind of a weird, crazy lady (see pictures below):

Anyway, she is an active member in this nationwide old lady craze called The Red Hat Society. (Click here to see their very informative and detailed website.) This group started in 1997 when a lady gave her friend a red hat for her 50th birthday and a poem 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."

So, basically, this is a group of old ladies going around saying, "We don't give a frick about what people think of us anymore and we're going to wear our red hats!" So, they go around wearing their red hats and purple outfits and just not caring what people think anymore.

At first, I kind of rolled my eyes at this whole concept. Especially when my mom goes around decorating her guest bedroom (which we have to stay in) with Red Hat Society theme:

But now, I've come to appreciate it, in certain respects. For, I am at a point in my life where I am saying, "I don't give a frick about what people think of me anymore."

Granted, I'm not going to go about wearing a stupid red hat or making theme rooms on the matter... but it is a nice concept, and one that we should embrace whether or not we are 50, 35, or 20.

Screw the world. Who cares what anyone else thinks? Where your red hats, ladies. Do what you want to do. Enjoy your life. Don't listen to societal norms that tell you NOT to wear red hats with purple outfits. Do what my mom does and put together weird "Alternatives to the Christmas Sweater" parties and Halloween costumes that say you're "Miss Conduct".

Or, go rollerskating with a group of friends, even if you're 35 years old. Or play laser tag. Or go snow tubing.

I tell you, this Grown Up Fun Times thing that I started is like the new, cooler version of the Red Hat Society for the next generation. (Much, much cooler.)



But it has the same message:

Have fun.
Stop Caring What People Think.
Do What You Want To Do.
Form Community.

What's not to love? So, my mom can have her Red Hats. I can have my Fun Times. And I'll try not to make fun of her too much because we are probably very much alike.