The ladies of Moose Jaw's three Red Hat Societies took the Tourism Moose Jaw trolley for a spin on Sept. 23. The societies make a place for women to age playfully and have fun get-togethers several times a month.
"It's strictly a social group," explained Yvette Gardner, Queen of the High Steppers, one of three Red Hat chapters in Moose Jaw. "We strictly have fun, we don't fundraise or do charities or anything."
The other Moose Jaw chapters are the Purple Sages and the Strawberry and Tarts. The group leaders are typically referred to as queens.
The Red Hats were founded in the US in 1998. Their outfits and attitudes are inspired by the Jenny Joseph poem "Warning", the first stanza of which reads:
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.
Members over 50 wear red hats and purple clothing. Women under 50 wear pink hats and lavender outfits. During her birthday month, a member can reverse the colour scheme.
The wearing of outrageous accessories and elaborate headwear is encouraged.
The three Moose Jaw groups combine about four times a year. Each individual group will meet two or three times a month.
"We do anything. We go shopping, we go on road trips, like to Regina or Swift Current," explained Gardner. "We go to thrift stores a lot. Red hatters are always looking for bargains."
Gardner said the trolley tour was good and described the tour guide as awesome.
"She said a lot of stuff I didn't know," she chuckled. "Then we went to Streets for supper, which was good food.
"We accept anybody in the group, it's all about helping ladies. We have some ladies who don't get out much at all, and somebody picks them up and they're always happy to get out."
The High Steppers can be reached by emailed redhatlady@live.ca for more information.
