Senior Red Hats aim to have fun
By: Jessica Beym
Even though they might not wear fishnet stockings or feather boas like their Southern sister organizations, the women of the Cranbury Red Hats are out to have a good time.
Dolled up in rich shades of red and royal purple, they hit the town once a month for shopping, an afternoon tea, or lunch at a nearby restaurant.
The group of almost 20 women all come from the Four Seasons development and welcomed new members Sept. 12 during an afternoon luncheon at Hannah and Mason’s on North Main Street.
Seated at the edge of the table, Pat Salasko of the Four Seasons, fit right in with her pale purple shirt and a red scarf, decorated with the wide-brimmed red hats.
Laughter and chatter filled the room as the women shared stories about their summer cruises and a recent trip to Harlem, N.Y., and decided what to have for lunch.
The warmth and light-heartedness of the group is what drew Ms. Salasko in, she said.
"The group seemed to have a lot of fun and it’s a chance to get out and meet more people," Ms. Salasko said. "The fun part about it is dressing silly."
The idea of dressing outrageously is how the group started, said Jane Elias, who is known fondly as the Queen Mother.
Ms. Elias started the Cranbury chapter of the Red Hats three years ago, but the internationally recognized organization began in 1998, according to the society’s Web site.
It all started around a poem written by Jenny Joseph called "Warning." The first lines read: "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple with a red hat which doesn’t go and doesn’t suit me."
One woman passed the poem along to a friend on her 55th birthday, along with a red hat and then the first chapter was born in California.
"The poem is really about how we’ve had such good lives, and we’ve been blessed so much and we’ve raised our children and put in our time, so now it’s our time," said club member Joan Kuchinski.
"The whole philosophy is to have fun," Ms. Elias added as she fiddled with their mascot a plush, white teddy bear, draped in purple feathers and a red hat. When squeezed, it belts out the Cyndi Lauper tune "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."
To be a member of the Red Hat Society, you must be a woman 55 or older and most importantly, Ms. Elias said, you must have a lust for life. When the group started, there were only a few members. Some women were hesitant to join, knowing that the Red Hat Society is sometimes known for its boisterous behavior.
"The Red Hats are very active in the south and some of them are really outrageous," Ms. Elias said. "We’re much more relaxed."
Being a part of the society gives the women a reason to get together, they said. Next month they plan to spend a day shopping for Red Hat gear.
From purple socks with red pom-poms to embroidered purple scarves, the women said the clothes tend to find a way to their closets.
Because the Red Hat Society has thousands of chapters across the country, the accessories can be found almost anywhere, from Wal-Mart and any local dollar store to craft shows and Red Hat Web sites. The only rule is that when they go out as a group, they must be in full regalia. Recently, Gail Geijer went out to eat with her son and another chapter of Red Hats came in to the restaurant.
"He said to me, ‘Mom, do you really look like that when you go out?’ " Ms. Geijer said.
As a matter of fact, I do, she told him. While dressing up and experiencing others’ reactions can be one of the highlights of being a member, most of the women said that what they enjoy most are the friendships they’ve made.
Barbara Zarifan joined the group a year ago after she moved to Four Seasons from Monroe.
"Everyone told me I just had to join and I’m glad I did," Ms. Zarifan said. "They’re so open to new members. You’d think at this point everyone has their own cliques, but it wasn’t like that at all."
"I like the camaraderie," Pat Ierley said. "I moved here from North Jersey and they introduced me to a lot of places and activities. It’s nice going out with the ladies and going out to lunch."
"We’re such a small, quaint community group, Delores Hinrichs said. "If you’re bored with us, it’s your own fault."

