What Is the Purple Hat Society?
The Purple Hat Society is an all-women group founded by a boutique owner named Emma in 2000. Known as the Purple Hat Society Ladies’ Tea Group, its founding coincided with the opening of the founder’s boutique in Upland, California.
What Is the Purple Hat Society?
Think you’ve seen these purple hat ladies out and about? Chances are you’ve wondered about the purple hat’s meaning. Well, according to the founder’s now seemingly-defunct website, the Purple Hat Society is for women who love tea and appreciate vintage clothing, jewelry, hats and anything Parisian.
Supposedly, this purple hat club was also founded to help women who are always in a rush slow down a bit by indulging in a relaxing environment and enjoying a cup of tea with others. So, how did one become a member of the Purple Hat Society? Aspiring members were tasked with wearing a purple hat to the founder’s events and expected to pay a nominal yearly fee.
Does the Purple Hat Society Have Any Relation to the Red Hat Society?
The Purple Hat Society is loosely based on the Red Hat Society (RHS), a social group for women who are 50 years old and above. Founded in 1998 by artist Sue Ellen Cooper, the RHS group has spawned about 40,000 chapters in the United States and 30 other countries. The main objective of the RHS is to promote social interaction among women.
To signify their membership, the women of the RHS wear red hats and purple dresses to group events. Women younger than age 50 may join in on events, but must wear pink hats and lavender dresses to signify their youth.
