The following are some common customs

  • Banners – some chapters make a banner (hanging fabric sign) to show their chapter name at events.
  • Bling – The more the merrier! Any kind of shiny, sparkly accessory you can add is great. Many Hatters like to collect brooches as well as wearing pearls and rhinestone jewellery.
  • “Dessert first” – We’re about having fun and not having to “act your age” – so why not have dessert first!
  • Feathers & Feather Boas – Boas add some fun, but the feathers themselves represent the freedom to come out and play as well as being love (red) and hugs (purple). If feathers fall off your boas, save them to give away as little gifts – they are “boa-seeds” or “baby boas”, and if nurtured they could grow into a full feather boa one day 🙂
  • Fly Swatters – To ‘slap yourself/others silly’ when things turn too serious
  • “Hoots” – A hoot is a get-together of Hatters. Generally an informal and unstructured event, some people use the term for all gatherings and events.
  • “Hopping the Fence” – The term used when a chapter becomes too full and splits up into 2 smaller groups so that each may continue to grow. Sometimes this is done with a ceremony.
  • Kazoos – The official musical instrument of Red Hatters!  Carry one with you to all events, use them when singing Happy birthday or any time you want to make a noise!
  • Mascot – The official mascot of the RHS is Ruby Red Hat.  Many chapters have a stuffed toy or doll that they will bring to events as their “mascot”, usually dressed in the ‘colours’, and wearing bling.
  • REDuation – the name given when a lady turns 50 and is now a Red Hatter.
  • Regalia – the name given to the ensemble of red hat and purple clothing (or pink and lavender) a Hatter wears. Also called “The Colours”
  • Red Hat Society Day – is April 25th. However since that is Anzac day in Australia, we tend to instead celebrate “Aussie Red Hat Day”, on July 25th – which was the date that the first Australian chapter was registered.
  • Reversed Colours – The regular dresscode is a red hat with purple clothing (or a pink hat with lavender clothing). However you can “reverse your colours” (wear a purple hat with red clothing), on your birth month and the birth month of the Red Hat Society (April)
  • Sashes & Stoles – A great way to display your brooches – which saves poking holes in your clothing and means you don’t have to move them from outfit to outfit.
  • Warning – The poem by Jenny Joseph that inspired the creation of the RHS