MZ-TEA-Rious Ladies RHS Guidelines

 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:

The Red Hat Society is a gathering of women of a "certain age and hattitude", ladies who have decided to greet middle age with verve, humor and élan. We wear our red hats and purple attire to celebrate, and believe silliness is the comic relief of life.  Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for whatever life brings. 

The spirit of the Red Hat Society forbids RULES, per se.  There is, however, ONE inflexible guideline that we must insist upon:

You must attend functions in full regalia.  Ladies 50 and over wear a purple outfit with a red hat.  Ladies under 50 are Red Hats in training, aka Pink Hatters or Pink Ladies, and wear a lavender outfit with a pink hat.  Ladies are strongly encouraged to follow these color guidelines, and to NOT wear purple/red until they have reached THE BIRTHDAY.  Whoever would have thought women would LOOK FORWARD to their 50th birthday?!????

 

CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP:

At this time, there is no limit to the number of members.  This could change by majority vote at any time.  If this becomes the case, we will assist whomever to split off and start a ‘sister’ chapter.  15-25 ladies appears to be a reasonable number for most events, and to get to know one another.

The MZ-TEAs have adopted the same membership requirements as the founding organization -- the proper age, hattitude, and color combinations.

Each lady is responsible for her own ensemble.  Thrift stores, Antiques & Collectibles shops, garage sales, online (eBay), and flea markets are GREAT sources.

First timers / visitors to any event are encouraged to attend whether or not their ensemble is complete.  It’s a good excuse to go shopping!!!  We will try to have loaner hats available in case you can’t find one in time.  Some of the loaner hats may be available to buy.

Multiple chapter membership is certainly allowed.  The more you can afford / handle ~ that much more fun for you.  Some chapters charge membership dues / fees / pass the hat.

 

CHAPTER EXPENSES:

Expenses / reimbursable -- $1 will be collected per person, per event attended; covers some of the following items.  

Annual chapter registration fee is $35 payable to the founding organization (RHS, Inc.) each February. This has already been paid for 2003.
Photos – film & developing, scrapbook supplies
Nametags, brochures, etc
Door prizes, goodies, birthdays, etc
MZ-TEAs website maintenance

 

EVENTS:

Events are generally scheduled every other month, with planning / organizing to be rotated thru’ the membership.  Since I have all of your emails & addresses, I will be the primary contact for MZ-TEA events unless stated otherwise.

Tea Tramping:  Invitations received to attend other groups’ events will be forwarded to you.  Please respond to / reserve with the host chapter representative, unless stated otherwise.

Some of you may be on multiple chapters contact lists.  If you hear of an event that I have not, please send me the information so I can follow up and forward to all of the MZ-TEAs.

Ideas for events – please contribute!!!

If you’d like events scheduled more often, or ‘casual’ get-togethers in between, please let me know.  Don’t forget!!  YOU can plan things too!!

Members who do not have email should have an ‘email buddy’, who will responsible for keeping you informed of events, etc.

 

TITLES / OFFICERS

"Officers" are not elected.  They appoint themselves to any office they choose, whenever the mood strikes. The Queenette may bestow a title befitting someone’s contribution, or talent, or whatever. Examples:

 

MISCELLANEOUS:

Men are not usually included in RHS events.   A majority vote may choose to  include spouses / other for a specific event (vote must be taken prior to the event, and if ANY objections...  he's a NO GO).  Possible exceptions: Men may occasionally serve as consorts, photographers, chauffeurs, general dogsbody, etc.   The Queen may grant Royal Dispensation in extenuating circumstances.  Gentlemen are encouraged to follow the color guidelines.

The MZ-TEAs have also adopted the "Don’t ask, don’t tell" policy.  Your birthday is requested, but not required (month/day only).  We do not need to know the year unless you wish to tell it.   We only want to know, so we can have an excuse to PARTY!!

If you are a pink hatter within 6 months of 50, please advise the Queenette, so we can begin planning your RED-uation party.  

There is no upward / downward age limit. 30-49 is considered "pink hat", younger ladies are "Pink Hats in training".

 

Yours in RED HATTEDNESS,
Queenette Dianne

always remember.............   "RED HATTERS MATTER"

 

Answers to Frequently-asked Questions (Excerpted from the founding chapter)


Q.  Where can I find a red hat?
A.  Antiques/collectibles stores, thrift stores and garage sales (you never know what you'll find), online (eBay), and the mall.

Q. Does my outfit have to be bright purple?
A. What color is purple really?

Q. Do we have to go to tea or can we have a different sort of event?
A.  Well, tea parties are our favorite thing, but you can plan any activity you wish.

Q. How many members make up a chapter?
A.  There are no rules, only guidelines.  If the chapter gets too large or becomes unmanageable, encourage the overflow to start another group.

Q. How do we set up our teas/events?
A.  Ideally, each member takes her turn to plan an event, sends out invitations, gets the reservation.  Two may go together in planning/coordinating so one person is not overwhelmed by it all.  


Q. I'm not fifty yet, but I like to play dress-up too.  How can I be involved?
A.  Junior members aka "Pink Ladies" wear pink hats and lavender clothing, exchanging them for the red and purple only after having THE birthday.

Q.  How do we choose officers?
A.  Officers are not elected.  They appoint themselves to any office they choose, whenever the mood strikes. Some of our officers are:

Founding Mother, also known as Exalted Queen Mother (Hey, it was my, idea {Exalted Queen Mother Sue Ellen Cooper})
Vice-Mother - first to receive a red hat {Linda Murphy, founding chapter}
Hysterian - (yes, we know it's historian) keeps a scrapbook of group functions.  Various members bring cameras to help with documentation.
Sergeant-in-gloves- would ensure proper behavior, if we could decide what that would be.  After all, we are ladies.
Anti-Parliamentarian - makes sure no one makes rules.  {One chapter has a Parlour-Mistress instead, since the parliamentarian has the word MEN in it, and this is a WOMEN's group after all}
Barristress - our resident attorney E-mail female - got our e-mail address for us.

 

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