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There are special requirements for members of the Purple Peacocks -- the Michiana Chapter of the Red Hat Society.

"Because I'm 75, I get the privilege of wearing my red hat and purple outfit for the first time," Betty Kummeth of Goshen said during the first public outing of the group last Saturday at Lindy's Restaurant in Dowagiac.

Group members sat in the back of the restaurant, but were easily located by the variety of red hats perched atop their heads.

"It's a weird, fun thing to do, being a Purple Peacock," Kummeth said.

And the special requirements? If you are 50 or older, you wear purple with a red hat. If you are under 50, you wear lavender with a pink hat.

Before showing up at the luncheon, Joan Belew made a trip into Dowagiac, wearing her red hat. "I felt my going downtown was my practice run," the Dowagiac resident said. "I did get a few stares at my outfit."

Her hat, decorated with red ribbon and Poinsettias, was made by a friend, Leslie Sestric of Dowagiac. "These are old Easter hats that are now Peacock hats," Sestric said.

The Purple Peacocks formed their chapter of the Red Hat Society in November at a meeting at the Cass District Library.

December 8, 2001

Red Hats and Purple Peacocks

Queen Mother believes that silliness is the comedy relief of life Hometown By SHERRY VAN ARSDALL ,Tribune Staff Writer

Claudia LaPorte of Dowagiac wears the "under-50" hat to the gathering of the Purple Peacocks
chapter of the Red Hat Society.

Tribune Photos/BARBARA ALLISON

DOWAGIAC

The national Red Hat Society was started a few years ago as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with enthusiasm, humor and �lan. On the group's Web site -- www.redhatsociety.com -- it states that the Queen Mother, Sue Ellen Cooper, believes silliness is the comedy relief of life.

And underneath the frivolity, they share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes them next.

For Arlene Southland of Union, becoming a member of the local chapter has already proved beneficial -- like finding a new friend during the outing. "I just met Betty (Kummeth) about a half-hour ago and discovered we can drive together to future outings," Southland, 65, said.

Southland also had a story about shopping for a red hat. "I had went to JC Penny's and looked through the whole store with no luck, not until on my way out," she said, laughing. "In the lingerie department, I found this red hat that somebody had set down and I knew it was my hat, kind of like fate."

Cleo Gordon received inspiration to do an abstract painting about the Red Hat Society. "I started it about two weeks ago," Gordon said. It features styles of red flapper hats on smiling faces. "If anyone had told me years ago I would belong to a red hat society," she said. "I'd have just laughed at them."

By joining the group, Doris Ashley took a step out of her comfort zone. "I feel kind of ridiculous looking like this alone, but feel better going in a group," the 74-year-old said.

Wearing her beret decorated with a peacock feather, Betty McWilliams likes the strength in numbers as well.
"Now I don't feel so conspicuous," the Dowagiac resident said. "We're going to be a very festive, but fun group and very creative." It is also a loosely-run club whose primary purpose is to have fun.

"There are no rules, no officers," Brown said, "but we might come up with offices as we need them."
She updates their Web site: www.geocities.com/rhspurplepeacocks.

The only member with an official title is Chris Brown, known as Queen Mum, because she suggested starting a chapter. "I saw a segment on the "Today Show" with Florence Henderson during Labor Day weekend and thought that would be something fun," Brown said. But she's not eligible to wear a red hat yet. "I have a couple years," she said.

Their agenda for outings is very simple. "We eat, laugh, talk and get ideas to go other places," Brown said. "We'd like to go to plays, lunch at Lunker's, all the places that old ladies wouldn't go, except us."

Anyone interested in joining can call (616) 244-8783 or access the Web site. Staff writer Sherry Van Arsdall:
[email protected] (616) 687-7004

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Chris Brown, second from left, is the founder of the Purple Peacocks, a local chapter for the Red Hat Society. The group, whose purpose is simply to have fun, recently enjoyed its first public gathering, lunch at Lindy's in Dowagiac.