THE RED HAT SOCIETY REIGNS: Since the Red Hat Ladies are quickly becoming your most loyal customers, we wanted you to hear their thoughts. They buy lots of red hats, and are in search of more red and purple hats.

THE REDHAT LADY SPEAKS…Charlotte Beasley, the queen mother of a Boca Raton Chapter of the Red Hat Society has her say: “ Here are some things I would like to see the headwear industry produce: Vintage-style touring hats with feather plumes in purple, rhinestone antique pins and as much sparkle and pizzazz as you can do at an affordable price. Right now these hats are over $125 retail. It would be wonderful to have these hats at an affordable price for Red Hat Society members.”

LET IT RAIN: “We (The Red Hat Society ladies) would also like to see more fun interesting red hats made in felt with lots of embellishment, purple flowers, feathers and rhinestones. PLEASE MAKE RED RAIN BONNETS MADE IN PLASTIC OR VINYL AND DECORATED WITH PURPLE FLOWERS. WE ALSO WOULD LIKE A PLASTIC COVER TO PROTECT OUR RED HATS FROM THE RAIN.”

PURPLE PASSION: We also heard from Charlotte that Red Hat Society members want more purple hats because when a member has a birthday during any month she will change from a red hat to a purple one. Please contact Charlotte at (561) 477-1245 or e-mail at bobchar7@aol.com.

RED HAT LADIES OF BRITAIN NEED RED HATS. PLEASE HELP THEM: “I noticed you were encouraging your readers to cultivate us Red Hat ladies – I wonder (since I gather your newsletter is international), if you could find some way of mentioning that Red Hatting is suddenly taking off enormously in Britain. We have gone from 13 chapters in October ‘04 to over 50, and we are all desperate to be able to get hats and trimmings without having to send off to California for them! We have the 2nd National Convention coming up in October on the Isle of Wight, which may present an opportunity to reach us.”

Contact: Jenny Howard, First Lady of Frivolity, Daft Old Bats, (The Bedfordshire & Buckinghamshire chapter of the Red Hat Society) England. E-mail at daftoldbats@surefish.co.uk. 29 Eastville Rd. Bedford MK42 9PR, 01234 342226