The Red Hat Society

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The Red Hat Society ---- A Happy Naughty
Rejuvenescent Group
Dan,Ashish Design Research Studio 06Winter
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• Introduction of Red Hat
• Research Methods
• Research Results
• Summary

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Origin
About RHS
Symbol
Structure
Development

• The Red Hat Society is a women's organization
  founded in 1998 by Sue Ellen Cooper of Fullerton,
  California.
• It began as a result of a few women deciding to
  greet middle age with verve, humor and élan.
• We believe silliness is the comical relief of
  life
• Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of
  affection, forged by common life experiences and
  a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us
  next

When I am an old woman I shall wear purpleWith a
red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me.And
I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer
glovesAnd satin sandals, and say we've no money
for butter.I shall sit down on the pavement when
I'm tiredAnd gobble up samples in shops and press
alarm bells And run my stick along the public
railingsAnd make up for the sobriety of my
youth.I shall go out in my slippers in the
rainAnd pick the flowers in other people's
gardens . . .
--- Jenny Joseph,1961
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Symbol
Origin
Structure
Development
About RHS
Color Guidelines Women 50 and over red hat,
purple outfit under 50 pink hat , lavender
outfit This adds an element of fun to aging.
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Structure
Origin
Symbol
Development
About RHS

• The Leader of the chapter Queen Mum
• Vice-Mother, the Queen Mother's right-hand woman
  and the mother of vices, so to speak
• Anti-parliamentarian for the one who enforces the
  rule that there are no rules
• Barristress for the lawyer in the group
• Mistress of Anxiety who worries about other
  members' problems for them

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Development
Origin
Symbol
Structure
About RHS
In April 2005 there are about one million
registered members in forty thousand chapters in
the United States and twenty-five countries.
Publications
Web Community
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• Research Methods

• Fieldwork
• We interviewed the Chapter Purple Peacocks at
  their Monthly Gathering Dinner on Feb 11th and
  the Queens Meeting on Feb 13th
• Initial Understanding
• Description Fun, Family, Social Connections,
  Friends, Sharing, Satisfaction, Dressing up,
  Looks, Travel, Technology, Shopping, Reading,
  Exercise, Adventure, Parades, Driving, Fast Cars,
  Cameras

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• Research Methods

• Questionnaire Survey
• to validate our findings (Thanks Craig
  Andrew!!!)
• a set of 22 attitude statements 5 open essay
  Qs
• We used Likert Scale they were asked to express
  agreement or disagreement on a five-point scale.

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• Research Result

Sample population 11 random responses Age Range
49-90 2 widows 3 Queens 1 Pink hat
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• Research Result

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• Mindmap

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• Research Result

Type I Queens
Lisa, 70 years old Previous Occupation real
estate agent Family 2 Kids, 4 grandchildren Reaso
ns to Start a RH Chapter want social life, to
build up new friends net-work, Back to active
lifestyle, Enthusiasm in various of activities,
with family encouragement If you can't find a
red hat society, you can always start one
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• Research Result

Type II Higher Educational Attainment Group
Lucy, 69 years old Previous Occupation Worked
in PG for 18 years and 3 months and 1 day,
Retired 12 years ago, about 40 years old back to
school for post-bachelor degree, Family 2 Kids,
Husband (still working) Finance
Great Lifestyle loves to travel, going to
parades, meeting people, dressing up for the
parties, Hanging out with friends (dinner,
shopping) Recent Activities Traveled with
family to China last year Reasons to join RHS to
fill in blank time
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• Research Result

Type III Happy Widow
Rebacca, 80 years old this May Family current
busy,8 children, Taking care of her 91 year-old
sister in nursing home, Live alone Lifestyle
Sleeps well, left foot driver, Mercy exercises
group (do exercises twice a week), Paints
porcelain pieces with friends (for family),
Travel often Reasons to join RHS To meet more
new people, to be busy and active,
laugh Enjoying Life! Nothing to worry about
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• Research Result

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Summary
What do they feel about growing old -ves
wrinkles mobility issues body aches,
medicationloss of youthfulness, staminaves
Nothing life is a treasure and age is just a
number grand/ great grand childrenso much to
do, so little timefreedom to do whatever you
want, whenever you wantenjoy the body shape and
hair color wisdom and knowledge that comes with
growing old
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Summary
What they want Better health Better
working products (vacuum cleaner, lawn mowers )
Grateful children Weekly Maid service,
cleaning staff, Robot service Relaxation (Spa,
walk in bath tubs) Treasure their memories
(photos, scratch book)
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Summary

• What they get in the RHS
• Social Connection
• Self-validation, social validation
• Be a woman, Be a girl
• Support/ Help each other
• The excuse to buy more (jewelries, clothes)
• The chances to dress up, to be attractive
• Relaxed from burdensome/ serious life
• Meet new people
• Active lifestyle
• Share

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Summary

• Interesting Findings
• 1. Unhappy with physical declination, but few
  exercises
• 2. Shop on-line, although without good
  computer skills
• 3. Not willing to try new brands, but tend to
  buy fancy gifts, small consumer products
• 4. Time is not enough, but finding more
  activities to fill in blank time
• Products opportunities?!
• The ball vacuum cleaner, Robot Vacuum
• http//www.dyson.com/extras/theball/default.asp?si
  navtypemenu
• Sleep Number Bed

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Market Chances
Clothes, Gifts, Footwear, Hat, Jewelry,
accessories, Home Gourmet, stationery
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Available Red Hat Products
Hats!! Need more and more!
Apparels
Dressup
Red hats Pink hats Birthday
Hats
Jewelries
Hat Accessories!!!
Accessories
Flower Pins Hat Stand Feathers
Fancy Hatted Gifts!
Foot wears
License plate
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Red Hatted Ladies in San Francisco
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Red Hat Sea in airport
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Crange Empire Railway museum, CA
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UK
Red Hat Parade