Southerner in Seattle: Halloween fail

It’s been awhile since I’ve felt like a southerner trapped in the Pacific Northwest but on Halloween I was reminded of the regional differences here in Seattle. After tossing around ideas, like librarian or cowgirl, I settled on dressing up as a member of the Red Hat Society. It’s a social group for women typically 50-years-old and up. They’re often seen at events, restaurants, and touring local sites. When they get together they always wear red hats adorned with purple accents as well as purple and/or red outfits.

I was ecstatic about my choice. SO EXCITED. I went to Goodwill to find a red hat to wear and planned on tying a purple scarf around it. My elation only grew as I was pulling out red and purple clothes from my closet the night before Halloween. I found a purple cardigan that matched perfectly with my purple pants. YES! I also found a purple dress that I’d forgotten about. YES! The scene was set. Work outfit was put together and so was the outfit I planned on changing into for a costume party I was going to later that night.


I even took pictures to send to my friend Val. She supported my choice but tried to warn me that MAYBE people wouldn’t get it.

I didn’t listen.
The next day I was ready to take in laughs, acceptance, and “atta girls” for making a great costume choice. Let me tell you it was DOA instead. Epic fail. By the end of the day I could only count on one hand the number of people who understood what I was. For everyone else I had to explain it. There's no fun in that. None. In their defense I did get compliments on my hat.

Le sigh.

So bummed.

Where did I go wrong? How could this be? What is wrong with these people?!?!?! (haha) Needless to say it didn’t go over like I expected. Then I had a moment of missing the South. I shamelessly posted the above pic on Facebook where I knew it would be well received (don’t judge me). That helped my ego.

Back home in South Carolina red hat ladies are everywhere. Stores have merchandise solely devoted to them. It’s a thing. A HUGE thing.

The thought never crossed my mind that they weren’t popular everywhere.

It’s worth noting I didn’t really celebrate Halloween as a child. My parents are religious (and they didn't celebrate it when they were kids) so I never went trick or treating. Instead there were a couple of times I went to a church carnival. One year I was an artist. Another time I was a queen from the Bible. So no fond childhood memories to reflect upon and just a couple as an adult.

Try again next year? Maybe.

“A mask tells us more than a face.”
-Oscar Wilde