Buford author sees red hat as symbol of empowerment for baby boomer women

BUFORD - After a painful divorce and a mid-life reevaluation of her career writing romance novels, Haywood Smith began looking for a new outlet for her angst. She found it in a red hat.<br> <br> The image came from Jenny Joseph&#39;s poem ``Warning,&#39;&#39; which boldly proclaims, ``When I am an old woman I shall wear purple / With a red hat which doesn&#39;t go and doesn&#39;t suit me.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> ``That&#39;s a perfect emblem of my generation,&#39;&#39; said the 54-year-old Smith. ``I just feel like that poem is a declaration of independence for women in mid-life and beyond.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Smith, who writes from this Atlanta suburb, sought to capture that spirit in her latest literary effort, ``The Red Hat Club,&#39;&#39; a story more about friendship than fantasy, more rowdy than romantic.<br> <br> The book follows five Atlanta women who formed a social club based on the poem as they support one another through various relationship problems. Fueled by the red hat symbolism, the story is intended to send a strong message to women of the baby boomer generation, who are just learning to reclaim their lives in their 50s.<br> <br> ``We were told that we could be anything, but with our role models, the message was marry well and raise a family,&#39;&#39; she said. ``So we were caught in that cross-current, and I think that really had an effect on us and how we responded in our lives.<br> <br> ``That conflict is a tremendous conflict in my generation, and I&#39;ve written about that.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Thousands of women across the country had already adopted Joseph&#39;s middle-age mantra as members of the real-life Red Hat Society, a Fullerton, Calif.-based group that boasts almost 15,000 chapters.<br> <br> The organization revolves around the premise of women in the chapters each headed by a Queen Mother meeting for social events decked out in red hats and purple dresses. The colors are badges of honor for women over 50; ladies who haven&#39;t reached that age are relegated to pink and lavender.<br> <br> The Red Hat Society was created to empower women to age with pride and a sense of humor, said Debra Granich, vice president of operations for the national organization.<br> <br> ``We really want to change the perception of aging women in the United States,&#39;&#39; Granich said. ``As we become older and older, we become more and more invisible.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Smith, who learned of the society and became a proud member herself while writing her book, said women could appreciate the common empowerment themes of both.<br> <br> ``The organization really just struck a need and really hit at the right time,&#39;&#39; Smith said. ``And same with my book.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> But ``The Red Hat Club&#39;&#39; which went on to make The New York Times best seller list for five weeks, peaking at No. 15 in mid-October has drawn mixed reviews from the society.<br> <br> Granich said the obvious parallels between the novel and the organization, which explicitly has not endorsed the book, have confused the public.<br> <br> The story&#39;s ``cutting-edge&#39;&#39; material, including frank discussions about sex and revenge, just doesn&#39;t reflect the fun, light-hearted values of the Red Hat Society, she said.<br> <br> ``People are buying the book because they think it&#39;s about the Red Hat Society,&#39;&#39; Granich said. ``We wish her luck, but she could have picked a better title.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Carol Walker, 58, of the Adorable Fedora Belles chapter in Smyrna, said she personally enjoyed the book, but its protagonists, who schemed against one of the women&#39;s cheating husband, represented a different approach to empowerment than what&#39;s reflected in the society.<br> <br> ``Women definitely are empowered with the Red Hat Society, and I believe (Smith) felt these women were empowered when they went after the husband with the mistress, but it&#39;s really not anything to do with what Red Hatters are about,&#39;&#39; Walker said.<br> <br> Smith said she hoped readers would feel empowered by the strong friendships of the women, above all else. ``It doesn&#39;t take away anything from the Red Hat Society at all; it celebrates it,&#39;&#39; she said.<br> <br> That was the message that resonated with readers, such as Iris Scheffel of the Royal Red Relics chapter in Decatur.<br> <br> ``It&#39;s women supporting each other,&#39;&#39; said the 62-year-old Scheffel. ``Especially as you get older and especially in light of the fact that many women 50 and above are widowed or divorced, having that core network of friends is what carries you through.&#39;&#39;