Age no barrier to fun for Hatters

John Key scrambled through a packed bar especially to have his photo taken with the group of greying women dressed as nuns during the Rugby World Cup. Earlier this year they raised eyebrows when they dressed as convicts and visited a similarly themed maze. And this Halloween you'll spot them dressed as witches handing out lollies to children and unsuspecting adults in the city.

These are Hamilton Red Hat ladies. They're part of the Red Hat Society - an organisation founded in 1998 in the United States for women over 50. There are now chapters around the world and there are three in Hamilton.

Hamilton Red Hat Ladies exemplify the Red Hat Society's catch phrase: growing old disgracefully. They're cheeky, a little bit naughty, and they know how to have a good time. And you can bet a good time will be had by all at the group's wearable arts lunch next week.

Judy Hoult, Margaret Taylor and Pauline Lisignoli are organising the function which will see more than two dozen women don homemade creations, vying for coveted titles such as 'best dressed' and the people's choice award. Prizes are plentiful, if somewhat absurd; think wind-up toys and gaudy table centrepieces.

And the women have gone to great effort to create outfits from recycled materials. Judy has created two outfits. Her pink and silver princess-themed gown is made from a mosquito net, ducting and plenty of hot glue to stick it together. Her second outfit is a yellow and black ensemble made from a heavy-duty plastic sheet sourced from the dump shop. She's even gone to the trouble of making matching earrings.

Once the judging has taken place, they'll tuck into lunch - starting with dessert first - and accompanied by a couple of glasses of fizzy grape juice of the fermented kind.

Pauline describes the fun, frivolous group as "light relief from old age". "We've managed teams, served on committees and now we're revisiting our youth," says Judy. "We don't do any good work or raise funds for anything. It's all about us!"

Members look forward to their monthly meetings. Occasionally there are inter-group get-togethers and there's an annual three-day conference for Red Hat groups around the country. "That's really three days of eating, drinking and laughing," says Judy. And perhaps a spot of shopping, which Pauline says is their "national sport".

While the Hamilton Red Hat Ladies group is at capacity, the women encourage others to form a group. To find out how visit www.redhatsociety.com.