Thirty-nine members find time to meet at least once a month to wear their red hats and fellowship together. Not all of them are from Picayune. Some drive from New Orleans. The bonds of friendship are tight no matter how far friends live apart.

“It’s hard to think of something to do every month,” said the club’s queen, Beryl Ferranto, although, she has the next six months planned. “Last month the Belles traveled to Ponchatoula and shopped for antiques at the shops there.” Ferranto said, “We found a Red Hat shop and we just loved that.”

For this month’s fling, about 22 of the members will be gracing Skip’s on 43 with their presence today.

In April, they will be going to the flea market in Mobile, but the huge party will be at the Red Hat, White and Blue party to which the other Red Hat Societies in the surrounding area are invited. It will most likely be at Dockside in July.

Some of these ladies are in their 80s and the Belles only have one member under 50. Any member under 50 must wear lilac or pink. After a person turns 50, she graduates to the deep purple and flamboyent red hat.