History of the St. Louis Red Hatters

In the spring of 2002 Bert Maniaci contacted as many Queens from the St. Louis area as she could locate and invited them for lunch at the Frontenac Hilton Hotel. She wanted to have area chapters come together for a social event.

About 25 Queens attended the luncheon. Ideas were exchanged, committees formed and a date was set in early November for a "Holiday Fling" at the Radisson Hotel in Clayton. There was a luncheon, fashion show and vendors for shopping.  We had 420 ladies attend and many had to be turned away.

With such interest in "Matriarchs Uniting", the St. Louis Red Hatters was formed in order to share information on upcoming events and to allow Queens and their members to communicate with other Red Hatters.

In 2003 we found a larger location for our “Second Annual Fling” at Orlando Gardens, almost doubled our numbers and still didn't have enough room. Again we had a luncheon, fashion show and every Red Hatters favorite…shopping.

We then utilized two Orlando Gardens locations in 2004 to accommodate 1390 ladies and you guessed it, there were still more ladies wanting to attend.  That year the fashion show focused on period clothing since our theme was “Meet Me at the Fling”, commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

Our 4th Annual Fling, “Stylin’ in the City”, in 2005 was held at the Adam's Mark Hotel for 1700 Red and Pink Hatters and we still had a waiting list! We had a luncheon, entertainment and vendor shopping. Mayor Slay and County Executive Dooley proclaimed the day to be Red Hat Day in St. Louis city and county.

In 2006 we came full circle.  We downsized to 600 attendees, changed the name to “Rendezvous” and returned to our original location in Clayton which is now the Crowne Plaza.  We took a “Sentimental Journey to the 1940’s”, served a sit down brunch in the “Casablanca” ballroom and had shopping and dancing in the “Stagedoor Canteen” located in another ballroom.

To further facilitate this sharing and communication, the St. Louis Red Hatters web site was launched in March, 2007. The web site is for all Red Hatters to visit, use, and enjoy. The St. Louis Red Hatters  will continue to maintain and update this web site with funding from SLRH events and the sale of the logo pin.

A recap of the past couple of years finds that the 600 ladies luncheons have been well received, attended, and always a sell out.

In 2007 we returned to Orlando Gardens and stepped back in time to the ole south for a "Southern Sensation" Rendezvous with the ladies in sweeping skirts and foot tapping banjo music.

Even with the name change, the yearly luncheon was still being referred to by the ladies as the Fling. That, and because Rendezvous was difficult to spell, in 2008 the name was changed, forever more, back to the Fling. Orlando's Hideaway witnessed the "Roaring Twenties, Red Hat Style" where Flappers were seen everywhere and an old fashion photo booth captured the spirit.

The yearly November Fling for 600 ladies will continue for Red Hatting camaraderie and to provide web site support.

From 2002 until 2006 we supported the St. Louis Red Hatters team in the annual Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure.  Red Hatters came together in sisterhood to help stamp out breast cancer.  Since many Red Hatters have family and friends to walk with, we no longer sponsor a team.  We encourage everyone to continue to support the fight against breast cancer in their own way.