It starts with a red hat and a splash of violet. You’ve probably seen the posters in gift shops or maybe a framed print in your grandmother’s bathroom. Honestly, "Warning," which most people just call when I am an old woman I shall wear purple, is more than just a poem about fashion choices. It’s a manifesto. It’s a loud, defiant middle finger to the idea that women should become invisible as they age.
Jenny Joseph wrote this in 1961. She was only 29 at the time. Isn’t that wild? A woman in her twenties perfectly captured the psychological itch to stop being "proper" and start being human. It’s about the relief of finally letting go.
The Cultural Explosion of Purple and Red
The poem didn’t just sit in a book. It sparked a literal movement. Sue Ellen Cooper, after gifting a red hat and a copy of the poem to a friend, ended up founding the Red Hat Society in 1998. It wasn't planned. It just happened because women were hungry for a way to reclaim their playfulness.
Most people think the poem is just about being "kinda kooky." It’s deeper. It’s a reaction to the stifling social expectations of the 1950s and 60s. Think about it. Back then, "good" women were expected to be anchors of the home. They were the ones who kept the carpets clean and the children quiet. Joseph’s poem suggests that the reward for a lifetime of following rules is the right to finally break them.
She talks about spending pension money on brandy and summer gloves. She mentions pressing alarm bells just to see if they work. It’s chaotic. It’s beautiful.
Why When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple Still Hits Home
Why do we still talk about this sixty years later? Because aging is still scary for a lot of people. Society often treats older women like they’re past their "use-by" date. When I am an old woman I shall wear purple reframes that decline as a liberation.
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- It validates the desire to be eccentric.
- The poem rejects the "beige" lifestyle of middle age.
- It highlights the exhaustion of being a "good example" for children.
- It’s a reminder that identity doesn't die at sixty.
The poem actually has a darker, more realistic middle section that people often skip over. Joseph writes about how we must have clothes that keep us dry and pay the rent now so we don't let the neighbors down. She acknowledges the "sobriety" of the present. That’s the tension. We are all performing "adulthood" while secretly dreaming of the day we can stop caring what the neighbors think.
The Psychology of Color and Rebellion
There is something specific about purple. Historically, it was the color of royalty because the dye was so expensive—made from crushed sea snails, actually. By choosing purple, the "old woman" is crowning herself. She isn’t waiting for permission.
Then there’s the red hat. Red and purple clash. They shouldn’t go together according to traditional fashion rules. That’s the point. The clashing is the rebellion. When you see a group of women in these colors, they aren't trying to look "pretty" in the conventional sense. They are trying to be seen.
Beyond the Red Hat Society
While the Red Hat Society is the most famous byproduct, the influence of when I am an old woman I shall wear purple shows up in modern "pro-aging" movements. We see it in the "Advanced Style" blog by Ari Seth Cohen, which features stylish seniors in New York. We see it in the way "Grandmillennial" decor embraces the bold and the vintage.
People are tired of being told to age gracefully. "Gracefully" usually just means "quietly." Joseph’s poem suggests aging disgracefully is much more fun.
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The Real Jenny Joseph
Interestingly, Jenny Joseph herself wasn't always thrilled about being defined solely by this one poem. She was a serious journalist and academic. She wrote many other works, but "Warning" became the monster that ate her career. It’s a common thing with creators. They write something offhand, and it becomes the only thing the world wants to hear.
She once mentioned in interviews that she wasn't even particularly fond of purple. She just thought it was a good word for the poem's rhythm. That’s the irony of art. The creator provides the spark, but the audience provides the fuel. Millions of women saw themselves in those lines, even if the author was just playing with a persona.
Misconceptions About the "Purple" Lifestyle
Some people think the poem is an excuse to be rude or a burden. It’s not. It’s about reclaiming the "self" that got buried under decades of caretaking.
- It isn't about laziness; it's about shifting priorities.
- It isn't about being rich; the poem mentions "learning to spit" and "picking flowers in other people's gardens"—things that cost nothing.
- It isn't just for women, though it resonates most strongly with them because of gendered expectations of "decorum."
The poem ends with a bit of a twist. The narrator says maybe she should start practicing a little bit now. That way, people won't be too shocked when she suddenly starts wearing purple. It’s a call to action for the present self. Don't wait until you're eighty to have a personality.
How to Live the Poem Today
If you want to channel the energy of when I am an old woman I shall wear purple, you don't actually need a purple coat. It’s a mindset. It’s about small acts of defiance against a world that wants you to be predictable.
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Maybe it’s finally taking that solo trip. Maybe it’s learning to play the drums at fifty-five. Or maybe it’s just saying "no" to a social obligation you’ve always hated. The "purple" is whatever makes you feel like you again, separate from your job title or your family role.
We spend so much time worrying about the future or regretting the past. Joseph’s poem is a bridge. It looks at the future with a smirk. It says that getting older isn't a tragedy; it's an opportunity to finally be the weirdo you were always meant to be.
Next Steps for Embracing Your Inner Rebel:
- Audit your "shoulds": Spend a week noticing how many things you do simply because you feel you "should" for the sake of appearances. Pick one to drop.
- Find your "clash": Identify one hobby or style choice you've avoided because it's "not age-appropriate." Do it anyway.
- Read the full text: Go beyond the first stanza. The middle of the poem about "paying the rent" is crucial for understanding the weight of the eventual freedom.
- Practice small eccentricities: As the poem suggests, start practicing now. Wear the bold lipstick or the loud shoes today so your "purple" future doesn't come as such a shock to the system.
Living with the spirit of the poem means realizing that "proper" is a cage, and you’ve had the key the whole time.