In our culture that suggests that women of a certain age concern themselves with the care of others - their families, their jobs, their volunteer obligations - it's wildly entertaining to know there is a club that elevates friendship, fun, and fellowship over everything else and generally frowns on convention.

 

Visiting with six members of the Hell's Belles recently, a visitor was treated to a rousing rendition of the group's theme song, sung to the tune of "Hail to the Redskins" and accompanied via the kazoo. Let's all sing along:

 

Hey we're the Hell's Belles, All young-at-hearts, Gals who enjoy life, And this is just the START!  Hail to the Hell's Belles, Girls on the run, We don't stay home much, We're having too much fun!

 

To understand the culture of the Hell's Belles there are several tenets to understand: They don't do fundraising, they do fun-raising. They don't dress for success, they dress for excess. Gaudy is good, tacky is better. The official sport is shopping. While some groups lunch (and there's nothing wrong with that they're quick to emphasize), they're more active, organizing events or going to those of other chapters and traveling and otherwise engaging in "marvelous" events.

 

There are events that are close to home, like the spring BYOB (bring your own basket) Easter egg hunt and tea held at the Nokesville home of Doris Harris (aka the Duchess of Glitz). Each Belle brings her own cup and saucer and contributes plastic eggs to the cause (coloring the eggs would be tantamount to work and is thus verboten). This past year more than 850 eggs were hidden for the 50 party-goers who turned out in full regalia. And there are trips to far-flung places. The Belles have traveled to London, Las Vegas. Gatlinburg and Branson, for example. Belles are encouraged to pick and choose the activities they enjoy: some do a few, others do it all. Regardless of the level of participation, "we all feel the magic in our hats and become instantly energized wearing our regalia, strutting our stuff, and enjoying our playtime," says Queen Mum Joyce Entremont. 

 

Entremont, a Manassas resident, first discovered "Warning" in 1993 while dealing with her mother's terminal illness. The poem caused her to laugh out loud and she remembers wishing the hospital gift shop sold red hats so she could buy one for her mom to cheer her up. There was no red hat that day, but several years following her passing, Entremont's sister sent her a framed copy of the poem.  Time passed, Hell's Belles was born. The name honors a favorite saying (similar to a contemporary "whatever" of her mother) and she knows her mom would love seeing the "ridiculously flamboyant accessories" that adorn the outfits.

 

Now to the fashion of the Hell's Belles: One of the few rules is that when the group goes out, full-fledged members wear red hats and purple outfits. But asking the Belles how many hats and outfits they each own quickly brings shrugs and a chorus of I've-stopped-counting replies. They do all have at least one room in their home dedicated to their regalia and several had two rooms filled with red, purple and assorted baubles. In fact, the over-the-top glitz frequently elicits this question from onlookers: Is it real? To which the Belles respond with glee: "Sure it's real...touch it!"  Hell's Belles boasts a membership of 120.