Brenda Marshall ‘Queen’ of Shelburne fabulosity!

August 31, 2013 · 0 Comments

Brenda Marshall, owner of Pazazz, is a queen for two reasons. First, she sells quality ladies fashions for the modern rural lifestyle – making her the queen of Shelburne fashion. Secondly, she is a Red Hat Society Queen, codename ‘Buy ’n Buy’.

Like Brenda herself, her retail store ‘Pazazz’, is known for two things; Ladies fashions and accessories in the front, and all things ‘Red Hat Society’ in the back.

Brenda started in the fashion business in 2003, when she opened her first store in Thornbury.

“Women started coming in looking for red and purple clothing,” Brenda told the Free Press. “I knew why they were shopping at the store, because I’d been aware of the Red Hat Society since 2000.”

Pazazz soon became known as a Red Hat destination, supplying clothing and accessories to Red Hat Society members locally and worldwide via their Internet store.

Some background: The Red Hat Society is an international group dedicated to “reshaping the way women are viewed in today’s culture”. The Society promotes “pro-aging” not “anti-aging” and “encourages women to pursue fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment and lifelong dreams and fitness by being a part of a ‘play group’ for women”.

The Red Hat Society was founded by Sue Ellen Cooper on April 25, 1998.

“When my dear friend Linda Murphy was nearing a ‘fifty-ish’ birthday she began to joke about getting old. While neither of us thought of ‘fifty-ish’ as old, we were both aware of society’s perceptions about age and women. With these thoughts in mind, I set out to find Linda the perfect birthday gift, one that would do her imaginative spirit justice. I searched through heaps of trinket gifts and piles of knick knacks, but nothing seemed right At this point, I remembered a poem, titled ‘Warning,’ by Jenny Joseph. I recalled its refreshing (liberating!) attitude toward aging. I found a copy of the poem, paired it with a vintage red hat and presented the gift to Linda. She loved its playful reminder not to take aging too seriously. Soon similar birthday gifts were given to my closet friends and it was decided we would all venture out to tea dressed in our red hats and purple dresses.

“On that day, April 25, 1998, something magical happened. Whether it was the allure of playing dress-up or the transforming effect of our regalia, the tea was a smashing success. Deciding to make our get-together a regular tradition, we dubbed ourselves, ‘The Red Hat Society’ then and there,” says Sue Ellen Cooper in her guide for new Queens.

Pictures from the first tea party were picked-up by a newspaper wire service and soon other Red Hat Society chapters were popping up across the country.

In Canada, the number of Red Hat members continues to steadily grow. Every province and most territories in Canada have registered chapters. Annual supporting memberships are $20 US, and to register a chapter is an additional $19 US. (further information: www.redhatsociety.com). Members under 50 are Pink Hatters, wearing pink hats and lavender clothing. Upon reaching their 50th birthday, they may be given a “Reduation”, a changing of the colours, so to speak, and the member’s first red hat is placed upon her head. She is officially now a Red Hatter and will wear a red hat with purple clothing.

The member registering a new chapter is referred to a “Queen” and her members, her court. Court members may have Royal Titles: Countess of Chocolate, Princess of Purchasing…. You get the idea. It’s all done in fun! Members divide the “work” of arranging an activity amongst the group for each of the monthly gatherings. It may be a tea, theatre, games afternoon, go-karting, whatever the members are up for.

Finding the right attire is where Pazazz Ladies Fashions comes in. With Thornbury out of reach (in terms of travel) for ladies in the GTA, Brenda opened a second Pazazz location in Shelburne.

“We wanted to provide everything for the Canadian Red Hatter under one roof, within a two hour driving distance from major population centres,” said Brenda. “And fulfill a dream of mine to have a Ladies Fashion Store. Shelburne allowed me to do both”

Brenda purchased a building located at 122 Owen Sound Street, in the fall of 2006 and began the extensive renovations that were required to get the facility ‘Red Hat’ and ‘Ladies Fashions’ ready.

She celebrated her grand opening on August 1st, 2007. The following year, she closed the Thornbury location and moved her entire inventory to Shelburne.

“Our Thornbury location was very small,” said Brenda, on the original store. “Here in Shelburne, we’ve been able to add to our inventory and merchandise it properly.”

Her daughter Beth–Marie Baldwin also joined Brenda as a partner at the Shelburne location. Together, the mother/daughter duo have made Pazazz a hub for rural lifestyle fashion, Red Hat finery, and lately, a growing hard-to-fit bra market.

“We have been able to develop our ladies fashions side over the last 7 years, changing to suit the lifestyle of our customers,” adds Brenda quickly. “Our customers appreciate our product knowledge, personal service, and complete honesty.”

Pazazz carries signature brands such as Tribal, French Dressing Jeans, Joseph Ribkoff, Point Zero, Tan Jay and Alia.

“It’s comfortable clothing that looks put together,” said Beth–Marie. “You can wear it to work, to dinner with friends, on holidays – whatever life throws your way.”

The store also carries signature jewellery pieces from Treska.

“Treska makes beautiful, original jewellery with a handmade look,” said Beth–Marie. “It’s easily identifiable and we get a lot of customers who come in specifically to see new pieces in the line.”

Pazazz also carries giftware, cards and accessories – “all with a women’s attitude”.

The back of the store is dedicated to Red Hat finery – and Pazazz has it all!

“We can dress and accessorize Red Hat members from head to toe,” said Brenda. “We carry everything to start your own Red Hat chapter. In fact, we can even help you start your own chapter. I have registration materials here in the store and I can walk perspective Red Hatters through the process and even fax off their membership applications.”

Brenda even takes her commitment to the Red Hat Society one step further – connecting potential members with existing chapters.

“Whether you want to be a Queen (which is the leader of an individual chapter) or a supporting member I may be able to help get you started…and then, outfit you from head to toe!”

And Brenda isn’t kidding. Being the largest Red Hat Society outfitters in Canada (and one of the largest in the world), Pazazz draws attention from Society members.

“Sue Ellen Cooper (the founder of the Red Hat Society) and Debra Granich (CEO) actually came to our store in 2009. They were in Canada to attend a parade in Cambridge and came here for a Meet and Greet, hosted by Pazazz,” said Brenda. “Sue Ellen was surprised by our inventory. Debra will insist she visits the store when she is visiting the area. There is no better endorsement for our Red Hat Finery!”

Pazazz is open: Monday: 10–5; Tuesday: 10–5; Wednesday: 10–5; Thursday: 10–6; Friday: 10-6; Saturday: 10–4; Sunday: Closed.

For more information, call Pazazz Ladies Fashions & Accessories at 519 925-3232 or toll-free 1-877-925-3232. For more information on the Red Hat Society and local chapters, e-mail Brenda at info@pazazz.ca

Follow them on Facebook: PazazzCanada (red hat) and PazazzFashions (everyday fashion)

By Wendy Soloduik