在西方世俗文化中，紫衣配紅帽的穿衣風(fēng)格類似我國的紅配綠。 這首詩歌沒有采用晦澀的文學(xué)手法，十分白話，但其中洋溢的叛逆精神和生命力缺十分讓人喜愛。這首詩歌寫作于1961年，受這首詩歌的啟發(fā)，紅帽會（The Red Hat Society)這個國際性的女性組織，在1998年于美國成立。至今已在超過三十個國家成立了二萬個分會。在今天社團會員在參加活動時，會像詩中所描繪的那樣，穿紫衣，戴紅帽。

圖片發(fā)自簡書App

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

當(dāng)我變成一個老奶奶，我就一身紫衣裝扮

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

配一頂紅帽子，管它風(fēng)格搭不搭，顏色對不對。

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

我要把養(yǎng)老金拿來買白蘭地和夏季手套

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

外加一雙緞子涼鞋，然后說我們沒錢買黃油啦

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

累了就往馬路上一坐

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

狼吞虎咽吃商店送的樣品，亂按警報

And run my stick along the public railings

邊走邊拿棍子在公共欄桿上劃

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

彌補年輕那會兒的謹(jǐn)小慎微留下的遺憾

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

我要靸著拖鞋去雨里泡

And pick flowers in other people's gardens

到別人園子里去采花草

And learn to spit.

還要學(xué)著吐唾沫

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

你可以穿不像樣的襯衣，長得更胖

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

一口吃下三磅臘腸

Or only bread and pickle for a week

也可以僅用面包和泡菜打發(fā)一星期

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

把鋼筆鉛筆酒杯墊子統(tǒng)統(tǒng)藏到各種箱子里

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

可眼下我們必須要衣服保持干爽

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

必須交房租，不得在街上罵罵咧咧

And set a good example for the children.

必須為孩子們樹立一個好榜樣

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

我們必須請朋友吃飯，還須看報

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

不過或許我現(xiàn)在應(yīng)該練一會兒？

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

這樣，等我突然老了，開始穿紫袍

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

認(rèn)識我的人便不至于大跌眼鏡