Judy Smith
Editor's Note: Pam Markel, immediate past president of the NCA, is contributing a column to NCA Today that highlights the activities of retired members. In this edition, she describes the post-NCA endeavors of Judy Smith.
By Pam Markel
Judy Smith of Denton, Texas is the epitome of Creativity. I do not think I’ve ever met anyone who engages her mind in such a unique and interesting way. The first time I met Judy, I was blown away with the things she could create, design, and envision from absolutely nothing.
As the former owner of Rose Costumes in Denton, Texas, Judy became an NCA member in 1983. She held various chairs for committees, but her heart was captured as she headed up the Patterns on Parade event at the National Conventions. Her second love was the Creative Style show, where participants took a “choice” box of goodies (material, trim, and many, many other weird things) and made a costume or costumes.
Judy’s creative history began long before she opened a costume shop. Originally, she and a friend opened a store called “Secondhand Rose, in which she sold vintage clothing, furniture and other items. It was located near the campus of the University of North Texas, in Denton, Texas. While traveling, she happened to see a Costumer magazine in a costume shop in Dallas. Judy took down all the information about joining and the rest is history.
Denton, Texas probably had never seen a store like Judy’s. Creativity at its highest degree.
When Judy and her staff would come to the National Conventions, their dress each day reflected a different theme, from top to bottom. We just couldn’t wait to see what the next day would bring.
Now that Judy has retired and sold her business about 6 years ago, she has not stopped. Her imagination and ingenuity continue to create and produce interesting things. A few years ago, she set up a booth at an antique mall, where she made and sold clothing from her finds at thrift stores and yard sales. After a hefty remodeling, new creations evolved. Refashioning jeans, making them interesting and unique was just one of the facets of her creative endeavors.
Lately, she has reconnected with the daughter of the woman who started Secondhand Rose with her in 1976. Together with her, Judy has found a new avenue for her talent. Imagination, out of the box thinking, whatever you want to call it, Judy started creating clothing from ‘70s sheets, towels, curtains etc., for this woman to sell in her store. She no longer needs to leave home, she can sew where she is comfortable and at her leisure. Judy has designed and made jackets, crop tops, long dusters and so on out of these treasured ‘70s items. She ships the clothing to her friend in Austin, Texas and starts all over again. One of her favorite items is the “Elvis” coat made from a velvet wall hanging.
Some people like to brag about their accomplishments. This is not Judy Smith. When speaking to her, it is almost as though everyone else inspires her and teaches her to look beyond and outside of the box. She said, “The National Costumers Association inspired me to go beyond what I could do on my own.”
At 84 years young, Judy Smith is enjoying retirement, remaking anything she can find into interesting designs, and constantly sharing her creative spirit with the world. Her close friend Lorraine Brown, quoted to me, “Judy said she could copy any costume but did not like creating new designs.” If you have seen any of Judy’s creations, that statement is hard to believe.
Judy Smith was awarded the NCA Unsung Hero Award, and in 2019, she was bestowed the National Costumers Honorary Life Membership. Thank you, Judy, for all the wonderful memories and creative inspiration you have passed on to the members of the NCA.