Prolific Nonprofit Champion Kathryn Smith Parades Into the Houston Best Dressed With a Giving Heart

It's Not the Clothes, It's The Women Wearing Them Who Change the World

BY Shelby Hodge // 09.20.23

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Kathryn Smith photographed by Ivan Aguirre for the PaperCity Philanthropy in Fashion Best Dressed magazine spread.

Duchess Mary Kate Smith, Kathryn & Jeff Smith at the 2023 Knights of Momus Coronation Ball in Galveston. (Instagram photo)

Jeff & Kathryn Smith at one of their many nights on the town, here in 2022, supporting Houston's noble causes.

Jeff & Kathryn Smith with their son Sam at the 2022 India Hicks event at OKA. (Photo by Johnny Than)

First time Best Dressed honoree Kathryn Smith & Jeff Smith. (Photo Courtesy of Gittings and jewelry by Valobra Master Jewelers)

Kathryn & Jeff Smith on a casual day out.

Ceron fluffs the coiffure of PaperCity Best Dressed honoree Kathryn Smith in advance of her photo shoot at 4411 Montrose.

Kathryn & Jeff Smith with their son's Stephen and Sam.

Kathryn Smith photographed by Ivan Aguirre for the PaperCity Philanthropy in Fashion Best Dressed magazine spread.

PaperCity continues its series of profiles on the Philanthropy in Fashion Best Dressed honorees, Houston women who embrace the power of fashion and style by committing themselves to making the world a better place all the while dressing with style and grace. As designer Anne Klein notes: “Clothes aren’t going to change the world. The women who wear them will.” “

A proud native Houstonian, Kathryn Smith has an impressive history of community involvement. It is one that includes commitments as a founding member and president of the United Cerebral Palsy Guild and the same for The Center for Pursuit Guild, and for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Guild.

Today, Smith serves on the boards of Neuhaus Education Center, JDRF and Child Development Center.

Kathryn and Jeff Smith — Jeff & Kathryn Smith at one of their many nights on the town, here in 2022, supporting Houston’s noble causes.

When asked to share her roles as chair and co-chair of various fundraising events for nonprofits, the list had 18 entries. To name a few: Communities in Schools dinner, Houston Grand Opera wine classic, United Cerebral Palsy “Hats Off to Mothers” luncheon, Houston Ballet Ball and The Center for Pursuit luncheon, which she has chaired four times.

All of it done with great personal style thus earning Kathryn Smith Best Houston Dressed honors for the first time.

Screen Shot 2023-09-17 at 5.12.30 PM — Duchess Mary Kate Smith, Kathryn & Jeff Smith at the 2023 Knights of Momus Coronation Ball in Galveston. (Instagram photo)

Kathryn Smith’s Faves

Designers: Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Carolina Herrera, Giambiattista Valli

Outdoor Dining with Bering's

Swipe

Fragrance: Coco Chanel

Place that inspires: Israel, the Holy Land

Favorite hotel in the world: Lanesborough Hotel, London

Fashion guilty pleasure: Shoes and jewelry

Jeff & Kathryn Smith, Sam Smith — Jeff & Kathryn Smith with their son, Sam, at the 2022 India Hicks event at OKA. (Photo by Johnny Than)

Doing It Her Way

False eyelashes or mascara: False eyelashes

Pilates or yoga: Pilates

Sneakers or stilettos: Stilettos

Facial or massage: Facial

Jeans or joggers: Neither

Feathers or fur: Fur

The PaperCity Houston Best Dressed honorees were introduced in May, photographed in July by Ivan Aguirre with styling from Michelle Avina, and will be presented at the PaperCity Philanthropy in Fashion Best Dressed Luncheon and Neiman Marcus Fashion Presentation benefiting March of Dimes, sponsored by Children’s Memorial Hermann, this Thursday, September 21 at the Post Oak Hotel.

More information on the big event can be found here.