Important Fashion Show Brings Out Dallas’ Best Dressed and Dallas Cowboys Greats

For many, the first signs of autumn might be leaves changing color or perhaps football season with its requisite tailgating. For me, however, it is when I attend my first luncheon at Brook Hollow Golf Club, which I recently did in support of KidneyTexas.

Event chair Mari Epperson alongside honorary chairs Renée Winter and Suzette Derrick had planned an exciting afternoon at the Club in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the luncheon and fashion show that raises awareness and dollars for KidneyTexas. As usual, Dallas’ biggest and brightest showed up in their daytime finest to support the cause.

The mission of KidneyTexas is to provide funding for the treatment, cure and prevention of kidney disease. The organization is also a resource for the care of people suffering from kidney disease. For all of those reasons, KidneyTexas has a loyal Dallas following.

Jan Strimple, one of PaperCity’s former Bomb girls, who has the greatest taste of anyone I know in Dallas, produced the fashion show. It featured a gorgeous assortment straight from the fall racks of Tootsies. Some of my favorite ensembles that glided down the runway included a yummy (and I’m imagining buttery soft) Lafayette 148 sunset leather coat and vest paired with some Frame tobacco leather cropped pants. I’d also definitely suggest that any girl looking for a statement piece to wear to an upcoming black-tie event run tout suite to buy the Aida fuchsia gown that caught my eye.

All the current trends were seen in the show including neon colors and mixed plaids. Plus a wide variety of options in leopard print. If you are feeling kittenish and coy, then pick-up a Moschino leopard blouse and purrr “Meow” to me the next time I see you.

My favorite outfit award (for someone not on the runway) of the day has to go to Lisa Cooley. She looked stunning in a sheer dress with exaggerated sleeves and vibrant floral appliques paired with stunning pink earrings. I was dying to grab Cooley to ask the designer, but unfortunately she was gone before I could track her down post-fashion show.

A fun ending came at the pre-lunch portion of the program. The inaugural Everson Walls Legacy Award, which honors an individual or corporation for its dedication to fighting kidney disease, was presented to Everson Walls. Walls, a former Dallas Cowboy defensive back, donated one of his kidneys to former teammate Ron Springs, who went on to live for several years after the life-saving surgery. Walls was most definitely surprised to find a few other Dallas Cowboys show up to applaud his award.

The crowd went wild when Michael Downs, “Mr. Hail Mary” Drew Pearson, Timmy Newsome and Ed “Too Tall” Jones walked on the stage.

I was pleased as punch when one of my dining companions, Lorraine Meehan, came over to introduce herself. She had heard me say my name was “Billy” and proceeded to say: “Are you that Billy Fong who writes the charming stories of amazing women in Dallas?” I then got into a little discussion about my Bomb column with her and her dear friend, Mary Miller. I made sure to enlist the two of them to send me names of any good Bomb Girl candidates for the future.

Others spotted in the crowd supporting KidneyTexas included Sue Goodnight, Patricia Cowlishaw (who received the Sue Goodnight Service Award), Carol Seay, Billie Leigh Rippey (looking oh-so-chic in plaid), Doris Jacobs, Nerissa von Helpenstill, Dustin Holcomb, Lauryn Gayle White, Scott Murray and Jay Finegold.