Native Dallasite and resident of The Tradition-Prestonwood Paula Van Wagoner was gifted with numerous and extraordinary talents – so much so that she changed careers every ten years.  Her professions ranged in variety from fashion designer to office manager of KPMG, a famed international accounting firm.  But it was her work in fashion that landed one of her designs – her iconic Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader uniform – in no less than the Smithsonian Institution.

“I trained in fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.  I had been a designer for 10 years when the request to design the Dallas Cowboy cheerleader uniform came as one of the last of these projects,” said Paula in her typically effervescent way. 

Paula was a designer for Lorch Westway, a clothing manufacturer in Dallas. The owner, Lorch Folz, was a good friend of Lester Melnick’s, who owned the Lester Melnick boutique in Preston Royal, and Lester was a good friend of Tex Schramm’s, president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys. Paula was asked if she would like to design a Cheerleader uniform for the Cowboys, and she said “Sure.”

Tex Schramm gave her ideas. The uniforms were to be western in style and in good taste.  She designed the outfit in two days, then gave the design to her assistant to make. “Mr. Folz and I made the presentation to Tex, and he said he liked the design but wanted to see it on someone – so I put it on!  I was in good shape then.”  Tex was immediately sold on it.

She thought the uniforms would be worn only one year and didn’t know they were to be for subsequent years.  “Each year, I couldn’t wait to see if they were worn!” In fact, the Cheerleaders have been wearing the same uniform (with small changes over the years) for 51 years!

Paula didn’t have any connection with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders for 40 years, then her niece, Inga Van Wagoner, who had been a Cheerleader and become an alumna, said they need to meet Paula.  At the 10-year anniversary of the Cheerleader organization, they honored Paula.

“The main thing that surprised me was what the uniforms meant to the girls – to cheer in that uniform,” she said.  They made her part of their family – “Aunt Paula.” She is part of their organization now and attends Cheerleader alumna events with them, even on the field at half-time.

The ultimate honor, however, was when a uniform was added to the collection of the Smithsonian Museum, and Paula was asked to donate a copy of her original sketches.  “Although I didn’t make a penny on the use of the uniforms, nor do I have a copyright for the design, I would much rather be in the Smithsonian!”

Today, she is a happy resident of The Tradition-Prestonwood Independent Living Community, where she has lived for the past two-and-a-half years after she sold her house. “This was the first place I looked, and I rented it right away,” she said. “I think moving here was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I have never regretted it.  Besides the friendliness of the staff and residents – and the food – my favorite activity is water aerobics in the heated pool.  There are activities for everyone to participate in: excursions to museums, shows like the symphony, and restaurants – even trips to Choctaw! and games of all kinds; exercise classes; an in-house theater; speakers on a variety of subjects; and more.  I’m so glad I moved when I did.  As we age, it is harder and harder to even think of packing everything up and taking the step to move, but it gets even harder the longer you put it off!”  She regularly teaches a crafts class there to residents.

As time goes on, the Dallas Cowboys uniforms continue to put Paula in the limelight, and the Smithsonian has not been the only museum with their eyes on her.  The Irving Archives and Museum is currently interested in featuring Paula and her sketches for inclusion in the exhibition space now dedicated to Texas Stadium.  Stay tuned!

Linda Faulkner Johnston – The Tradition