Linda Adams Foat
By Ed Avis
In 1982 Linda Adams Foat needed something happy in her life to help her cope with a stressful family incident. She found joy in music classes at her local community college.
“I was taking voice lessons and the voice coach said they needed some more people for a production of Guys and Dolls,” Foat remembers. “So I joined the production’s Mission Band, and had to make my own skirt for the show. I loved doing that and started making costumes for other productions. My career blossomed from there.”
Foat’s love of costuming eventually led to two decades of service to the NCA. In recognition of that service, Foat was given an Honorary Lifetime Membership during the Board’s summer meeting in August. Her husband Merlyn Foat, who regularly accompanies Linda to NCA events, was given the Unsung Hero Award.
“When Linda sees a need concerning the NCA, she is always one of the first to raise her hand and volunteer,” says Marion Bradley, immediate past president of the NCA and owner of Discount Costumes in Warner Robins, Georgia. “From her volunteering to be on the Board; and being a Past President, to her great work with leading the Student Scholarship events, to diligently working the NCA Booth at our trade show, (and recruiting her husband Meryln as the dynamic duo) and graciously making amazing costumes to help the NCA raise funds -- for all this and more; no one is more deserving of this award than Linda Adams Foat!”
“I’m so honored to receive this recognition,” Foat says. “The NCA has been so important to me and my business over the years.”
Opening Her Own Business
Once Foat started making costumes for other productions at Highland Community College in Freeport, she realized that she had a lot to learn.
“Eventually I was doing whole shows, but I didn’t really know what I was doing,” she laughs. “I could sew, but I didn’t know all the ins and outs of making costumes. So in 1985 I figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up and went to Rockford University for a costume degree.”
Before long Foat was hired fulltime at Highland Community College to make costumes. The college had a slim budget for costuming, so sometimes Foat would make a costume at her own expense and then keep it once the show ended. Eventually she had six nice costumes in her home and Merlyn asked what she planned to do with them.
That led to her next endeavor: She decided to rent out the costumes. In 1987 she started Camelot Costumes and ran the business from her home, while continuing in her post at the college. In 2000 she and Merlyn moved to a home with a store on the property, and Linda moved Camelot Costumes into the store.
Soon thereafter came another turning point in her costuming career: In 2002 she joined the NCA. She was not a passive member – she attended national and regional conventions, took classes, read Costumer magazine cover to cover, and networked with other members.
“I thought, ‘If I’m going to spend this money, I’m going to get out of it as much as I can,’” she says.
Networking with other members was a key NCA benefit for Foat. For example, when a customer asked for an item she didn’t carry, often she would ask a fellow member for it.
“I don’t have room in my store to buy $1,000 worth of shoes or hats, so I made connections with others in the association who did buy in bulk and I could call them and say, ‘Hey, do you happen to have this?’ And they’d say, ‘Sure,’ and most of the time they would sell it to me at wholesale plus just a little bit.”
Joining the Board
Merlyn Foat
Foat became so active in the NCA that when a board member left with a year left on her term in 2007, Foat was asked to step into the spot. She was subsequently elected to full terms, and climbed up the leadership ladder.
Among her many roles, Linda, together with Merlyn, became the face of the NCA at the Halloween & Party Show. The couple worked the NCA booth the entire time and helped make sure everything ran smoothly. Linda also regularly contributed some of her original costumes to be sold in the scholarship fundraising auction.
By 2012 she was the second vice president. The first vice president normally becomes the president the following year, but that person decided not to move up, so Foat became president. Foat was known during her presidency and subsequent years as a past-president and director as a devoted, hard-working leader who was always willing to give more.
“I remember how helpful and accessible Linda was when I took over as editor of Costumer magazine,” says Kathy Furore, who became editor of Costumer in 2014. “We met with Linda to discuss the NCA and the magazine’s role, and her love of the association and costuming in general was so evident. Whenever I needed advice or information, Linda was there.”
Creating Costumes
Linda created this costume, "Amelia," which was auctioned at the 2020 Halloween & Party Expo.
Foat’s work in costuming continued apace during her years of NCA service. She estimates that she has created costumes for at least 250 shows at Highland Community College and local high schools.
She says that until recently, her favorite production was Camelot. Every member of her family – she and Merlyn have four children and were foster parents to 15 other children -- participated on productions of Camelot over the years.
“That’s such a nice memory for us,” she says. “That’s partially why I named my business Camelot Costumes. The other reasons is that my husband is named Merlyn, and Camelot is such a fantasy place.”
But two years ago Camelot dropped to her second-favorite show. Her new favorite? Titanic.
“In the summer of 2019 we did Titanic the Musical out at the college, and now that’s my favorite.” Foat says. “I thought it would kill me, because it’s very difficult to do. There are 23 cast playing 67 characters. In the opening alone we had 40 costume changes! But when it was all done, I saw how beautiful it looked. I conquered it and it looked good, so now it’s my favorite.”
Foat is officially retired from the college, but still makes costumes for them on contract. She also does custom builds for individuals. For example, she has created several period dresses for a Mary Todd Lincoln reenactor, and she has done costumes for several Renaissance weddings and many madrigal events.
What does the future hold? Foat says she is considering selling or closing Camelot Costumes, but hasn’t decided yet.
“I have very mixed emotions about it. I love what I do, especially the theater, and I would miss that terribly,” she says. “I love the building up of the show, watching the rehearsals, seeing the whole scheme of things working out. But during COVID I realized that I like that free time, so I do have mixed emotions about it. When I decide to retire I know I’m going to cry.”
Whether Foat retires soon or later, her legacy as an NCA leader is secure.
“Linda impacted the NCA many ways in her years of service, and we are all grateful,” says Pam Markel, current NCA president and owner of Illusive Skull Costume Castle in Fairmont, West Virginia. “The association is stronger because of her.”