Bec Judd: 20-years of the woman in the red dress
Our obsession with the leggy Perth model turned AFL wag and style icon was born with that Brownlow red dress, but 20 years on we’re still proudly in our “Bec Judd era”.
Fiona Byrne
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Twenty years ago next month the tectonic plates of Melbourne celebrity shuddered as a glamorous new star arrived on the red carpet.
Rebecca Judd, or Twigley as she was then, went from successful Perth model and girlfriend of footy ace Chris Judd, to the most talked about woman in the country thanks to a daring, plunging, slinky, fire engine red Ruth Tarvydas dress …. it was the dawn of the Bec Judd era.
In many ways it was fitting that Bec’s take off moment as a star came on the red carpet at the 2004 Brownlow Medal.
Her celebrity has grown from the combined power of footy, fashion, TV and media, all of which met at an apex that glittering September night at Crown Casino.
In the years to come she smartly added social media to her skill set, identifying early on the potential and burgeoning power of blogs and Instagram.
Two decades down the track, Judd, now a busy mum of four, remains Melbourne’s red carpet queen, fashionplate, and the city’s OG influencer.
Her endorsement is highly sought after, she is highly desired on any guest list, and if she turns up at an event, the event will get coverage.
Since Covid, Judd has emerged as a powerful critic of Victoria’s justice system and the “woke, broke and violent” mess that Melbourne has become. It is a turn few would have expected, but might be her most interesting yet.
Turning back the clock, Bec’s 2004 Melbourne moment had its genesis at a Cottesloe Pub in Perth in 2002 when the model locked eyes on young West Coast Eagles player, Chris Judd.
Eighteen months later they were officially a couple soon after they were on their way to Melbourne and the Brownlow Medal.
Bec’s red carpet moment was akin to Elizabeth Hurley’s Versace safety pin dress sensation at the London premiere of the film Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994.
Chris may have won the Brownlow that night, but his lady in red was the real winner.
Back in Perth in 2005 she started her tertiary studies first in television, film and journalism then transferred to speech pathology.
Finally in late 2007 Bec moved to Melbourne with Chris who left the West Coast Eagles and signed with Carlton.
In 2008, just weeks after she and Chris settled in Melbourne, Myer signed Bec as its Racewear Ambassador. It was a time when roles as the face of department stores — think Jennifer Hawkins for Myer and Megan Gale for David Jones, or an ambassador for a store — were filled with prestige.
She completed her speech pathology studies at Latrobe University and then worked at the Alfred Hospital from 2009 until 2011.
On New Year’s Eve 2010, Bec, wearing a stunning J’Aton gown married Chris, who three months earlier had won his second Brownlow Medal, at the Carousel at Albert Park.
The evening news bulletins covered the happy occasion.
In 2011 Bec and Chris welcomed their first child, a son, Oscar.
That same year Bec joined Channel 9 as the host of Victorian-based travel program Postcards, a role she held until 2020.
In 2012 Bec launched her fashion and lifestyle blog, Rebecca Judd Loves (RJL).
An early adopter in the social media space, Judd’s profile meant her social media followers quickly grew which led to commercial opportunities. At the time of writing Judd has 755,000 followers on Instagram.
She finished her tenure with Myer at the end of 2012.
2013 saw Bec and Chris became co-owners of activewear brand, Jaggad, along with their close friends Steve and Michelle Greene.
Jaggad continues to go from strength to strength as fashion conscious, comfortable and practical athleisure wear.
Chris and Bec welcomed their second child, a daughter, Billie in early 2014.
In April that year Bec was appointed weekend weather presenter on Channel 9’s Melbourne news. That same year she launched her web TV series The Style School. The Style School lasted for four seasons with each season following Bec’s renovation of a different property. She also became a part owner of tanning company Spray Aus that year.
Chris retired from the AFL in 2015.
Jumping forward to 2016 Bec announced she was expecting twins. The evening she signed off from the Nine News team still haunts sports guru Tony Jones after Bec famously yelped and shied away as Jones tried to give her a farewell peck on the cheek at the end of the bulletin. The extremely awkward video went viral.
In September that year Tom and Darcy Judd were born, completing the Judd family.
Radio beckoned Bec in 2017 and she joined KIIS FM’s 3PM Pick-Up, a role she held for four years and during which she was nominated as Best Newcomer On-Air in the Australian Commercial Radio Awards.
Bec entered her author era in 2018, releasing The Baby Bible, a guide to pregnancy and motherhood.
By late 2019 Bec had finished the massive renovation of the family’s new “forever home” in Brighton, which she and Chris had purchased in late 2018.
The only thing left was for a house-warming — enter Juddchella.
The house-warming had a Coachella theme and while there were a modest number of close friends, colleagues and fellow Brightonites in attendance, the social media content pumped out on the day turned the backyard party into national headlines.
Bec’s interest in interior design and house design went from private to professional in 2022 when she collaborated with building company Lowe Living on the design of two luxury Bayside Melbourne projects.
Reality TV entered Bec’s wheelhouse in 2023 when she and her sister Kate Twigley competed in Channel 10’s The Amazing Race Australia, throwing themselves into endless uncomfortable and unflattering situations with good humour.
Now in 2024, twenty years since she burst into the Melbourne mindset, Bec is now very much in her footy mum era, while working as a brand ambassador and renovating the family’s Mornington Peninsula holiday home.
“I am happy to be a busy, working mum who has sporty kids, who are all training in different locations, and playing games, at the same times, at different times at ovals around Melbourne,” Bec said.
“It is full on, but it is really enjoyable. There is nothing I like more than watching my kids play sport. It brings me so much joy.”
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