Mom is made over... and fabulous!

We cannot wait to show you how our Mom Makeover turned out, but first, let's get to know our winner a little better. Here is a snippet of the beautiful letter sent in by her daughter:

My mom, Lora DeCurtins, is a mother of three and a grandmother of (so far) one. She also has several other "kids" she cares for as a 5th grade teacher at a Catholic school in Madison. My mom has had a tough last few years...

She lost her own mother, my Grandma, just a few days before Mother's Day two years ago. I know that Mother's Day is always going to bring her sadness as she remembers losing her mom. She is still grieving; I know how much she loved her mother and I am not sure she will ever fully heal.

She has also been struggling with various health problems. It seems like everything hits at once and for her it really has.

Because of the long road ahead of her, she is quitting teaching at the end of this school year and taking some time off to try to take care of herself and her health. Quite frankly, she is worn out, exhausted, and needs a break.

Yet, through all of this she constantly tries to be a blessing to others. It is time for a blessing for her. I think this Chelsea's experience is just what she needs to kick-start the new her. It will bring some happiness during the sad time surrounding Mother's Day remembering the loss of her mother. And, it will be the perfect way for her to rest, reflect, recharge, and regain some confidence. She has a lot of spiritual, physical, and emotional healing to do in the coming months and maybe years and this would be a great way to start her in the right direction!



We were so excited to meet Lora and get her started on her road to renewal! She arrived early with her daughter, Amanda, and her entire wardrobe! Piece by piece, Chelsea helped Lora decide which items to keep in rotation and how to wear them to best flatter her figure. Outfit after outfit, Lora's confidence was building and her bright spirit was filling the store.

Notice the rolled pants in the second photo...that is the perfect length for flattering Lora's legs. Look at that waist! Belting this adorable wrap took the look from frumpy to fabulous!

Again, belting this look and changing the dress from boxy in the middle to an empire fit shows off her beautiful figure.

Now it was time to add new items into her wardrobe to liven things up a bit. Lora had so much fun learning about how she could incorporate bold accessories to keep her classic pieces on trend! But before we show you that, find out what else she was up to.

Lora headed down Phillips Ave. to Salon Britori

 where her golden curls were given a sleek new look. Shawn coated her locks with a rich, chestnut brown color and subtle, honey highlights for depth and dimension.

While her color was setting, Danielle McClure, with It Works, popped in to give Lora a contouring wrap. The wraps are made with all natural ingredients and helped Lora trim 5 inches from her waist and arms.

Lora's existing cut was very good and just needed a little tweaking to flatter her new sleek and straight style. Everyone in the salon was oohing and awwing as Shawn put the finishing touches on it. (Seriously, we were all considering that cut by the end)

Lora's next stop was the makeup chair. Impower Image Consulting sorted through her makeup bag and showed Lora how to apply a fresh look that would stay in place for the day (leaving her camera ready for her photo shoot!). Alexis used warm honey and bronze shades to bring out Lora's bright, blue eyes and compliment her new hair color. In addition, Lora was gifted cosmetics from Tammy Bills, an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay.

In the final piece of her new look, Lora headed over to Salon Revolution where she was treated to a manicure and pedicure with Margene. She chose bright coral and pink for her nails. Pretty and perfect for summer! 

Okay,  are you dying to see her new look? Here it is.......

First, let's remind you how she arrived:

And this is how she ended her day, in her glamorous photo shoot with Ann Louisa Photography. Ann played paparazzi for the day and captured each moment for Lora. She also documented each of Lora's new looks in her personalized look book. Can you say stunning!?!

This was one of Lora's favorite outfits from Chelsea.

She looks incredible in pieces from her own closet, too!

We are so thankful to have spent the day with this lovely mother/daughter duo! We hope that it is a Mother's Day treat they will never forget! ...and for some behind the scenes fun. This is Lora's daughter Amanda's first Mother's Day as a mama! She's expecting...though you can't tell yet.

Chelsea's Boutique will be gifting one special mom each year in the What to Wear:Mom Makeover Giveaway! If you know a woman who could use a makeover and cannot wait until next Mother's Day, contact Chelsea and the other sponsors for the star treatment. Be sure to check out the July/August issue of Hood Magazine for more on Lora's Makeover!