FOF LaDonna Hale Curzon, 53, emailed FOF founder Geri Brin a few months ago with this charming ode to turning fifty:
“Three years ago, I learned to ride a motorcycle and now own one; rode twice in Rolling Thunder; learned to fly my hydrofoil on the Potomac; sent my daughters to college; caught a large-mouth bass with a fly rod; learned to play golf; started *Sarah Palin Radio; celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary and had my first Botox injection. Life just gets started at 50!”
Geri loved LaDonna’s story and offered an FOF makeover to help transform her look to match her new lease on life.
LaDonna agreed, and this summer, she and her daughter Sarah, 19, traveled from their home in Alexandria to NYC to meet with an FOF makeover crew.
“She needs a firm hand sometimes with the style,” Sarah told us. “I think she likes to be relaxed so much that she just doesn’t think about it.”
“I’ve been raising two teenage daughters and all the focus has been on them,” LaDonna explained. “Their clothes, their beauty - and of course they look stunning. They’d watch all the makeover shows on TV and say, ‘Mom, that should be you.’ And I’d say, ‘I know.’”
We turned to the team at Butterfly Studio Salon in Manhattan, where an expert hair stylist, colorist, and makeup artist combined to play the role of Fairy Godmother. Sharon Roth at Jarbo Collection—one of our fave FOF designers—supplied the “after” outfits.
HAIR: “I love coming to get my haircut; it’s like therapy for me,” LaDonna said. “Because I always leave happy and it’s cheaper than going to a therapist. It’s like massaging your ego.”
{Click here to see all of colorist Tammy Kopie’s techniques}
{Click here to see all of hairstylist Kelly Finneran’s tips}
MAKEUP: Francesca Roman worked her makeup magic with products from Paula Dorf.
{Click here to see everything she used}
After the make-up, we asked LaDonna how the finished makeover felt.
“I feel divine,” she said. “I love everything they’ve done. My hair feels so soft and sophisticated, and it has some highlights, which I’ve never had in my life. The makeup is unbelievable. I really didn’t recognize myself – in a good way. My daughter was complimenting me!”
Images by Katherine McPherson for FabOverFifty.com
[*Editor's note: We love LaDonna but want to clarify that Faboverfifty has no political affiliation.]
FOF LaDonna Hale Curzon, 53, emailed FOF founder Geri Brin a few months ago with this charming ode to turning fifty:
“Three years ago, I learned to ride a motorcycle and now own one; rode twice in Rolling Thunder; learned to fly my hydrofoil on the Potomac; sent my daughters to college; caught a large-mouth bass with a fly rod; learned to play golf; started *Sarah Palin Radio; celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary and had my first Botox injection. Life just gets started at 50!”
Geri loved LaDonna’s story and offered an FOF makeover to help transform her look to match her new lease on life.
LaDonna agreed, and this summer, she and her daughter Sarah, 19, traveled from their home in Alexandria to NYC to meet with an FOF makeover crew.
“She needs a firm hand sometimes with the style,” Sarah told us. “I think she likes to be relaxed so much that she just doesn’t think about it.”
“I’ve been raising two teenage daughters and all the focus has been on them,” LaDonna explained. “Their clothes, their beauty - and of course they look stunning. They’d watch all the makeover shows on TV and say, ‘Mom, that should be you.’ And I’d say, ‘I know.’”
We turned to the team at Butterfly Studio Salon in Manhattan, where an expert hair stylist, colorist, and makeup artist combined to play the role of Fairy Godmother. Sharon Roth at Jarbo Collection—one of our fave FOF designers—supplied the “after” outfits.
HAIR: “I love coming to get my haircut; it’s like therapy for me,” LaDonna said. “Because I always leave happy and it’s cheaper than going to a therapist. It’s like massaging your ego.”
{Click here to see all of colorist Tammy Kopie’s techniques}
{Click here to see all of hairstylist Kelly Finneran’s tips}
MAKEUP: Francesca Roman worked her makeup magic with products from Paula Dorf.
{Click here to see everything she used}
After the make-up, we asked LaDonna how the finished makeover felt.
“I feel divine,” she said. “I love everything they’ve done. My hair feels so soft and sophisticated, and it has some highlights, which I’ve never had in my life. The makeup is unbelievable. I really didn’t recognize myself – in a good way. My daughter was complimenting me!”
Images by Katherine McPherson for FabOverFifty.com
[*Editor's note: We love LaDonna but want to clarify that Faboverfifty has no political affiliation.]
Editor's Faves: 
1. Etsy - Hundreds of thousands of artisans selling prints, crafts, photography, sculpture, pottery and more. Several FOF members, including Shann Spishak feature their reasonably priced work here. You can search by category, artists and color or look up products by time it was listed, where it was made and browse "curated collections" by other members. Buyers can also request custom items from Etsy artists.
5. UGallery - An online gallery for students and budding artists to showcase and sell their work. They have two sister sites: Daily Deal, a one-of-a-kind, discounted piece of art released every day at noon, and Paperwork, weekly discounts on sustainable art.
{Test This} Lisa Hoffman Beauty Swarovski Pearl Fragrance Bracelet 
{Giveaway} Two words: shopping spree 
{Then & Now} They're fab-- just like you. 
{Bedroom Confessions} Their bed is rocking!