{Makeovers} LaDonna Gets All Dolled Up

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.]

0 Responses to “{Makeovers} LaDonna Gets All Dolled Up”

  1. Sheila says:

    The hair and make-up are wonderful. The color of the dress is great, but the dress is waaaaaaay too tight!

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  2. Hanan says:

    LaDonna, you really look FOF, good for you.

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  3. Fran Blaustein says:

    What a great makeover. LaDonna looks 10 years younger. Her haircut and style are just wonderful for her face. The clothing did her figure a great justice. As we get older, we seem to get rounder and the clothing both covered and blended her figure so that, while she still had the roundness, it looked like it should be there. Beautiful. It’s about time someone recognized what a woman of our age should look like. I would love to have a makeover like this!!! Thank you for making this beautiful woman all that she can be!!!!!

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  4. Gail Armstrong says:

    I am desperately in need of a FOF makeover. I’m 55 and a high school counselor. Some days I feel like I’m 90. It would be neat to style up my look so I’m more in tune with the times and trends of fashion and makeup. I know my students and husband would appreciate a “new” me.

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  5. Audrey Sullivan says:

    What I wouldn’t do!! I raised two children alone, got them off to college, two weddings, two grand children and now a new husband of my own (3 years this monday). I turned 50 in January…looked into a mirror that day and wished. I still have waist long hair that’s usually twisted up with paint brushes, wear blue jeans and tshirts as I’m usually teaching children or painting in my studio. I used to care what I looked like in public but now I’ve just eased into that “comfort zone” that so many of us simply don’t know how to get out of…even thinking of letting my hair go white ~ boy do I need help! LaDonna was inspiring;o)

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  6. Julie says:

    Wow, can I be next please. She looks great. Well done.

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  7. deborah says:

    You look fabulous!Great hair cut…totally changes your face. I love the outfit. It shows your curves and you look really classy. Our shapes are the same and I can so identify with the dress you are wearing in the before picture. I have 6 of them I wear all summer long. My 14 year old grand daughter from Ca told me that I needed to get rid of them because they made me look older and did not show off my figure. My comment was that if I am a size 12, where is my figure. I was wrong. I don’t know what size you are, but I so get what she was trying to tell me. You look amazing..I hope you stick with it. You inspired me!

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  8. maureen says:

    She looks 15 years younger. Too bad about the Sarah Palin radio

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  9. RebeccaDowd says:

    It was almost like a totally different person! By changing the hairstyle the whole picture was up-dated and changed. The look was great on her and very young-looking.

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  10. Terry says:

    That’s great – Now she can be a TV host!

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  11. Elle says:

    Love LaDonna’s post-makeover hair and makeup. The dress looks great on her.

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  12. Alana says:

    Holy cats…that’s wonderful. We all seem to slip into a comfort zone and feel good about ourselves, then we get made over and see how beautiful we really are. I think we all could use a little pampering and make overs now and again.

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  13. Anne says:

    LaDonna looks fabulous! Great job!

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  14. Sherry Lehrer says:

    She looks amazing!! She looks years younger!! What a great new look!! She is ready to take on ANYTHING!!

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  15. CYNDI says:

    My dream is such a day with all the works at a spa followed by the ultimate outfit and shoes with accessories, and not having to worry about the price tag. I am happy to see anyone who gets to live that dream.

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  16. Judy says:

    The clothes look comfy…

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  17. Katherine from Fab Over Fifty says:

    I totally agree with you, KMM. Every part of the makeover accentuates her best features. And how neat that her daughter came along!

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  18. KMM says:

    WOW. She looks great! The haircut really works with the shape of her face and the clothes bring out her nice figure. Plus, it looks like so much fun!

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