Wow! Doesn't Kathy Byrnes look great? I think so. And so does Kathy's son, Dominic, who said in instead of looking "frumpish" like she did before, his mom now looks "way different" and "younger."

It just goes to show what a little attention can do for a gal who usually focuses all her energy on other people. Getting her to used to that took some doing — Kathy said she felt awkward having so much attention focused on her — but in the end, I was mighty pleased with the results.

Part of Kathy's new look must be credited to the transformative powers of a great red dress. This little number's defined waist gave Kathy some shape, but thanks to its full lining, it didn't cling to every bump and bulge. The rosettes at the neckline added the flair that was seriously lacking in her wardrobe before, and keep attention focused on her face. The satin-esque peep-toe sling-backs echoed the style of the dress and let Kathy show off her gorgeous gams. Plus they made her stand a little taller, literally and figuratively.

Kathy had great hair to start with, naturally curly and not thinning or graying. "It just keeps getting darker, and I actually have too much hair," she said. I tried to hate her a little bit for that, but it was too hard because she's just such a giver. Even before we left the salon, she was wondering whether she should pen them a thank-you note or send a box of chocolates.

Deciding what to do with Kathy's hair did cause some debate in our camp. On a very basic level, I wanted to push the color of her hair up or down a notch to provide some contrast to her skin and eyes. When Kathy started, all three were about the same intensity of tone, making her look bland.

Darkening her hair, I reasoned, would pop her pale skin and eyes. But our fashion stylist Lynne Kudus and hair stylist Karalyne Brindley had their own ideas — which weren't necessarily the same. There was a tense moment or two, but in the end — after a flurry of phone calls, e-mails and philosophical discussions about the meaning of words such as "richness" and "warmth" — we decided on a cut and color we could all get behind.

The cut — which took some of the bulk out of Kathy's hair and gave it some shape and texture — probably had the biggest overall effect on Kathy's look. By taking some of the weight out of the hair, Karalyne was able to put the volume where we wanted it (on the crown of the head instead of the sides), and focus attention on Kathy's neck and ears.

Julie Moss from Cactus Aveda Salon applied a palette of neutral colors to Kathy's face "Because you want enhancement — you don't want look like you have makeup on," Moss said.

Kathy's brows were dyed to match her new hair color and because they were sparse, Moss defined them with an eyebrow pencil then used a mascara brush to soften the line. A light-colored concealer applied to the corner of Kathy's deep-set eyes helped open them up and make her look more awake.

A great handbag and simple yet interesting accessories finished off the look.

I always hope that our makeover recipients get more than just a great outfit out of the process though, and I'm confident that Kathy did.

"Now when I go out into the world, I'm conscious of what other people are wearing and how that might fit with me," she said. "I'm like, 'Ooh, look at her handbag,' or even, 'Oh, that color does not work for her!' I'm paying more attention and I noticed that feel more feminine having a pedicure and manicure."