STYLE Teacher gets some lessons in fashion

Mary Jo Conley's friends thought she deserved some pampering.
By LISA JONES TOWNSEL
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
ST. LOUIS -- There's a price that one pays to be dedicated. For teacher Mary Jo Conley, 53, of Union, Mo., that means alarms that go off by 4:30 a.m., doing a little schoolwork before getting dressed, darting out the door by 6:30 to take children to school and to work and prepping a classroom by 8:15.
But you're not going to get any complaints from Conley, who has worked in special education for more than 20 years.
While, over time, her skills as a special education teacher have become as sharp as a pencil ("My big thing is to be positive. I believe they can do a lot of stuff," she says of her students), Conley's fashion wit has remained dull.
Earth mother
A lifetime loyalist to Birkenstocks, Conley wears the Earth Mother sandals throughout the calendar year. Her daily uniform includes loose-fitting pullover tops and jeans. No makeup. And her center-parted hair typically air dries.
Unbeknownst to Conley, some of her school friends wanted her look to catch up to the warmth of her personality.
"Mary Jo wears Birkenstock sandals all year round . . ."
"She could really use a makeover."
"She deserves a day of pampering as a 'thank you' for all the hard work she does," the letters read.
We tapped Salon St. Louis owner Terry Harrison, who has worked on runway shows and ad campaigns, to offer Conley hair help. He and his group quickly came up with a plan.
"I just had it cut before school started," Conley said of her hair, which used to trail down her back. Now, it stops at her shoulders.
"My son Scott said, 'I like you just the way you are. They better not change you too much,' " said Conley of her special-needs adopted son, 21. Conley said her special-needs daughter Michelle, 13, whom she also adopted, was excited about the idea of Mom getting hair color.
"This ages you," Harrison said of the teacher's long, blunt style. He explained that, in addition to the cut, they would texturize her hair to reduce bulk and add in highlights.
Harrison began the process using texturing shears in the crown. With a few snips, Jessica Klostermann worked on the bob cut with a face frame. And Shauna Donnelly used foils to add white golden blond accents to Conley's strawberry blond hair.
Conley had to be told that she won the makeover. "My first instinct was that the (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) was calling because my kids are on the Special Olympics gymnastics teams to perform at the Saves Center ... other than that, I wanted to kill my friends," she said.
Makeup
Once her hair was complete, it was makeup time.
"It's not my thing," Conley told Marie Harrison, who co-owns the salon with her husband. "I never did wear it growing up."
"We'll stay on the softer side," Marie Harrison assured.
From the neck up, Conley didn't quite recognize herself. "I feel so different," she said as she passed mirror after mirror on her way out of the salon. "It's all pretty overwhelming."
Then it was time for clothes. That task was put in the hands of the Clothes Tree Boutique in St. Louis. Owner Phyllis Markus, her daughter Hilary Cedergreen and sales associate Patty Altman wasted no time before filling a dressing room with vibrant outfits. It was an arty jacket with bright metallic patchwork ($40) that really caught her attention and a comfortable pair of black pants ($44) that she knew she wanted from the moment she walked in the store. A beige mock turtleneck ($70) and an amber pendant necklace ($24) completed her new look.
"I like the colors, and the funkiness of it. I'd wear it," Conley said of the final ensemble.
Well, there was one more change -- getting her out of the Birkenstocks. Next door to the boutique, Ron Thompson, a buyer for Seliga Shoes, convinced Conley to try a pair of cross-over strapped wedgies ($195, BeautiFeel).
Changed from head to toe, Conley headed back to school -- new hair, makeup, new clothing, new shoes.
The matter-of-fact, please-don't-pay-attention-to-me educator could barely get in the school's front door before being mobbed by well-wishers. A group of her students, who were nearby, applauded. Teachers crowded around to get a glimpse.
Her colleagues bought her the outfit (perfect for the school's upcoming Open House), and she seemed excited about making her hairstyle work, too.
"I'm overwhelmed by the generosity of people," Conley said, speaking of her colleagues' push to a change. "I work with wonderful people, which is why my job is so nice."