Vancouver Mom Torri Taylor Gets a New Look
Vancouver-area mom Torri Taylor wasn’t happy with her style, and she was ready for a new look. This spurred her to enter the “Real Women Model Search Contest” from Beyond the Rack and Redbook Magazine earlier this year. She says, “They sent out this contest, I checked it out, and when my son went down for a nap I decided I was going to do something for once.” Thousands of women from across North America applied. Torri forgot about it, until one day she was sitting in the doctor’s office with her son. “I got this email, and I was ready to delete it because I totally thought it was joking. But I opened it up and I saw it was for real.”
A Weekend Away and a New Look
This 35-year-old stay-at-home mom from Coquitlam won an all expenses paid weekend in Montreal. While Torri was there she got a makeover and professional photoshoot, showcasing her new look. Her photo is being featured on Beyond the Rack’s homepage. She’ll also be included in Redbook‘s December issue. She says, “They had me in and out of clothes, it was just crazy. I got to keep a bunch of stuff from the shoot, including a pair of Louis Vuittons. They haven’t been worn out yet, but they’re upstairs waiting.”
Torri says, “Every day when I used to go to work, it was like my own little runway. How you look is how you put your face out to the world. And I love fashion – it’s fun for me.” Since having her son, who is now a toddler, things changed. “Where am I going? Nowhere. I’m going to do the same loop around the park that I always do. Not only that, I carry a kid around all the time, so I want to be comfortable. I kind of felt like I totally started to be okay with just wearing the ponytail and Lululemons every day.”
Remembering Who You Are
Practicality is key to Torri’s new look. She says, “I can still do comfortable, but I want to look better. And feel better. When you feel like you look cute, you just feel better outside and inside.” The makeover was about re-gaining something that fell by the wayside with motherhood. “It brought out that little saucy part of me that was hidden. I was this whole person before I had this wonderful experience happen to me. That’s the person that I am every day, and I was before this, and I want to be after this.” I think we can all relate to feeling like we’re taking a backseat to our kids, at least some of the time.
Torri’s new look hasn’t only reminded her of who she is – it’s also reminded her husband. She says, “I feel like my husband’s kind of proud, because he can say, ‘Ooh, my wife’s a model.’ That’s probably the best, actually, that I feel like he’s proud of me. You know what it’s like. You have this kid, and you hope he remembers the you that was strutting her stuff in front of him, but you kind of don’t know if he looks at you like that anymore.”
Of course, not every Vancouver mom can get a new look courtesy of professional stylists. But you don’t need a complete makeover to change how you feel. Even little changes can make a big difference. A nice sweater that fits you well (bonus points if it’s from your own closet) or a new haircut can give you a little pick-me-up and help refresh your look. And when you’re doing something nice for yourself, you really will feel better. We think every mom deserves that. To see how Torri Taylor’s journey continues to unfold, follow her on Twitter where she’s @torrirees.
