3 to get ready

Melissa Roiter once thought nothing of dropping into Ann Taylor, the Gap, and Banana Republic to pick up a cute sweater, a pair of pants , or a skirt. She used Bobbi Brown and Clinique makeup. She had her hair -- a shoulder-length bob -- trimmed at least every 12 weeks.

"I wanted to look put together," says Roiter, 34. "And there's nothing like bringing bags home."

That party ended April 22, 2004, when Roiter -- formerly an admissions officer at a small Newton college -- gave birth to triplets: Jack, Charlotte, and Eve.

Now a trip to Ann Taylor is out of the question -- unless she's peering in the window. Her makeup regimen is lip gloss, period. Haircuts happen twice a year. Styling her hair means washing it and letting it air dry.

"The other day my daughter pulled a blow dryer out of the closet," the Southborough resident says. "She had no idea what it was."

In a frenzied world of beeping cell phones, instant messages , and endless multitasking, making time to look good is tough for everyone. But mothers of young children have it especially hard. Peanut butter and jelly-covered fingers generally aren't welcome at boutiques and hair salons, let alone the office.

So in the spirit of Mother's Day, the Globe's Style section selected three harried moms and helped them get their groove back -- with new haircuts and colors, fresh makeup tips, and shopping advice from the pros.

Kelly Zahn, a 43-year-old homemaker in Wellesley, was game to leave 2-year-old Mason and 11-month-old Karsten at home with grandma while she went on a shopping blitz at Bloomingdale's. "I have a drawer full of white T-shirts and a couple of black," groaned Zahn, formerly the donor relations coordinator for the Make-a-Wish Foundation . "Everything gets spit up on."

Julia Gaggin Humphreys , a 34-year-old director of adolescent health for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, was also eager to leave 2-year-old Eva and 3-month-old Tessa at home while she shopped on Newbury Street at Emporio Armani . "The last time I shopped was two weeks before my second daughter was born," said the Jamaica Plain resident.

Roiter, who spends most of her days in jeans playing with her 3-year-olds, couldn't wait to hit Saks Fifth Avenue. "I've never tried on Jimmy Choos," she said.

But after stylist Nicole Bertucci presented Roiter with a flurry of the latest in designer outfits (including a patterned Etro shirt and jacket by Roberto Cavalli ), the stay-at-home mom was more interested in -- wait for it -- khaki pants. With Bertucci out of earshot, she pointed at the $700 jackets laying around her dressing room and whispered, "This stuff really isn't me."

She was, however, swayed by a Pucci silk halter top. "This is gorgeous," she said, looking in the mirror. "I would definitely wear this."

Over at Bloomingdale's, things were a little bumpy for Zahn as well. "I don't even know what size I am. A six?" Zahn asked. A saleswoman smiled and then uttered the words many women would love to hear: "You're a two."

After examining the offerings from Akris (too conservative for Zahn) and Ellen Tracy (a bit too corporate), Zahn was deflated. Then she discovered the dress section. "This is beau-ti-ful!" she said, holding up a Tadashi salmon pink halter gown.

But then Zahn walked out in a short, black BCBG Max Azria dress with spaghetti straps and a sequined bodice and Badgley Mischka pumps. The saleswomen oooh'd collectively. Grinning shyly, Zahn shrugged her shoulders. "My husband won't recognize me," she said.

Over at Emporio Armani, stylist Stephen Venckus let Gaggin Humphreys take a long look around before presenting his top picks for a day-to-evening look: a black suit, a gr ay top, and a red and white floral halter top. When she exclaimed over the halter, Venckus found a cowl-neck dress in the same fabric. Success! "I feel like the old me again," she said, grinning.

A few days later at Salon Mario Russo on Newbury Street, the mothers were greeted by Russo himself, who was eager to see their hair. "You have beautiful natural highlights," he told Roiter. "I'd like to pop it up a bit more."

Zahn's short, blond locks are already in style, he said. But the bangs were a bit long. "Let's shorten them up," he said. "Let's make the color a little softer, not as contrasting."

Gaggin Humphreys's jagged layers should be neatened up, he added.

"A shorter bob is a hot look," he said. "Have you seen Renee Zellweger? She has a short bob."

Can she keep her light brown color? Negative.

"The color they've done is too brassy. You're too young and pretty to be brassy. I like you as a blonde," said Russo.

All eyes turned to the elevator when Eric Roiter , Melissa's husband, made a surprise appearance with the triplets. Melissa wasn't finished yet, but Eric clearly liked what he saw. Her dark brown hair now had soft highlights.

"What would it take to do this regularly?" Eric wanted to know. "If I saw her once every six weeks, it would be OK ," Russo said. "She would need a color once or twice a year."

Eric smiled. "I think it looks fantastic," he said. "This could be transformational," he added, half joking. "They're going to have a Nordstroms and Neimans in Natick soon."

At noon the mothers left the salon to head to the Globe's photo studio. Makeup artists Mary Boyce and Gina Consolo from Shu Uemura on Newbury Street were waiting to apply makeup. " To have beautiful makeup, you need beautiful skin," Boyce lectured.

But Zahn was too busy squirming. The bright pink lipstick on her lips was almost more than she could stand. "You're wearing an evening dress," Consolo reminded her. "The color is appropriate."

Zahn could hardly wait to wipe it off. "My husband always tells me I don't need makeup," she said. "We're really outdoors people."

Gaggin Humphreys was more amenable to the artists' advice: moisturize, curl your lashes, do eye shadow first , and then apply concealer and foundation. "This is so much fun!" she said, as they dotted foundation on her skin.

Finally, they got their moment in front of the camera -- and then duty called at home.

While they were inspired, they said, to stay more current, they weren't sure how their makeover looks would fare in the real world, once the cameras were put away.

"I love my color," said Gaggin Humphreys, referring to her hair. "I'm anxious to see how low-maintenance it can be. It took a lot of blow drying to get it this straight."

Zahn wasn't sold on stiletto heels, but she is reconsidering her stance on makeup. "I loved the gloss they put on Julia. It took two seconds to apply and it looked great. Makeup really does lift your spirits."

Roiter was thrilled with her hair, which felt lighter. "I love it," she said. "I think I should go back to Mario's next Thursday."

Suzanne Ryan can be reached at sryan@globe.com