At her heaviest, Tara weighed 271 pounds and couldn't even play outside with her own children. When she overheard her young daughter being teased for having a heavy mom, Tara knew she had to do something drastic to change the way she looked. Having tried every diet for years, she decided to get gastric bypass surgery.

"I feel like I'm totally transformed," says Tara, who's now 100 pounds lighter. "I've come out of my ugly little cocoon and I'm a beautiful butterfly and I'm what I was supposed to be all the time."

But this new butterfly can no longer fit into her frumpy old clothes! "My dream would be to get to go to buy a new wardrobe for my new body," Tara says, "maybe with Rachael or someone who knows what they're doing and can help me."

Say no more, Tara! Style expert Stephen Cojocaru (a.k.a Cojo) gets her out of her old stretch pants and big t-shirts and into some great new clothes that fit. But before the two get started, Cojo passes on some important shopping tips:

Focus -- Go shopping with goals and know what you want.

Eat before you go -- Don't shop in a bad mood.

Accessorize -- Belts, jewelry, etc. really pull a look together.

Finishings -- "Unkempt is unfashionable," says Cojo. Good haircuts and manicures are musts.

Don't be afraid to wear heels -- While it's not exactly practical to carpool to and from soccer practice in high heels, in between those "mom" activities, slip them on! They don't need to be stilettos; try a kitten heel or platform for easier wear.

Layer -- Layering is young and modern.

Invest -- Great basics like a slim, black pant are the perfect investment.

Metallics -- Metallic belts and other accessories are always in fashion.

After her shopping excursion with Cojo, Tara shows off her flattering base dress that accentuates her newly found waist, a great patent-leather belt and some long gold chain necklaces.