The glitter, the glamour, the clothes; celebrity lives seem so shiny and perfect, until we read the tabloids. But seeing them work on the red carpet, we do not doubt their happiness and impeccable beauty. I doubt there is anyone on this planet who hasn’t dreamed of basking in the illusion of complete adoration in a flurry of flashes and paparazzi vying for attention. At that moment we want to be them, we want to have what they have, and what they have is (above all) impeccable dress sense.

Or them? Many celebrities rely on the expertise of others to make them look perfect. Stylists have become an indispensable tool in the lives of the rich and famous, necessary to achieve even a small measure of stardom. Look at Nicole Richie. She was relatively well known as Paris Hilton’s less glamorous best friend, but when she teamed up with stylist Rachel Zoe, she became a style icon and celebrity in her own right almost overnight.

Rachel Zoe (pronounced “Zoh”) is one of the few Hollywood stylists whose fame rivals that of her celebrity clients. Aside from Nicole Richie, she has worked with Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton, all of whom are red carpet fashion favorites. She is also credited with promoting the look of lollipops, skeletal bodies with heads that appear oversized and bob on top. Barely larger than a wisp of smoke, it is said to demand size 0 bodies and is responsible for Nicole Richie’s alleged eating disorder.

Formerly the golden child of fashion who couldn’t be wrong (Zoe is allowed late entry to fashion shows by designers who are known for refusing to give in to lateness), she recently made the mistake of claiming she’s more influential than Anna Wintour, the incredibly well-respected editor of Vogue magazine who inspired the movie The Devil Wears Prada. Since then, her agency, Magnet, dropped her, fearing repercussions from Vogue, and she had to freelance. With 20 clients in her fashion stable, each paying a modest fee of $6,000 a day, she doubts she’s too worried about the future.

Nocole Chavez is another A-list hairstylist who works with some of the biggest and newest names in show business. She started her career as a costume designer and she got her big break when she was asked to dress the cast of the hit TV series The OC. She was soon dressing the cast for more than just show business, as she was asked for advice on upcoming public appearances. She started working with Rachel Bilson (of The OC), Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) and Kristin Bell (Veronica Mars) and she hasn’t looked back. Her fashion philosophy is simple: “Always dress to reflect your personality.” She’s also a big believer in authenticity and curves, no lollipops for her.

Being the stylist to the stars may not seem as glamorous as being a star, but it does have its perks. Designers send you clothes for free and practically beg you to wear them. You have the opportunity to rub shoulders with celebrities from the world of fashion and movies, and if you are successful, you can influence the whole world with your style of dress. Don’t step on Mrs. Wintour’s toes while you’re doing this.

Recommended sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Zoe

http://celebritystyle.about.com/od/celebritystyleprofiles/p/NicoleChavez.htm