Celebrities have let down their guards to show us what life as a superstar is really like – and how easy it is for you to copy it. Emma Gunavardhana starts clicking
It’s funny to think that a few decades ago we really didn’t know what went on behind celebrities’ closed doors. It’s only now we’re learning that Marilyn Monroe had plastic surgery back in the 50s, when most of us could count on two hands the number of famous faces we suspect have been ‘under the knife’.
And so it is that the celebrity pedestal gets lower and lower and these days we can peek quite easily not only behind those doors, previously locked and bolted, but into the very intimate heart of a superstar’s everyday life.
Enter, the lifestyle blog… Take Goop for example, Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle destination that by its own description was created as a place to ‘share all of life’s positives’ or Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company, which she created ‘to help mums and to give all children a better, safer start.’ They’re not the only ones, and canny A-listers are jumping on the bandwagon and sharing more and more of themselves. Martha Stewart may have started it but the A-list are quite literally taking the ball and running with it.
Needless to say, any multi-million dollar lifestyle is going to appear somewhat appealing from the outside, but when searching for an aspirational role model, who suits you?
For health fanatics and chic geeks: Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop
Though the site has recently taken a foray into fashion, it’s the intimate Delia-style cooking shows hosted by Gwyneth that are the real draw. Her Japanese chicken meatballs are to-die-for; Gwyneth trains with superstar fitness expert Tracey Anderson and all that effort isn’t derailed in the kitchen. Goop is the go-to for clean, lean but tasty living.
For eco lovers: Jessica Alba and The Honest Company
This isn’t just about the food you put on the table for your children, it’s about how you raise them, specifically in an eco-friendly, sustainable and affordable way. New mother, actress and model Jaime King tweeted out to Jessica Alba just weeks after giving birth – “We are an @honest family! Thanks to our sweet @jessicaalba for creating healthy, happy products safe for Baby James and the whole family.”
For aspiring super mums: Molly Sims and MollySims.com
Less structured than Gwyneth and Jessica’s lifestyle guides and just a real look into how a former Sports Illustrated model spends her time. Her homepage currently boasts advice on dog-friendly snacks, a trip to see her parents (via private jet) and holiday photos from a stay in Cabo San Lucas.
For wellbeing warriors: Alicia Silverstone and The Kind Life
The Clueless actress provides a resource for ‘living your healthiest and happiest life to the fullest, while taking care of mama Earth at the same time’. From hearty recipes, how to be ‘green’ and how to be kind to animals, everything is covered.
For the domestic goddess: Miranda Kerr and YouTube
Miranda Kerr hasn’t confirmed a .com just yet but that’s not to say she isn’t sharing her supermodel lifestyle. Whether it’s short YouTube clips on how to pack the perfect capsule wardrobe, sharing with Vogue.com the apps for healthy living she can’t live without or posting pictures to instagram that give away the secrets to how a ‘super’ stays limber, she is a walking, talking ‘how to live well’ tutorial.
Other contenders for the lifestyle throne include:
For girly stuff: Zooey Deschanel and Hello Giggles
If you love her in New Girl you may want to take a look at her practical living page ; ‘Covering DIY and crafting projects, beauty, friendship, sex and relationships, pop culture, pets, television and movies, nostalgia, fandom, tips on savvy and stylish living meant to inspire a smile.’
For bikini tips and pratical parenting: Heidi Klum and HeidiKlum.Aol.Com
She’d definitely be our first port of call when organising a Halloween party of vow renewal, but here no stone is left unturned . ’You will find a little bit of everything that I love, including fashion and beauty, fitness and nutrition, lifestyle, entertaining, recipes, parenting and more. It's a mix of everything from tips and tricks, to how-tos and trend tutorials.’
For kooky cool: Elizabeth Banks and ElizabethBanks.com
There’s something wonderfully irreverent about Bank’s site that even opens with the line, ‘Well, if you are going to spy on me, you might as well come through the front door!’ Recipes and advice abound but this is one lifestyle that doesn’t hinge on being perfect.