Welcome to Katy Perry’s world. When it comes to style, the pop star—coming to a city near you this summer on her California Dreams tour—is a one-woman show, directing a team of professionals to achieve a look that’s girly, sexy, over-the-top and completely her own.

Katy Perry has a look like no other. With her precision-cut bangs, brilliant hair colors, meticulous nails and over-the-top costumes, this “Teenage Dream” puts major effort into her image—with help from a crew of not just hair and makeup experts, but also a costumer, a sketch artist, a wigmaker, a seamstress and a manicurist. All Perry, 26, needs to say is “I want Classic Katy!” or “Let’s go next level!” and the team gets to work brainstorming ideas for her approval. Whether it’s cobalt tresses, crimson lips, huge lashes, a latex bodysuit, light-up hot pants or a bra that shoots whipped cream, anything goes. “She’s able to be silly and glamorous and goofy and sexy,” says Johnny Wujek, her wardrobe stylist. Whatever Perry does, one thing is for certain: The result is 100 percent original.

Raised in a conservative home, Perry grew up without a lot of pop culture but has made up for lost time. Her icons range from 1950s pinup model Bettie Page to 1980s singer and style-setter Boy George to curvy Jessica Rabbit.

“Katy often has a very specific idea of who she wants to be that day.”

—Jake Bailey, Makeup Artist

Wardrobe Stylist Wujek, who collaborates on costumes for Perry’s videos—including that whipped-cream bra in the Candy Land-themed “California Gurls”—says the singer enjoys dressing up. “She’s in on the joke,” Wujek says. “Being a pop star, she can have more fun than an actress who wants to be on best-dressed lists.”

Nor does she hold back on makeup, which can put her at odds when she’s posing for fashion magazines that prefer a natural look. “She’s beautiful with no makeup on, but that’s not who she is,” says her makeup artist, Jake Bailey, who totes along two 100-pound cases packed with bright colors and flamboyant false eyelashes. “She’s a showgirl.”

“She likes to have a hair wardrobe.”

—Danilo, Hairstylist

Perry completes each ensemble with a carefully chosen manicure and hairstyle. Her bedazzled, brightly painted nails are miniature works of art. (She even has a collection of polish with OPI.) Her hair, always “done,” runs the gamut from sleek and swept-back to long and wavy, changing from black to blue in the blink of an eye. “She’s got a great sense of her own-ness,” says Danilo, her hairstylist. “She has great instincts about her image. She’s very smart. She’s just ticking away in there.”

“Katy has a repertoire of hair to suit every mood.”

— Danilo, Hairstylist

To read all about Katy Perry’s nails, click here!