Fashion

How Selena Gomez Is Living Her Best Life

by Melissa L. Haney

I don't know if you've been paying attention or not, but Selena Gomez's style has been killing the game recently. By this, I mean not only did she just drop "Good for You," a sure-to-be summer hit single with a totally new sound and make waves with a stream of body positive rebuttals against all the ill-informed Internet haters, but she is also just simply slaying the street and red carpet styles alike. With each day comes a brand new Selena Gomez outfit that completely outshines the one before it, solidifying Gomez's position as the freshest fashion superstar.

No longer a 16-year-old wizard, the now 22-year old Gomez seems to have finally found her sense of style — and it couldn't be any better. Gone are the days of Disney-fied sweetness and in are the moments full of unapologetic glamour. Gomez takes fashion chances, playing with silhouette and color, her wardrobe proving the perfect mix of California cool with Hollywood glam. She'll be out getting ice cream in a denim jumpsuit, then on the red carpet in a couture gown. Whatever the case, Selena Gomez now proves an undeniable force in fashion, both for what she wears and how she wears it. Meaning, her style has become a source of inspiration because it appears to demonstrate all of who Gomez truly is, allowing for her personality to fully shine through.

Fashion Doesn't Happen Overnight

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(Flashback to 2012.)

One of the greatest things about Selena Gomez's style is that she, like every woman before her, grew into it. All too often in this perfection-obsessed culture, it can be easy to assume that personal style is something that just happens. Moreover, it should be something that happens when you're a teenager and something that happens seamlessly, without mistake. But Gomez's style was most certainly an evolution.

Now, this isn't to imply that Gomez ever looked anything less than the pop star Selena Gomez — she certainly didn't get the 2012 Kids' Choice Awards skirt and crop top pictures above at the mall. However, even though she might not have (publicly) suffered through terribly awkward teenage style choices, this new style she's been rocking is certainly something she's grown into.

Whereas in the past, Gomez's style sort of blended into the more defined one of her peers, she now clearly stands out as someone with a definitive sense of who she is and what she likes to wear. It might have happened in Hollywood, but her style evolution, in going from follower to tastemaker, refreshingly proves no different from any woman growing from an adolescent, please-accept-me existence to an adult, IDGAF type of life.

Queen Of Cool

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If forced to define Selena Gomez's new style, "cool" stands as the only adjective that seems appropriate. Her most recent ensembles, both on the street and on red carpets, have all proven that Gomez knows a thing or two about trendsetting. Be it strutting down the street in a Balmain crop top or hiking in tie dye Hard Tail leggings, Gomez never ceases to just look cool.

Of particular coolness happens to be Gomez's penchant for working jumpsuits into everyday attire. Take, for example, this red Reformation bodysuit she paired with ripped jeans and some Saint Laurent suede booties. Or, maybe this white Solid & Stripes jumpsuit she matched with a gold-embroidered Versace jacket and some denim cut-offs.

Moreover, there have been some quite incredible Gomez red carpet looks of late. Of course, there was the glittering Vera Wang Met Gala stunner, which undoubtedly proved one of the best gowns (and headpieces) of the night. Then, there was the body-hugging, long-sleeved, diagonally striped Louis Vuitton dress she wore to the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscars' After Party pictured above. Taking the whole LBD thing to the next level, adding on a smoky eye and the perfectly beach-waved hair, Gomez provides a total "Yas Kween!" moment.

Happiness Makes Everything Look Better

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Maybe I'm projecting, but Selena Gomez just seems happier these days. Due to Gomez's recent fashion choices, however, I'm almost entirely certain such a projection is true. Take, for example, the aforementioned denim jumpsuit Gomez wore on a trip to get ice cream. What could be happier than getting ice cream in a jumpsuit? Or, take the recent messages of body positivity Gomez has been constantly promoting, via Instagram, promotional interviews, and in the downright killer outfits she's been pictured wearing.

Essentially, the coolest thing about Gomez's cooler than cool wardrobe is that it exudes nothing but confidence. Sure, the outfits she wears would prove undeniably amazing just hanging on a rack, but it's Gomez's swagger that transforms each look into something truly enviable. Her inspirational self-confidence shines through a culture of criticism, serving as a constant reminder that everyone deserves to love themselves and what they wear.

Images: Getty (4)