Of All Of Selena Gomez's Looks - This Stands Above The Rest

Every pop star has a signature style that sets them apart. Shifting from meat dress to inauguration gown, Lady Gaga pushes boundaries every time she attends an event. Ariana Grande is known for her cozy streetwear and sky-high ponytail. Rihanna does daring couture like none other, and Katy Perry's take on camp is incomparable. Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez have proved that a well-referenced dose of nostalgia is sometimes a brilliant move. Meanwhile, hitmakers like Madonna and Christina Aguilera are style chameleons who switch things up every era. Where does Selena Gomez fit into the mix?

Her role in the music and fashion scenes is an essential one. The baby-faced multi-talent is reliable for an effortlessly chic but still laid-back look. In 2015, celebrity stylist Kate Young spilled the tea on Gomez's style goals in an interview with Vogue. 

"There's an overall mood that we're going for which is young, modern, clean, and sexy without ever being fussy," she explained. "The clothes are effortless, and there's a lot of American sportswear influence." That description holds true six years later and sets the "Vulnerable" siren apart just as much as her feather-soft voice and multi-layered productions.

Gomez has delivered so many consistently good looks over the years that it is hard to pick a favorite. However, one 'fit does rise above the others.

The look that perfectly encapsulates Selena Gomez's timeless and effortless style is the red Prada gown she wore to the 2016 American Music Awards. Three months after taking a break from the public eye to prioritize her mental and physical health (via People), the "Come & Get It" diva made a glorious return at the awards show. Instead of opting for a flashy and trendy dress, she stuck to the basics and played her cards very right. The '90s-inspired dress itself stood out with its bold color, thin straps, and scooped neckline. After cinching at her waist, it flared out in a silhouette that emphasized her curves in all the right ways.

Accessorizing the dress' understated, clean lines with Cartier earrings, subtly smoky eyes, and a slick ponytail, Gomez looked every bit as fresh-faced and timeless as ever. The media clearly agreed. "If you're going to make a triumphant return to red carpets, take a cue from Selena Gomez," Vanity Fair declared. Vogue, Allure, and Seventeen placed her on their best-dressed lists for the night. She pulled that off by sticking to her tried and true fashion formula and, in the process, delivered a look that is quintessentially Selena Gomez.

Selena Gomez has delivered a lot of looks over the years. However, she knows when one rises above. Earlier in 2021, she told Vogue that the timeless gown she wore to the 2016 AMAs was "probably my favorite outfit I ever wore." Why? According to the "Good For You" singer, it's partly because it was part of her return to the public eye. (It probably doesn't hurt that she scooped up an award that night, either.) In talks with her team, Gomez laid out her personal goals for the look: "Very Audrey Hepburn," she explained. "Simple." Obviously, she pulled it off and then some.

"My makeup's not over the top," Gomez said about the look in 2021. "There's really barely an accessory. It was just like once I put the dress on, I was like 'I'm ready to be me. I'm ready to step into this world and reclaim my name.'" The dress gave her the vehicle to make a perfect statement. "When I put this dress on, it was like 'this is the moment I wanna have,' and I loved it so much," she said.

What other ensembles are among Gomez's top five favorite looks? She didn't provide a full run-down. However, her edgy Louis Vuitton dress at the 2016 Met Gala makes the cut. Other notable entries (though not definitely in her top five) include the off-the-runway Versace bustier dress she wore to the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards and her luxurious Vera Wang gown from the 2015 Met Gala.

Selena Gomez's look at the 2016 AMAs may be her personal favorite. However, one may wonder if that's just because red is her favorite color. Publications have noted that the singer certainly has a love affair with the sultry hue. Billboard noticed the trend in 2017 after the hitmaker covered Vogue and rocked an edgy scarlet jacket by Coach in the accompanying photoshoot. Billboard wrote that the color is utterly perfect for Gomez. "The warm, bold, and timeless hue works almost too perfectly with Gomez's complexion and personal style," per the site. We'd have to agree.

Billboard came up with 10 times Gomez rocked the color red. W Magazine noted several other looks that featured the romantic color in a more recent story documenting her red carpet evolution. With its plunging neckline and skinny straps, her 2014 look at the "Rudderless" movie screening was an obvious precursor to the AMAs. Another gorgeous example is a merlot-colored, cut-out gown that she wore onstage at the Grammys in 2016 (pictured above). Her love affair with the color continued when she wore a more fashion-forward red dress to the Global Citizen's Concert to Reunite the World in May 2021. 

Hey, when it works, it works, right?