Everyone would agree that Selena Gomez is basically the queen of Instagram. While many often assume that title should go to one of the Kardashian/Jenner sisters, the fact is, while they have right around 100 million followers, Selena has a staggering 132 million. She's a pretty big deal. Even people who may never listen to her music follow her account because she always looks amazing, whether she's sharing a shot of herself all dolled up for a performance or just a casual shot playing with friends. She totally nails the idea of giving her fans a peek into her life via her social media accounts, and it's paying off big time.
Now, for those who may not know, she was also named Billboard's Woman of the Year for 2017 — and she's certainly had quite a year. From expanding her role in the industry to include being executive director of a successful Netflix show to undergoing a kidney transplant to struggling with relationship drama, she's had her hands full — and she's come out thriving.
In honor of her Billboard accolade, we've gathered 20 stunning shots from her Instagram account to prove she's just as gorgeous on the outside as she is on the inside.
20 A steamy shot from her newest video
Selena Gomez isn't the type of pop starlet who tries to shock the world whenever she can like Miley Cyrus did during her platinum bun twerking phase a while back. However, she's definitely not afraid to amp up the steaminess of her videos from time to time, if she thinks it works. The music video for her latest song "Wolves," featuring rapper Marshmello, proves that perfectly. Throughout the video, she's captured in a variety of outfits and settings, but all have a dark and sultry vibe that she's totally rocking. After seeing this screencap she shared to her Instagram account, we can't help but hope she opts for the bold red lip/wet hair look more often on the red carpet — she looks amazing. Total beauty inspiration right here, for sure.
19 An image capturing her joy when working on a fashion collab
In addition to all the other balls she's been juggling, Selena has found herself working with the luxury brand Coach to create a collaboration line. And, by the looks of it, she's been having an absolute blast the entire time. Now, we have to admit, working with a brand on something seems like the most fun way to get into the fashion world — you get to be creative and make your voice and style heard, but you're not worrying too much about the overall success of the line because, well, that's the brand's job. Selena is becoming more and more of a style icon, so we wouldn't be surprised if even more brands started approaching her to see if she'd be interested in working with them. She's definitely making her mark in the fashion world.
18 Striking a pose and rocking a little red dress
There are some celebrities who gravitate towards the same shades or cuts whenever they dress up for a red carpet event. Sure, they may go for a different designer or a gown with different embellishments, but the overall vibe is the same. Not Selena Gomez. Perhaps because she's young, perhaps because she seems genuinely interested in style, perhaps because everything looks fantastic on her petite physique, she's all over the place when it comes to her style — and we love it. She looks amazing in more romantic, softer looks, but she also looks incredible in boss babe outfits that are a bit more structured and severe. This little red dress, paired with a leather jacket slung over her shoulder, seems to be the best of both worlds — soft yet totally sultry and structured.
17 A stunning dressing room selfie
Selena Gomez spends a ton of time in dressing rooms. From getting all glammed up for magazine photoshoots to prepping for a performance to getting ready for a television appearance to promote her latest project, she's constantly making sure her look is flawless. So, it makes sense that she'd take some selfies from time to time while she's waiting in the dressing room. Plus, who hasn't been tempted to take a selfie or two after you get all glammed up? We're not sure where she's headed with this bombshell blowout and gorgeous white dress, but she looks absolutely amazing. Plus, with 132 million followers, you've got to take a few selfies every now and then to please the masses — they like glimpses into her world, but many are also followers because they just love seeing her gorgeous face.
16 Looking like a total boss backstage on her Revival tour
Selena Gomez manages to switch up her look almost effortlessly, time and time again. There are times when she looks sweet as pie, with her angelic face. And then, there are times when she looks totally fierce, channeling her inner boss babe as she heads to a meeting or gets ready to rock it on stage. This is definitely a boss babe moment. While she's definitely worn more traditional pop star gear on stage before — tight, glittery outfits that show off a lot of skin — this outfit has an entirely different vibe. She looks fierce, she looks fabulous, and we bet she's going to totally rock it on stage. In fact, we're kind of jealous we didn't get to see her perform on the Revival tour — it seems like it would have been an incredible show to check out.
15 Chilling, watching television and sipping a hot drink while she prepares backstage
Okay, this is one of the reasons that so many people love following Selena Gomez on Instagram. She posts plenty of glam shots of herself on photo shoots, or gorgeous selfies, but then she also posts (equally gorgeous) pictures of herself living her life. It offers fans a glimpse into her day to day activities, and that's kind of amazing. In this shot, she's pictured sipping a hot beverage and watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory while snuggled up in a blanket in a dressing room area. It just proves stars kind of are just like the rest of us — they may seem larger than life, but they need some time to unwind with a comedy and cozy surroundings just like any other person. No one can be a superstar 24/7!
14 Glam squad in process
We have to admit — it's kind of more interesting to see a celebrity in the process of getting ready than to see a flawless selfie when their look is all pulled together. It seems a little more intimate, somehow — which is exactly what social media is for. Gomez' hair is being tamed by someone here as she lounges in a casual outfit, just daydreaming and totally lost in her own mind. Given how much time she spends with her glam squad working on her, we have a feeling she's probably a total pro when it comes to daydreaming in the salon chair — while they create the perfect look for her, she's busy thinking of what her next project will be, or what industry she's going to try to tackle next.
13 A steamy shot she shared on her Instagram
Sometimes, publications like to capture the goofy side of Selena's personality, and sometimes they like to capture the sultry side. In this steamy picture, the styling team has opted for a white lacy slip that makes it seem like she's just gotten out of bed — or is planning on a particularly sultry night. The smoky eye makeup and tousled hair just add to the look. One of the reasons Selena is such an Instagram queen is because it's almost like following 10 different accounts, all in one — there's the sultry Selena, the Bible-reading Selena, the pop star Selena, the young girl Selena... you really do get a glimpse into every corner of her life. This may not be a look she'd rock while out grabbing dinner with friends, but for a photoshoot, it totally works.
12 Showing off the dress she wore for her first Vegas show
When it comes to Vegas, you have to go big or go home. It's a city of glitz and excess and debauchery — so if you're going to pull out that dress in your closet that has the scandalous slit that seems like a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen, Vegas is definitely the place to do that. Selena seems to know that perfectly. This satiny gown just seems like a basic gown from the top, picking up on the slip dress trend perhaps. Then, when you look a little bit further down, you can see it has a slit — a really, really scandalous slit that makes a definite impact. Hey, if you're going to pick a dress to celebrate your first performance in Sin City, this is definitely the kind of dress you want to pick.
11 Working on her music in Texas
While musicians in all genres get help from songwriting teams to put together their hits, pop stars get the worst reputation in the industry for their lack of actual musical talent. Now, there definitely are some pop stars who just sing whatever song is given to them and dress up in the cute costumes and nail the choreography. However, there are also plenty of pop stars who are genuinely talented, with a real perspective on music and the way they want their albums to sound. Selena Gomez has faced her fair share of criticism when it comes to her musical abilities, which is why we kind of love this shot of her, somewhere in Texas, playing the piano. It's not the kind of thing we'd associate with pop stars, which is pretty awesome.
10 Flaunting her killer legs in Paris
One of the perks of being a celebrity is that you often get to tour the world, either on concert tours or on press tours to promote your latest project. Selena Gomez has been touring since she was a teen, and has become a seasoned pro. However, she still seems to have fun while she's jetting all over the world, as this picture she took in Paris proves. The setting is beautiful — that gorgeous ironwork on the balcony, the breathtaking view — and we sort of love that she didn't just take a typical selfie. Instead, she took a shot that showcases her amazing legs and is a little bit playful. It just goes to show that you don't have to take your Instagram account so seriously — people would rather see an interesting shot than a perfect one.
9 The smoky eye selfie queen
Selena has the kind of face that can handle just about any look. She looks stunning in natural 'barely there' makeup, and she also looks amazing with a much heavier look, like this smoky eye. Everything about this look is flawless, from the slight cat-eye shape to the smoky eye that gives her a feline flair to the slightly pink but natural lips to the flushed cheeks courtesy of masterful blush application. It looks like she just tumbled out of bed after getting a little frisky — and we totally don't blame her for taking a selfie to document this amazing look. In fact, she should rock this kind of vibe more often — she looks absolutely amazing! Hopefully, her glam team keeps some of her selfies as reference and inspiration.
8 Looking fabulous in a leather romper striking a pose
A leather romper may seem like a totally bizarre outfit choice, but somehow Selena manages to make it work. On many women, this ensemble would look like they were wearing a poorly constructed garbage bag outfit — but on Selena, it looks like a million bucks. Of course, it doesn't hurt that she paired it with super sultry strappy sandals and a chic slicked back hairstyle. Seriously — we're not sure if it's just because she's been in the industry for so long or what, but the woman can out-pose even supermodels. And we're sure her fans loved getting this glimpse into her life, just a day on the town, grabbing some brunch and posing in a romper. We can't help but wonder where else she went with this outfit — it definitely makes a statement!
7 An adorable car shot that will steal anyone's heart
This photo is equal parts sweet and sultry, which is kind of why we love it. The expression Selena has on her face is absolutely adorable — yet the short denim mini dress and thigh high boots add a whole different vibe to the look. Selena has shared quite a few selfies of herself, many taken while she's in the car, but it's only fair that her travel companion takes one of her as well. Honestly, though, we're beginning to think the woman can't take a bad photograph — no matter what the pose, no matter what she's wearing or what kind of face she's making, she always ends up looking phenomenal. That takes skill — we wonder how tough it is to choose between photos for campaigns and magazine spreads when they all probably look amazing.
6 Another stunning selfie because she's the queen
Seriously — Kim Kardashian West needs to step aside because Selena's selfie game might just be the best in the business. We're not sure if she's just naturally insanely photogenic or if she has her angles down to a science, but she looks amazing in literally every selfie — and we have a feeling it's a lot more effortless to get a good shot for her than it is for most of us mere mortals. She's got her hands full right now with her music career and ventures in the entertainment industry, but perhaps one day she'll release her own book of selfies just like Kim K — we have a feeling plenty of people would buy it just to see if they could get some insight from the selfie queen herself.
5 A totally fierce vineyard selfie worthy of a magazine
Most people, in a vineyard, would take endless shots of themselves with the grapes — but Selena has a different approach when it comes to selfies. She's a little more creative with it. Instead of a standard selfie with a more lush green background, she's opted for a more artsy vibe, taking a close-up-shot from the side with the vineyard's lush grass in the foreground. The red lip is killer, the look on her face is amazing, and the only thing that gives us the slightest hint that this is a selfie rather than a magazine spread is her friend in the corner, laughing. Seriously — it's almost unfair how photogenic Selena is. She should also consider wearing a bold lip far more often than she does because it looks absolutely amazing on her.
4 Beach babe
Selena looks gorgeous when she's rocking stage make-up and repping a serious pop star look, but she's also totally stunning when she's a whole lot more natural like she is in this photo. Selena's enjoying a little much deserved rest and relaxation in this shot, posing with a bikini top and face seemingly free of make-up. There are some celebrities who wouldn't dare to share a picture of themselves unless they were posing and rocking a full face of make-up, but Selena's a little more low maintenance than that — she's just happy to share shots of her life with her fans, and her fans are happy to get a glimpse into her world. Plus, who actually wears a full face of makeup to the beach? It would look silly — the look she's rocking here is gorgeous.
3 Looking like a legit angel
Lately, Selena seems to be favoring more structured looks that channel a bit of a boss babe vibe. However, that doesn't mean there isn't room in her wardrobe for some more flowing, romantic options. We're not sure what the situation is here, and what the reason behind this particular gown is, but one thing is for sure — she looks like a straight up angel, and we're not talking about Victoria's Secret. I mean, she looks ethereal! While she's been favoring sultrier looks in her last few music videos, perhaps in an upcoming one she'll channel her inner angel and rock a more romantic look — this is the perfect vibe for a love song or ballad of some sort, we're just saying. I mean, she looks absolutely amazing, even in this Instagram shot.
2 Another adorable car selfie
Okay, we're just going to be honest — Selena Gomez takes the kind of car selfies that we all wish we could take. Most people end up taking shots from a slightly weird angle or getting some weird detail in the background out the rear window, but Selena somehow always manages to look adorable and gorgeous. Her ribbed grey matching outfit looks super cozy, the messy bun is total goals, and her skin is basically so flawless it's glowing. We're not sure if she was just passing the time while her friend was running an errand or if she was just totally feeling her look that day and decided to document it, but one thing's for sure — this is a gorgeous shot and she looks absolutely beautiful in it. Straight up queen.
1 An Olivia Pope-inspired look she shared where she's rocking total boss vibes
Just when we thought we couldn't love Selena more, she posts a photo of herself looking fierce and manages she was channeling her inner Olivia Pope. And, you know what? We totally buy it. This outfit definitely has some major Olivia Pope fixer vibes. She doesn't wear her hair up nearly as often as she wears her hair down, but something about the glam, voluminous ponytail paired with the structured dress with just a hint of lace just totally works. Plus, if you're going to look for style inspiration, Olivia Pope is definitely the right place to turn. Perhaps she'll start rocking shades of camel and statement coats soon. Or, perhaps she'll develop another Netflix show where she plays a young boss babe who grows up to become an Olivia Pope-type figure. The sky's the limit!
