“Wait, is this Selena Gomez?” My friend exclaimed as she showed me some photos posted by The Daily Mails. Truth be told, it took me a few seconds to recognize Selena, too. Totally different from her usual ravishing image, the ‘Same Old Love’ singer appeared so glum. She barely wore any makeup, revealing her pale skin, under-eye circles, and a weary expression. Though being in her sweat, Selena Gomez weight gain was evident: She definitely had packed on some pounds.
Just like many girls my age, I spent my whole secondary school years admiring Selena. She was the star of every pre-teen’s fantasy, so to speak. I witnessed her rose from a Disney darling to a top-selling artist and high-profile actress. And now, her struggle with appearance hit me hard. I couldn’t help but wonder, what was going on with her really?
So I set on to find out the answer behind Selena Gomez weight gain, and what I discovered left me speechless. For the first time in a while, I realized how modern beauty standards could ruin someone’s mental health, and not even glamourous Hollywood stars are safe from this.
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A Look At Selena Gomez’s Beauty Evolution
Coupled with prestige, her name has been the social platforms’ center. Threads like Selena Gomez’s voice changed, and her weight gain attracted huge attention. Regarding the latter, scroll down, and you may understand why her new image startled me.
I mean, Selena is indeed a woman of many talents: She can be an actress, singer, philanthropist, producer, and all-around tough girl. That’s what helps her rise to stardom. Still, another thing we remember about the multihyphenate is her unique beauty and impeccable style, which has been honed since her early days. Just look at Selena’s sweet moment at the 2011 Teen Choice Awards, you will know what I mean:
At the time, the singer and actress was only 19, yet she already knew how to blow our minds with her exquisite taste. The dress from famous designer Erin Fetherston resembled a creamy golden treat, and the movement of the side sash kept the look pleasantly lively. Selena nailed the statuesque thing with her wavy hair and tanned skin.
Her transition from a Disney princess to a mature, glamorous star was reflected in her outfit choices. At the Flaunt Magazine Issue Party two years later, Selena surprised us all with a vampire-ish style, something we had never seen on her before:
Okay, considering how drastically she changed, this look might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But let’s admit it: From her dark chocolate hair and fishtail braid to the dark red lipstick, all of them were just on point!
Over time, we got to see this bold side of Selena Gomez more and more. In 2014, at the Unlikely Heroes Awards Dinner And Gala, the star once again displayed her effortlessly chic and sophisticated style with a Versace pantsuit. A slicked back, side-parted chignon emphasized Selena’s smoky cat eyes and mauve lipstick:
When it comes to her most stunning moments, though, fans couldn’t forget the red dress she chose at the 2016 American Music Awards:
While all eyes were on her floor-length Prada dress and Cartier earrings, I was drawn to her clean, center-parted ponytail and bold lashes. Selena looked like an old-school movie star here, and of course, we couldn’t get enough of this style. In this moment, do you think that rose-gold hair even makes Selena more stunning?
So, if Selena Gomez red dress is her most memorable outfit, then what’s her most memorable makeup layout? In May 2020, Vanngo published this #TBT of Selena’s 2017 Met Gala look. Her bold use of bright pink eyeshadow, extending all the way underneath her brows for a dramatic effect, was spontaneous and fun:
But Selena only looks good on the red carpet, you say? These photos, posted on March 24, 2018, show the singer in a Tom Petty t-shirt, a high-slit red skirt, and Jennifer Fisher Silver’s Baby Samira earrings. It proves that she can be stunning even in casual outfits:
Last but not least, brace yourself, because these gorgeous platinum blonde locks will leave you speechless:
Just like many celebs, our sweetheart had a makeover during the pandemic. This photo was posted in April 2021, and the look was purely breathtaking. Her blonde hair worked perfectly with her bronzed glow like Jennifer Lawrence.
The Reason Behind Selena Gomez Weight Gain
As you can see, for many years, Selena’s style is always evolving yet her charm remains unshakable. That’s why when The Daily Mail published photos revealing Selena Gomez weight gain, they quickly created a shockwave among fans. Although the star was spotted several times without makeup, no one has ever seen her so shabby.
On Raquelle Steven’s video podcast, Giving Back Generation, Selena revealed that her chronic illness caused her weight to fluctuate. The “Lose You To Love Me” singer was diagnosed with lupus in October 2015 and received a kidney transplant in September 2017. However, the complications associated with the disease seem to haunt her today.
“I have lupus and deal with kidney issues and high blood pressure, so I deal with a lot of health issues, and for me, that’s when I really started noticing more of the body image stuff,” said the pop star. “It’s the medication I have to take for the rest of my life—it depends on even the month, to be honest.”
Significant weight gain is one of the symptoms of lupus. Others include facial rash, joint discomfort, shortness of breath, renal issues, fatigue, and fever. Although the symptoms don’t occur all the time, there is no permanent cure for this disease.
She may not need to gain weight. Kimmie shares a very different story when she maintains her body shape perfectly. The secret about Kim Kardashian’s weight may help Selena somehow!
How Did The Star Reacts To Comments Regarding Her Weight?
But kidney disease and weight fluctuation are not the only side effects the star had to deal with. Her changing body led to an even more horrendous fight with the media, public comments, and eventually, mental breakdown.
Though seldomly mentioned, Selena Gomez was bombarded with constant commentary about her weight. According to the star, people attacked her appearance on social media without knowing she was sick. “That got me big time and really messed me up for a bit”, she said.
Selena Gomez gets real about weight and insecurities
When the singer appeared on Miley Cyrus’ “Bright-Minded” Instagram live show, though, we knew that it wasn’t just “a bit”. In fact, ever since she started to struggle with her body, Selena Gomez has been suffering from bipolar disorder, anxiety, and panic attacks.
“Recently I went to one best mental hospitals in the world…And I discussed that after years of going through a lot of different things I realized that I was bipolar,” the ‘Wizard Of The Waverly Place’ alum told Miley. “When I have more information, it actually helps me, it doesn’t scare me once I know it… When I finally said what I was going to say, I wanted to know everything about it and it took the fear away.”
Selena Gomez reveals to Miley Cyrus that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder
That was the first time she unfolded details about the diagnosis, despite battling it for years. Apparently, comments regarding Selena Gomez weight gain contributed largely to her mental problems, just like what happened to Taylor Swift.
Nevertheless, Selena stans may rest assured. The star turned to therapy and her loved ones for support to cope with it. That was challenging at first, Selena admits, but dialectical behavior therapy helped her big time.
Now, she has learned to appreciate her look and feel totally comfortable in her skin. Though weight fluctuation is something she has to deal with for life, the singer realizes she doesn’t have to be that 19-year-old body shape anymore. Selena Gomez has gone through a painful journey, both physically and mentally, and today, when she looks at her eyes, face, legs, and scars, she just sees life, like the way Paul Giamatti does.
Just In Case You Are Suffering From Body-Shaming…
Then you now know that you are not alone! The Internet now greatly impacts how a person should look and even creates unrealistic beauty standards.
That said, if you are different from what the media depicts as beautiful, you may fall victim to body shaming, regardless of who you are. While other people will always have something to say, and you can’t definitely please everyone, you can learn a thing or two from Selena Gomez to change your mindset and perceive your body in a positive way.
Firstly, if social media is the source of your body insecurities, take control of it. You can start by cutting out toxic people or unfollowing those who make your feel bad about yourself. After all, it’s just social media, and you can control it.
Selena Gomez On Not Using Social Media
The star also advised youngsters to differentiate “fit” from “fiction”. In the modern days, you might be bombarded with images telling you what “true beauty” is. Don’t forget you can have your own beauty standards! Focus on nutrition and healthy habits instead of how you look. Always remind yourself that being healthy is beautiful.
While most body-shaming victims choose to keep quiet, Selena had taken a wise move: She sought professional help. Dealing with body insecurities can be strenuous, so you don’t have to struggle with it alone. A counselor can show you how to sort out negative emotions and help you healthily cope with body shaming.
Last but not least, the “Same Old Love” singer reminds us to pay attention to our words. Body-shaming often leads to a vicious cycle of judgment and criticism. Hence, be aware of your own comments on others’ looks. Since you know how it feels to suffer from this, you wouldn’t want to take it out on others as well.
“Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder”
The saying above reminds us that what one person finds unattractive might appeal to one another. From the story about Selena Gomez weight gain, I realized it’s time for us to change our beauty standards. Beauty moving forward cannot be defined by a set of rules – sometimes, the personal story behind each body makes it beautiful in a unique way.
And you, my dear readers, when was the last time you said something kind about your own body? Although you can’t stop people from saying mean things, you can end body shaming by embracing yourself as who you are. Every human is free to live life without any discrepancy.
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