Miley Cyrus chops it all off, the Victoria’s Secret Angels take to the runway, and more of the top social media snapshots from the style world this year.
We saw many questionable fashion choices in 2012, from Kanye West’s reappearing leather kilt to Lady Gaga’s inflatable dress, but we didn’t expect something so bizarre from Mr. Lagerfeld. The hula-hoop bag, a giant black-and-white “tote” made out of what looks like a real hula-hoop, scandalized the runway at New York Fashion Week this year. Said Lagerfeld of the design: “[The bag is] for the beach! You need space for the beach towel. Then you can put it into the sand and hang things on it.” The beach! Why didn’t we think of that?
Instagram / @DerekBlasberg
We had an abundance of Kimye pictures to choose from for the year’s best, most of them involving Kim in a swimsuit, or less. But we landed on this hilarious snapshot, of the couple on a roller coaster, to sum up their relationship in 2012. While Kim’s doughnut bun stays gelled to perfection, at least we know she’s an ugly crier—and does post some photos to her Instagram account that aren’t 100 percent airbrushed. Here’s to another year of bikini self-portraits and Kanye giving Kim fashion tips.
Instagram / @KimKardashian
Taylor Swift had a pretty good year. A handful of hit singles, many more millions of dollars, and a few more ex-boyfriends to fuel her muse—how could the country crooner complain? In 2012 we saw Taylor’s fashion take a dramatic turn for the extreme conservative. Perhaps her decision to don ankle-length skirts and buttoned collars had to do with her choice of mates. Although she notched a few more marks on her bedpost this year, one of the most memorable was 18-year-old Kennedy spawn Conor. During her courtship of the high school senior, Taylor looked like a miniature first lady, adorned in lots of red, white, blue, and retro-looking items. Here she wears a “Where’s Waldo”-inspired outfit with Olympic gymnast and “not impressed” originator McKayla Maroney.
Instagram / @TaylorSwift13
Lady Gaga’s fashion doesn’t really live in the world of regular fashion. Her red-carpet ensembles are usually created for spectacle, sometimes out of meat or some other nontraditional material. This year, we saw Gaga step out in a blow-up fat suit, as well as nothing but a teeny yellow bra and thong. In this snapshot taken on Halloween, Gaga wears faux cannabis leaves and very little on her ta-tas. She dubbed herself “Princess High the Cannabis Queen.” And we think the title is pretty accurate—we wouldn’t be surprised if she or her stylist was high when choosing many of 2012’s outfits.
Twitter / @TaraSavelo
Bar Refaeli made our list of 2012’s favorites because we never tire of seeing her in a bikini. This year the compulsive Instagrammer showed her followers what a fun gal she really is, plus the “work” that goes into creating those killer abs (i.e., lounging on the beach, on a boat, or in bed). “Lifes a beach,” she wrote of this snapshot uploaded earlier this year.
Instagram / @barrefaeli
Karl Lagerfeld’s cat has become almost as infamous as the man himself. Choupette, the fashion-forward kitty, celebrated her first birthday this year, and Lagerfeld let the world know, sharing this photo of the celebrating feline on her big day.
Twitter / @KarlLagerfeld
“I don’t wanna leave!!! Killed it tonight baby!!!” wrote Rihanna of this Instagram of her with, yep, the one and only Chris Brown. The on-again, off-again duo got back together this year, despite Brown’s conviction for assaulting Rihanna in 2009. Otherwise, it was a successful year for Riri, who released several more chart-topping hits in 2012. Yet the same might be said for her beau, who released a successful album and had several hits, despite dressing up like a terrorist for Halloween and verbally abusing his Twitter followers. Needless to say, it’s been an interesting year for the pair.
Instagram / @Rihanna
Model Chanel Iman is the embodiment of carefree, cool style. The beauty was seen rocking some spiked shorts, Woodstock-straight hair, and a bandanna at this year’s Coachella music festival. The festival, known for a bohemian, carnivalesque atmosphere, has become a popular see-and-be-seen spot for celebrities. Bandeau tops, shredded shorts, layered jewelry, and tie-dye were among the popular items in 2012.
“What a shot! Performance by @rihanna in action & @ShaninaMShaik hitting the runway,” the Billy Farrell Agency wrote of this epic snapshot of Rihanna’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway performance. Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars also performed during the annual lingerie show, which showcases the company’s sexiest assets.
Instagram / @bfa_nyc
Justin Bieber’s on-and-off squeeze tweeted this photo of herself and her Spring Breakers cast mates, writing, “This is where the trouble begins… ;) ps Rachel is sexy.” The “Who Says” singer filmed the Harmony Korine movie this year in an attempt to showcase her big-girl talents and put some distance between herself and former employer Disney. Set for release in March 2013, the flick also stars Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, and James Franco. Pictured here with flashy sunglasses, cornrows, and fake tattoos, the 127 Hours star looks more like Kevin Federline than an Academy Award host.
What a year it’s been for pop star and sometime actress Miley Cyrus. First came her announcement that she plans to marry boyfriend Liam Hemsworth, and then came the chop chop from her hairdresser, who took Miley’s look from Miss “Party in the U.S.A.” to Sid Vicious’s little sister. The dramatic punk cut drew more than a few unwelcome comparisons to Draco Malfoy’s white-blonde ’do in the Harry Potter movies, but so far, Miley seems to be loving it. We’ll be keeping an eye on the soon-to-be-young-bride in 2013.
