5 Times Selena Gomez Dressed For Revenge

Heartbreak can be difficult to weather, but sometimes, a fierce outfit can go a long way toward building yourself up again — a lesson that pop star, actor, and Rare Beauty founder Selena Gomez knows well. Looking at Selena Gomez's stunning style transformation throughout the years, many of her iconic looks came on the heels of relationship troubles. What's more, many of these can be tied to a singular ex: While Gomez has dated her fair share of celebs, her most notorious relationship was, without a doubt, her hot-and-cold romance with Justin Bieber, which spanned eight years of repeated breakups and reunions.

Anyone who's ever been in a similarly rocky situation knows it can be tough to handle, but at least Gomez had access to an A-list closet for her revenge looks. Perhaps taking her cue from some other unforgettable revenge outfits, it seems like the "Lose You to Love Me" singer has always been happy to remind her past flames what they're missing with stunning ensembles, from sleek, tailored gowns and flirty cocktail dresses to sharp tuxedos.

After two years of dating, Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber went through their first split at the end of 2012. While heartbroken fans were anxiously wondering if the couple would reunite, Gomez wasn't waiting around by the phone. Instead, the "Come & Get It" singer was rocking a series of head-turning revenge outfits throughout 2013, including her incredible look at the MTV Video Music Awards. Gomez attended the event in a beautifully tailored Atelier Versace dress that balanced class with provocative details, including a high slit and an exposed lace bustier that proved that revenge is best served hot.

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber were on the outs in 2014, but that unfortunately didn't mean there was no drama. Bieber was grabbing headlines with his self-destructive behavior, including an arrest for drunk driving. This had to be on Gomez's radar, but she held her head high and stuck to sartorial mic drops — like the beaded, semi-sheer gown she wore to the Vanity Fair Oscars Party that year. With tasteful cutouts and subtle glimpses of leg, this look proudly stated that Gomez was doing just fine on her own.

Things got famously messy between Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez in summer 2016, including a very public war on social media. But when Justin Bieber had dated Hailey Baldwin — now Hailey Bieber — earlier that year, Gomez let her fashion do the talking. One especially savage revenge dress was the stunning Calvin Klein gown she wore to the Grammy Awards that February. A dream in dark-blue sequins, the backless, curve-hugging dress hit the revenge trifecta: sexy, flirty, and refined. 

After years of on-again, off-again dating, Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber finally broke up for good in March 2018, and within a short six months, Bieber was suddenly married to Hailey Bieber. This had to hit Gomez hard, but she hit back with stunning style in 2019, joining the ranks of other celebrities who went through stunning post-breakup style transformations. Her eye-catching dress at the American Music Awards was a particular success, with its bright, lime-green hue and short, strapless silhouette. As Gomez herself captioned an Instagram post from the event, "Feels good to be back."

They say the best revenge is to live a happy and successful life. Maybe one-upmanship wasn't on Selena Gomez's mind at all when she stepped out in an exquisitely tailored, satin-lapeled Giorgio Armani tuxedo for the 2022 Academy Museum Gala, but she definitely had something to prove — primarily, that she had moved on from all the drama with Justin Bieber. Gomez famously spent the event palling around with his wife, Hailey Bieber, even sharing several hugging selfies with her. Unsurprisingly, Gomez looked sleek and radiant in every single one.

Now, check out these 15 revenge outfits we'll never forget from women who got the last laugh.