Blog Posts by Popdust

Taylor Swift sold so many records in 2012, the only people who didn't buy one are probably named Jake and John. Her fourth album, Red, is yet another blockbuster, selling 1.2 million copies in its first week, far outpacing every other week-one sales tally for 2012. (Mumford & Sons' Babel placed a distant second with 600,000). But Red is far from a safe record for Swift. She stretched her sound by co-writing with Swedish hit mafia Max Martin and Shellback and dueting with moon-eyed British folkies Ed Sheeran and Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody, and tackled assorted adult subjects with the same precision she previously saved for high-school crushes. Don't let the off-white sundresses and kitty-cat Instagrams fool you. At 22, Swift is clearly no innocent: She's in charge of her career to a degree that few artists can dare match, and she's an exceptional songwriter who still hasn't peaked at her craft. We spoke to Swift by telephone while she was in Los Angeles for a TV appearance and video

My Little Pony hair, unflattering bodysuits, oversize fur coats, banana-print shirts; when pop star style is bad, it's really really bad. We've sorted through red carpet and paparazzi images from the past year to track down the worst offenders, and even crowned one singer with the worst look of the year. Warning: Those with sensitive stomachs may want to avert their eyes.

Worst Outerwear: Lady Gaga




Lady Gaga channels Gumby with this awkwardly-shaped number, which she threw on in Paris in September on her way to a "Born This Way" tour performance.

RELATED: Lady Gaga's 90s Style Inspirations

Worst Accessorizing: Ke$ha




Ke$ha really piled it on for a Today Show performance in New York City last month. Flower appliqués, sheer paneling and a matching cameo jacket would have been overkill before she added the fingerless gloves, cornrows and spacy eye makeup.

RELATED: Ke$ha's Style Tips Include Leather, Smudged Eyeliner, and Bloody Nails

Worst Head-to-Toe: Nicki Minaj




Pictured taking a

Adam Selman is a naAdam Selmanme you may not have heard. Though unless you've hidden under a rock for the past year, you've likely seen his handywork. When Rihanna needs a leopard print bustier, he's there. When she needs a back-up dress for the VMA's, he's there with needle, thread and boob tape in tow. He's her costume designer. And when it comes to the mega fashion force that is Rihanna, it's he and stylist Mel Ottenberg that craft her looks.

If you look closely at backstage photos of Rihanna, you'll spot him. He's often tweaking, her moments before she steps on stage. He's like the stage mother, patting his very own made-up, adorned kid on stage for the world to see. The man behind the woman whose musical reign won't quit talks with Popdust Style about panties, kitten heels and what it's like working with Queen Ri.

Popdust Style: Where do the ideas for Rihanna's costumes begin?

Adam Selman: For the Loud tour I was super inspired by the photographer Cheyco Leidmann-all of

What makes a boy band so crushable? The songs, of course; without their declarations of love and well-timed key changes, the likelihood that they'd creep into the mass consciousness is low. But the personalities that make up the groups, often boiled down to easy shorthands like "the cute one" or "the shy one" or "the one who just sort of stood there but who I'm attracted to anyway," are just as important; these archetypes allow different types of fans to hook into the groups, to argue over which band member is most deserving of their notebook doodlings, memorabilia money… and latent sexual stirrings.

We asked some of our favorite writers to share their first boy-band crushes, and the squishy feelings they bring up to this day.

I'm not sure I had an actual crush on Brian from the Backstreet Boys, but I remember being confused and maybe angry that anyone would think anyone else from any other boy band was even remotely attractive. I still

In the annals of fashion, no holiday garment is quite as reviled as the Christmas sweater. It's mocked in movies (remember the cringe-inducing reindeer jumper Colin Firth's character donned in Bridget Jones' Diary?), on television and in song. Even normally stylish pop stars have fallen under the garment's poisonous spell, whether worn casually during the holiday season or to a Christmas-themed event (the Jingle Ball's created a monster). Here are offenders for every day of Christmas.

1. Taylor Swift

In a series of private photos posted to Tumblr, Swift proudly models her Santa-bedecked top worn with gold ornament-like earrings and skinny jeans.



RELATED: 15 Spellbinding Shots of Taylor Swift Wearing Red

2. Hayley Williams

Paramore's Hayley Williams isn't afraid of clashing. She makes her hideous Chrismas vest, adorned with a gingerbread house and a candy cane, look rock and roll by pairing it with tight plaid pants.



LISTEN: Hayley Williams Covers "Somebody That I Used To

To sum up this year's American Music Awards, Bieber got all acoustic-y on us, Ke$ha got all '80s acid zombie on us, and then there was this weird Whitney Houston/Chris Brown transition which was just...awkward. As far as AMA red carpet style goes, let 2012 be forever known as "The Year of Tame" (read: kind of boring). Where were J. Lo's multiple ensemble changes? Why oh why didn't Beiber show up with a scantily clad lingerie model (like we'd hoped he would). Perhaps chic expectations for the evening teetered somewhere between soap opera and the Grammy Awards. Ah, well. There were highs, there were lows, and then there were basement-level lows. Peep the steeze below…

1. RED

Pattie Mallette (with son Justin Bieber)

Pattie Mallette

RELATED: The Foxiest Moms and Dads of our Favorite Pop Stars

Taylor Swift


Click Here to See Who Else Was Ravishing in Red (Including Tyga in a 100% Red Tux...)!

2. PRINTS

Jordin Sparks

Gwen Stefani



Kelly Rowland



3. TEXTURE

Pink

Now that Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are back on the market, a look at the crop of unattached male and female pop stars most worthy of your pining or internet flirtation...

1. Drake, 26




On top of having the phone number of at least one former Degrassi cast member, Young Aubrey is in touch with his feelings and exhibits behavior suggesting he'd like to settle down. Exhibit A: His new Los Angeles mansion-complete with a grotto-which is perfect to host pool parties for the flock of adorable babies you'll soon have with him. He's biz-minded but likes to have fun, living life by a certain mantra you might be familiar with.

Notable Relationships: Drake has been linked to numerous women, including the one responsible for asking, "are you drunk right now?" and Rihanna.

2. Katy Perry, 28




Sure, she's currently in an on-again, off-again thing with John Mayer, but does anyone think that will lead her down the aisle? After Katy gets that Panama-Hatted bad boy out of her

Style bible Vogue has just released its annual Best Dressed list, and only one pop star made it into the top ten. The lucky lady is none other than Solange Knowles, Brooklyn It Girl and, of course, Bey's little sis. Solange has flirted with fashion lots over the past year, from attending countless red-carpet events to going as J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons' date to the CFDA Fashion Awards (a grown-up, Vogue-approved version of prom, otherwise known as fashion's Oscars) to DJing designer Diane von Furstenberg's Fashion's Night Out party. Oh, and she also dabbled in modeling as the face of Madewell. Now, she's been officially minted a Style Icon. It's about time. Solange generally looks great all the time (how annoying, right?) but she really turned it on this year. Here, her 15 best looks from 2012. Look and learn ladies, look and learn.



1. Classic Solange: A bold print, pretty lipstick, big hair and super-cool accessories. The singer wore this dress to the 22nd annual Glamour