Why Selena Gomez Says This Has Been a Really "Powerful" Year for Her

For some people, the end of the year is all about winding down, but Selena Gomez seems to be ramping up. Not only did she recently announce a brand new album, drop two instant-hits, and deliver a badass performance at the American Music Awards, she's also releasing her third PUMA collaboration on Dec. 1.

Unsurprisingly, the new round of SG x PUMA gear — which comes in a pallet of navy, pink, silver and white — is a mix of cute and practical. Sneakers that can be worn both in and out of the gym. Puffers that will come in handy throughout the winter months. Plus, it's not lost on us that these rugby-inspired designs feel pretty perfect coming from a true girl-on-the-go.

“You know how a girl will wear a boyfriend jersey, or if she loves sports, will wear a [men’s jersey]? I felt like there was a way I could make a cute version that, that people would feel comfortable in," Gomez exclusively tells InStyle over the phone, explaining why she included all those team-like numbers and classic polos. "It all started from just that idea, and then we continued with that theme.”

For those who lived through the early '00s, there's definitely something nostalgic about this particular collection, Gomez agrees, sharing that she herself wore a lot of polos as a kid.

“There's actually a baby picture [of me wearing a polo] on my Instagram. That was so my vibe growing up, with my little gold jewelry."

Upon closer inspection, you'll also notice that Gomez gave these items a personal touch, including symbols that mean something specific to her. Ahead, she shares more on the design process, her thoughts on style a tricky pair of sneakers, and her plans for the holiday season. Plus, she drops a major hint about her new album, which comes out Jan. 10.

Why was it important for you to also include the semicolon in these designs?

I try to include a few little things that represent something to me. I got that [tattoo] on my wrist with the cast of 13 Reasons Why, and it was because I wanted to continue life no matter how difficult it got. To me, it represents getting back up. No matter what, life is going to be hard, and it's about the people you surround yourself and it's the way you get back up from it. And as far as the other [symbols], they’re my birth date, coordinates, and an arrow pointing forward. They all mean something.

It can be kind of difficult to style darker sneakers, and you have a navy pair in this collection. Do you have any tips on how to wear them?

That color actually comes into the clothing as well, so ideally, those would match together. But I love sneakers. I have almost everything PUMA, and I love different colors. When it comes to those darker colors, I love to wear them with loose jeans with a bright sweater. I wore this giant yellow sweater and green shorts with black sneakers. It didn't really go, but it was a comfortable look, and I wore it with confidence. See what could go together in an abstract way; it doesn't all have to be matching. It can just be, “I'm going to throw this on and then maybe my T-shirt’s dark blue, and blue jean shorts.” Something along those lines.

Complete this sentence: "My outfit is never complete without _____.”

I would say jewelry, just because whether I’m wearing anything from sportswear, to street, or red carpet, I feel like it's nice to have a little bit. The earrings I have are cheap — not real gold, basically — but it always makes me feel like [I’m going] from casual to something nice.

How about this one: "______ is probably the most versatile piece you could own because ______."

A staple jacket. There are jackets I can almost wear with anything, and it’s like my go-to safety blanket. Whether it's a nice sweater or a fluffy jacket, something that's cozy. That tends to be recurring.

With the year ending, have you found that you've been reflecting back at all?

I think every time the holidays come up, there's some part of you where you kind of sit and reflect on the year. This year was really, really powerful for me. I can say that I'm so proud of how hard I worked, and that I truly am excited to just sit back with my family, and enjoy, and turn off everything. I always just think about what happened, and where I want to go in life, and hope for the best.

What is your version of the perfect holiday outfit?

I always love knit sweaters — I'm totally that girl. I usually will just wear something comfy, maybe just a dress pant that’s loose. Or, when I'm hanging out with my sister, of course I want to put on cozy, matching, awkward Christmas stuff. I've already bought so many different outfits we can wear together. I feel it's my time, because when I'm with my family at Christmas, it’s not like I'm not going out to huge fancy dinners or anything. It's usually just us, tucked away and just having time for ourselves.

Can you describe your new album in a sentence or two?

I can say this, and it might not sound right, but I've tried my hardest to make this the best album I've ever done. And I feel like I lived up to the expectations. Hopefully that doesn't come back to bite me in the ass.

Where is the place to listen to this album?

Always the car. Sometimes me and my friends will just say, “Hey, do you want to go for a drive?” And we’ll just take a drive somewhere, maybe to the beach, and listen to music together. Like, evening time. It's just really pretty, and you’re with your friends, you get to go somewhere nice, and you can listen to music really well. Well, it depends on your speakers, but I blew mine out and it's still sounds good.