The year of the 'selfie': MailOnline pays tribute to Kim Kardashian, Kelly Brook, Miley Cyrus and the rest of the celebrity posing posse

By Louise Saunders

PUBLISHED: 18:27 EST, 31 December 2013 | UPDATED: 04:33 EST, 1 January 2014

It was a phenomenon that this time last year was pretty much entirely unknown.

But fast-forward 12 months in the land of showbiz, and there's barely a day that passes without the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kelly Brook and Helen Flanagan posting a self-indulgent 'selfie'on their Twitter and Instagram pages.

Thanks to a troupe of somewhat narcissistic A-listers paving the way for a plethora of pouty poses, the 'selfie' has become so popular that editors from Oxford Dictionaries even made the phrase their Word of 2013.

Queen of the selfie: Kim Kardashian took the selfie to a whole new level when she donned a provocative white swimsuit to showcase her post-pregnancy body after giving birth to her baby daughter with Kanye West

Queen of the selfie: Kim Kardashian took the selfie to a whole new level when she donned a provocative white swimsuit to showcase her post-pregnancy body after giving birth to her baby daughter with Kanye West

And pout: Thanks to a troupe of somewhat narcisstic A-listers - including Rihanna - paving the way for pouty poses, the 'selfie' has become so popular that editors from Oxford Dictionaries made the phrase their Word of 2013

And pout: Thanks to a troupe of somewhat narcisstic A-listers - including Rihanna - paving the way for pouty poses, the 'selfie' has become so popular that editors from Oxford Dictionaries made the phrase their Word of 2013

In fact, the frequency of the word selfie in the English language has increased by 17,000 per cent since this time last year.

 

More...

Leading the way was undoubtedly the queen of the celebrity selfie, Kim Kardashian, who took the unnatural pose to a whole new level when she donned a provocative white swimsuit to showcase her post-pregnancy body after giving birth to her baby daughter with Kanye West.

Garnering almost one million likes on her Instagram page, the revealing shot not only showed off a fair amount of 'sideboob', but also most of her peachy derriere.

The year of the belfie: Kim's provocative belfie paved the way for a whole host of copycat images, with model Kelly Brook doctoring her own shot to achieve the reality star's voluptuous curves

The year of the belfie: Kim's provocative belfie paved the way for a whole host of copycat images, with model Kelly Brook doctoring her own shot to achieve the reality star's voluptuous curves

The best bum in showbiz: Even Kylie Minogue got involved in the 'belfie' while holidaying earlier this year

The best bum in showbiz: Even Kylie Minogue got involved in the 'belfie' while holidaying earlier this year

Bottoms up: Cheryl Cole couldn't resist posting a cheeky snap on her Instagram page as she shot her new calendar earlier this year

Bottoms up: Cheryl Cole couldn't resist posting a cheeky snap on her Instagram page as she shot her new calendar earlier this year

Dare to bare: The showbiz self-portrait filtered through the ranks of Hollywood's elite to the likes of Lindsay Lohan, who flashed a fair amount of sideboob in this shot

Dare to bare: The showbiz self-portrait filtered through the ranks of Hollywood's elite to the likes of Lindsay Lohan, who flashed a fair amount of sideboob in this shot

And the reality star later admitted the 'belfie' - or bum selfie - was her way of giving a 'big middle finger' to those who had criticised her weight throughout her pregnancy.

Speaking to chat show host Jay Leno after the #nofilter furore, Kim said: 'I was trying on a bathing suit and I actually just sent that to my boyfriend – my fiancé – and I was like, "Babe, can I post this up? This is my, like, big middle finger to the world on everyone that called me fat.

'It really hurt my soul. It changed how I am in the public a little bit. There were these stories where I was, like, 200 pounds.

The most daring of them all! Nicki Minaj posted a rather daring shot of simply her hair preserving her modesty as she proudly pouted into the camera

The most daring of them all! Nicki Minaj posted a rather daring shot of simply her hair preserving her modesty as she proudly pouted into the camera

Move aside, Lil Kim: The undisputed woman of 2013 Miley Cyrus was a big fan of a sexy selfie throughout the year

Move aside, Lil Kim: The undisputed woman of 2013 Miley Cyrus was a big fan of a sexy selfie throughout the year

No holding back: Miley treated her fans and 'haters' alike to shots of her fresh from the shower

No holding back: Miley treated her fans and 'haters' alike to shots of her fresh from the shower

Proud of his pecs: Justin Bieber was one of the male selfie fans, and particularly enjoyed whipping his top off for a shot

Proud of his pecs: Justin Bieber was one of the male selfie fans, and particularly enjoyed whipping his top off for a shot

What would Lord Sugar say? The Apprentice's Luisa Zissman has developed a distinct penchant for a rather risque self-portrait

What would Lord Sugar say? The Apprentice's Luisa Zissman has developed a distinct penchant for a rather risque self-portrait

'I was gaining weight because I was pregnant and it was really hard to read all these stories and hear all these nasty things. And I think people sometimes question, they think I’m out ‘in hiding’ now.'

Kim's provocative belfie paved the way for a whole host of copycat images, with everyone from model Kelly Brook to pop princesses Cheryl Cole and Kylie Mingoue just dying to showcase their peachy derrieres to the world.

The undisputed woman of 2013 Miley Cyrus was also a big fan of a sexy selfie throughout the year, treating her fans and haters alike to shots of her fresh from the shower and dressed as Lil Kim with just a nipple tassle preserving her modesty, to name but a few.

Fun in the tub! Luisa caused a stir when she tweeted a snap of herself sharing a bath with her best pal

Fun in the tub! Luisa caused a stir when she tweeted a snap of herself sharing a bath with her best pal

TOWIE WOWIE: Sam Faiers showcased her recent one-stone weight-loss with snap of her posing in her underwear

TOWIE WOWIE: Sam Faiers showcased her recent one-stone weight-loss with snap of her posing in her underwear

Santa baby: TOWIE's Jasmin Walia offered a sexy take on the traditional Father Christmas costume over the festive period

Santa baby: TOWIE's Jasmin Walia offered a sexy take on the traditional Father Christmas costume over the festive period

A selfie a day keeps the doctor away: Helen Flanagan posts a pouty self-portrait on an almost daily basis

A selfie a day keeps the doctor away: Helen Flanagan posts a pouty self-portrait on an almost daily basis

While the showbiz self-portrait filtered through the ranks of Hollywood's elite to the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Justin Bieber, it also became popular with the lower echelons of the showbiz circle.

TOWIE's Sam Faiers, Lucy Mecklenburgh and Lauren Goodger have all jumped on board the selfie/belfie bandwagon, and more recently The Apprentice's Luisa Zissman has developed a distinct penchant for a rather risque self-portrait.

Selfie was added to the Oxford Dictionaries Online in August, but is not yet in the Oxford English Dictionary. Although it is being considered for future use - maybe 2014 will be the year it arrives in the print version of most esteemed guardian of the English language.

Move aside, Kimmy K: TOWIE's Lucy Mecklenburgh showcased the results of her gruelling exercise regime with a brave belfie to rival Queen Kim's

Move aside, Kimmy K: TOWIE's Lucy Mecklenburgh showcased the results of her gruelling exercise regime with a brave belfie to rival Queen Kim's

The sky's the limit! Lauren Goodger showed off her gravity-defying cleavage with a racy self-portrait

The sky's the limit! Lauren Goodger showed off her gravity-defying cleavage with a racy self-portrait

Dare to bare: Reality star Amy Childs flashed the flesh in a daring mirror selfie

Dare to bare: Reality star Amy Childs flashed the flesh in a daring mirror selfie

Jolly holidays: Abbey Clancy showed off her impeccable figure with a series of body-surfing selfies while on a recent holiday to Dubai

Jolly holidays: Abbey Clancy showed off her impeccable figure with a series of body-surfing selfies while on a recent holiday to Dubai

Comments (154)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

Most if not all of these photo's were posed for and taken by a professional photographer...

0
0
 Click to rate

most of these shots are staged and shot by a professional especially big fat Kim Katrashian. There are some lovely selfies amongst the bunch but very few. Long live the only other way the wannabees can express their self depreciating selves but taking a picture of themselves with a stagedshot of them holding their product placing phones. I smell a pay check.

0
2
 Click to rate

Do you remeber whe you tried to make 'belfie' happen?

0
0
 Click to rate

Does anyone remember when vain people were openly mocked in the streets?

1
4
 Click to rate

Justin Bieber right where she is supposed to be . Bang-on in the middle of the women list

0
11
 Click to rate

If I read "Selfie" one more time in this comic of a "Newspaper" I'll be switching to another.

2
9
 Click to rate

They should rather be paying tribute to us - for putting up with their egos.

0
9
 Click to rate

Narcissism gone amok and desperation for validation.

0
18
 Click to rate

They must think so much of themselves to keep taking photos. DM why do you keep giving these vacuous plastic people notoriety. These people have to much money no class or taste, they have lost all sense of reality and really they are just talentless attention seekers who just cannot get enough of themselves being noticed. They are very sad and on a downward spiral spiritually.

0
14
 Click to rate

I don't get it. I honestly don't. It MUST be some sort of self-absorbed, narcissistic, attention-craving mentality that has gripped SOME of the youth of today, especially the young females. I wonder if it's from a lack of loving attention from their fathers? Some sort of "Hey look at me, Dad!" compensation mechanism?? I don't know. I just honestly don't understand it. It's...creepy & unbalanced.

0
15
 Click to rate

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now