Britains Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge speaks to people during a visit to the Summerfield Community Centre, in the Winson Green area of Birmingham.

Geoff Pugh / Pool / Reuters

Who set the style trends in 2011? Was it Justin Bieber and his new ‘do? No doubt, Kate Middleton’s wedding dress will be remembered forever but has her style since then been as historic? And really, is Nicki Minaj a shion icon or a shion disaster? You be the judge

If you were hoping that the Duchess of Cambridge would embrace her new shion role with a bit more risk-taking, you’re not alone. Of course, this is only year one for the queen-consort-to-be, who kicked it all off with a wedding dress that had bridal boutiques around the globe prepped for a rush of copycat orders. Knowing that every one of her sartorial choices gets parsed and scrutinized, the Duchess smartly mixes high street and designer brands, leaning heavily toward British shion. Canadian labels Erdem and Smythe got a huge boost, however, when she wore them during her visit here; she has also single-headedly given the millinery world a much-needed shot in the arm. Hats off to her!– A.V.

With her mop of fiery red hair and a predilection for long, billowing gowns by the likes of Chanel, Valentino and Givenchy, English chanteuse Florence Welch was one of the most stylish figures of the music world and beyond in 2011. Her hypnotic performance at the Oscars apparently hit the right note with Karl Lagerfeld, who invited her to take the stage at the Chanel spring 2012 show. For it, she emerged out of a giant shell. Talk about an entrance. –T.G.

Bradley who? The star ofDriveandThe Ides of Marchmay have been robbed of the official title, butCanadian-born Ryan Goslingis the iest man alive in our hearts. His abs inCrazy, Stupid, Loveaside, this man can wear a suit, especially sharp-cut, slim-fit Italian ones. Even when he strays out of trousers-and-jacket territory, he kills it: Take the Ferragamo pajama shirt, white slacks and brogues he wore with modern verve at Cannes earlier this year. IfIdesco-star George Clooney is the new Cary Grant, is Gosling the new George Clooney? –T.G.

His disastrous designer debut in Paris this year may leave some questioning whether Kanye West can dress women, but his own personal sense of style is beyond dispute. It takes some serious swagger to pour oneself into a custom Givenchy leather skirt and leggings to perform at Madison Square Garden – and make it work. Ditto for the Céline tunic he donned during his two-hour solo set at Coachella earlier this year. Considering all the women’s-wear labels that West has been rocking lately, there may, in ct, be nicki minajhope for his label yet. –T.G.

This year’s It girls were actually girls: Flaxen-haired siblings Dakota and Elle Fanning have both a string of hit movies (Twilight,Super 8,The Runaways) and the devout following of designers under their sweet, age-appropriate belts. Marc Jacobs used both teens in his ll fragrance and shion campaigns, while Elle played muse to Rodarte sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy. Who says that kids these days are underachievers? –T.G.

After her comedic star turn inEasy Alast year, Emma Stone set her sights on turning it out on the red carpet in 2011. Her appearances inTheHelpandCrazy, Stupid, Loveoffered more than enough opportunities for her to demonstrate that her style game is as sharp as her wit. In particular, the girl loves colour: Her hair shifted from blonde to red to brunette, while her choice of dress quickly followed suit. That peachy Calvin Klein at the Golden Globes, the pink and red peplumed Giambattista Valli for a movie premiere and the balletic red Lanvin gown for the Baftas all proved that she’s packing more than just a good punchline. –T.G.

Let’s all take a moment to mourn Justin Bieber’s side-swept mop. Moment over! Indeed, the most imitated haircut since Jennifer Aniston’s 1990s shag had outgrown its charm, leaving Bieber no choice but to bid rewell to his signature coif. He tested several looks through 2011, from soft bangs to gelled spikes straight from the school of boy-band styling. The Biebs’s most recent cut suggests a streamlined side fringe that obviates the need to constantly flip his hair away from his eyes. His neck is thanking him.– A.V.

As head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde holds one of the most important financial positions in the world. But while the euro-zone crisis is obviously a r more pressing concern than her wardrobe, she takes on the latter with polish and poise. Recently, Lagarde revealed to the Financial Times Magazine that her preferred labels include Chanel and Ventilo. But it’s not just what she wears; it’s the way she marries a crisp men’s shirt with a striking strand of pearls or shows proper respect for an impeccably tailored skirt suit that makes her stand out. Then there’s her recherché platinum coif. Yes, she dresses the part.– A.V.

The most incongruous aspect of Nicki Minaj and Anna Wintour being seatmates at the Oscar de la Renta spring/summer 2011 show was the ct that the hip-hop artist appeared to be sporting a stuffed animal tiger on her head – not exactly Vogue-worthy. Then again, Minaj’s ensembles throughout the year came so close to eyesore status that she desensitized everyone to her Barbie-on-steroids style. In October, Minaj appeared on the cover of W magazine as an ethereal Dadaist beauty, proving she’s not a one-trick My Little Pony. So all bets are on whether she returns to haute hallucinogenic or tries something a little more, dare we say, dainty.– A.V.

Daphne Guinness is no stranger to style-icon status. But 2011 was a profile-raiser for the brewery heiress, who co-curated an exhibition of her wardrobe at the Fashion Institute of Technology and collaborated with M.A.C. Cosmetics on a recent capsule collection. In shion terms, Guinness exists in the rarefied 0.001 per cent, so showcasing her wardrobe to the public and lending her eye to a global makeup brand means she is herself ever so slightly accessible. This is exciting because Guinness is not just a voracious consumer of shion; she also has finely focused taste – always provocative, never vulgar. Few will come close to accumulating her wearable treasures; but this year, her admirers could get closer to her. And for them, that’s better than bathing in beer.– A.V.

Enjoy the convenience of having The Globe and Mail delivered right to your door, your mobile phone and computer. From exclusive content and mobile apps to online tools and loyalty programs, The Globe lets you experience Canadas deepest coverage of national, international, business, and lifestyle news where you want, when you want.

Photobucket is the place to store, create and share photos and videos for life. Upload all your best pictures, images, graphics, icons, and videos and share them by email or link them to your vorite sites like Facebook and Twitter. Personalize your photos by using our photo editor or make slideshows to share with friends. Jnicki minajoin our large community by entering competitions or searching our huge photo and video library. Use Photobucket on the Web or on your mobile phone.Sign up today!

Its a shut-the-game-down record, StreetRunner tellsMixtape Dailyabout just-releasedPink Friday: Roman Reloadedsingle.

Behind the Beats: StreetRunner and Sarom

Roman is back, and on her new track,Nicki Minajs alter ego gets inicki minajnto all types of musical mischief. Roman in Moscow starts with a maniacal build of piano strikes into a full-on frenzy of thudding drums, spacey synths and crashing symbols.

Its a track befitting the fictional Roman Zolanski, who was once exiled into boarding school, but has since escaped. Credit veteran beatmakersStreetRunnerandSaromfor crafting the first peek at theBest New Artist Grammy nomineesupcomingPink Friday: Roman Reloadedalbum.

It took a couple of tries, but after about eight different versions of track, the production duo, who exist in a larger crew of boards-men called the Network, finally came up with something that perfectly suited Nickis mood.

Once we heard from Nickis camp that they were really interested in the track, we had to go back in on it and tailor make it a little more for her, said StreetRunner, who was nominated for a Grammy this week for his work on Lil WaynesTha Carter IV. It took a good eight tries to get it into pocket, but once we got it, we knew it.

The duo submitted the first version of the beat to Team Minaj in October, and by their estimation, it took about a month for them to tweak the instrumental and for Nicki to record her verses. The song was mixed earlier this week and released Friday (December 2) on iTunes.

Surprisingly, however, StreetRunner and Sarom didnt hear the final track until Fridays release. Keeping music under wraps right now is very important if you want to avoid it getting leaked, said Street, who saw a number of tracks he thought he had placed on WeezysTha Carter IIIillegally released online, then ultimately left on the cutting-room floor.

Sarom also lost records that couldve potentially made Waynes 2008 gem, but for him, Roman in Moscow was well worth the wait. Of course shes gonna go in on every single track, but she just came off on some other sh-- today, he toldMixtape Daily. I cant even believe it.

The song definitely isnt a pop afir. Nicki as Roman leaves behind her cutesy Super Bass persona in exchange for something more sinister. She starts off her first verse, Im big Willie, no bike gear/ I told you es last year, Im a rap nightmare/ Thats why I call you Buzz Lightyear/ Cause by the time you start buzzin , you gonna have white hair.

By the end of her two-verse lyrical triad, Nicki goes on a humorous rant. Yeah aint no motherf---in prayers , aint no motherf---in hook, aint no motherf---in third motherf---in verse, her potty mouth spews. Romans back, / I f---ed up your life last year this time, remember that?

Street, who started his career as a DJ, said, That intro to the first few lines that she says, its a shut-the-game-down record. Any DJ whos on radio and just wants to drop bombs, that intro is gonna happen, bomb.

Share your thoughts on Nicki Minajs Roman in Moscow in the comments!

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check outMixtape Daily Headlines.

Thats ok, we can send you a new one. Just fill out your email address below and well mail it to you right away!

Demi Lovato and Nicki Minaj may both boast some serious music cred, but the pop sensations sense of style are pretty different. While Lovato does walk on the daring side at times, her slightly retro, sometimes glamorous style is no match for Minajs outfits--think bubble skirts and bustiers, pom-pom accents, and even a music-speaker-clad backside at the 2011 American Music Awards, not to mention her constantly changing, always colorful hair. She may be petite, but her flair for the outrageous definitely packs a punch.

That said, both of the young entertainers apparently share their love of an intricate, artsy and near crazy manicure in common. Just about a week ago, Demi Lovato excitedly debuted her nails on Twitter. She called them bomb nails and thanked the salon rock star behind them. Indeed, they really were impressive with nearly each nail bearing its own design. The black polish on two fingers was the tamest of the bunch, with the others sporting neon pink and green leopard print, a zipper on the thumb and even an ice cream cone with sprinkles on the pinky finger. Even more bold was the pointy dagger-like silhouette of the Skyscraper singers nails, a shape made popular by another boundary-pushing entertainer, Lady Gaga.

But Demi Lovato may have been less than thrilled to find out that Nicki Minaj was soon sporting a near copycat manicure. Hers were also the sharp, claw shape and featured leopard print (albeit the more standard version rather than neon), as well as that ice cream cone! However, her cone had two scoops with chocolate and a cherry on top. Lovato kept it with one big scoop of the sweet stuff.

Despite the look-alike nails, Lovato didnt let any animosity show, Tweeting at the Super Bass singer about their matching manicures and calling them twins, asHollywood Lifereports. Rather than imitation at play here, the culprit was more likely the Los Angeles-based nail artist, Kandi, who worked on both of the stars talons. She is certainly talented, using nails as mini canvases.

This Site and third parties who place advertisements on this Site may collect and use information about your visits to this Site and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like to obtain more information about these advertising practices and to make choices about online behavioral advertising, pleaseclick here

The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Seeadditional information. Use of this site is subject to ourterms of serviceandprivacy policy.

We posted our roundup of the most anticipated albums in 2012. Now have YOUR say! Which pop stars return are you most looking forward to?

Yesterday, Drake showed off his newAaliyah tattoo, and today D12&8217;s Bizarre has revealed the Nicki Minaj likeness he&8217;s inked onto his arm. What is going on with the men in rap?! While Drizzy&8217;s display of permanent devotion to the late R&B songstress may have come off extreme yet sweet, Bizarre&8217;s branding of the Harajuku Barbie comes with a much creepier back story and even a song. Watch below as the rapper prepares to forever wear his heart on his sleeve in the shape of Nicki&8217;s ce.

Here, Bizarre (and two cronies who appear to be embarrassed for the rapper, yet make no efforts to stop him) expresses his love for his &8220;wife&8221; Nicki Minaj, before getting a design of her mug inked onto his body.

And here is &8220;Hey Nicki&8221;, the rap song Bizarre penned about his obsession with Barbz to the &8217;80s tune nicki minajof &8220;Mickey&8221;:

Which display of &8220;love&8221; would you be more creeped out by if you were Nicki? Is Bizarre&8217;s tattoo less, well, bizarre than the Drizzy n with&8220;DRAKE&8221; permanently etched across her forehead? There&8217;s a love connection why can&8217;t we set those two up on a date? Sound off in the comments below, or onFacebookandTwitter.

[VIBE]

XHTML:You can use these tags: