How Kim Kardashian Transformed Into A Completely Different Person
Kim Kardashian's evolution from Paris Hilton's awkward sidekick to a shrewd international businesswoman has everything to do with fame, fortune, and control. Since her short-lived marriage to NBA star Kris Humphries, this reality TV star's rise to fame has been seemingly unstoppable. Propelled by an outrageous relationship with second husband Kanye West, two fashion-forward kids, and a thriving business portfolio, Kardashian has transformed into a completely different person through the years.
A disastrous marriage fuels her fame
Kardashian's blinged-out wedding to Humphries in August 2011 was a television production fit for a queen. Keeping Up with the Kardashians captured every detail of the star-studded event for a two-night television special. According to People, more than 400 guests were in attendance, including Eva Longoria, Lindsay Lohan, Demi Lovato, and Serena Williams. Kardashian wore a diamond headpiece and changed into two different gowns at the reception.
The fairy-tale facade didn't last long. Kardashian filed for divorce just 72 days after exchanging vows. Her embarrassing change of heart immediately placed her at the top of Google searches and made her the butt of jokes for years to come. Divorce proceedings lasted ten times longer than the actual marriage. Humphries' father, William Humphries, told Life & Style magazine that his son was "blindsided" by the divorce, adding "there was never a discussion about it."
After such a big blunder, Kardashian's fame was destined to go one of two ways—spiraling down the drain or soaring to new heights. She bounced back in a big way, evolving into an entirely different brand of celebrity and all but erasing the early era.
The Kanye factor
Soon after washing her hands of Humphries, Kardashian began dating the notorious Kanye West. The rapper is known not only for his hot-headed temper and loquacious rants, but also for his high taste in fashion and design. On a 2012 episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, West began molding Kardashian into his version of the perfect girlfriend. He went through her entire closet, making her toss out much of her prized collection of clothing, handbags, and shoes. Kardashian went from wearing bright colors to primarily black, white, gray, nude, and rose-colored outfits that coordinated with her man's wardrobe.
And if you thought Kardashian's wedding to Humphries was a big to-do, it paled in comparison to her 2014 nuptials with West. According to People, that lavish affair began in Paris, France with a swanky dinner at the palace Versailles then moved to Florence, Italy where the couple exchanged vows at Forte di Belvedere. The wedding was among the most anticipated events of the year and catapulted the power couple to new levels of international fame and fortune.
Motherhood triggers nude selfies
After welcoming her first child, daughter North West, in June 2013, Kardashian pushed to get her body back in shape with a tough exercise regimen and strict diet. She apparently took it a step further after the December 2015 birth of her son, Saint West. According to E! News, Kardashian claimed to weigh 132 pounds in June 2016, adding that she had 12 more pounds to lose in order to reach her 2010 weight. She also quipped that her waist was 26 inches.
In case you wanted proof, she's been unabashedly baring it all on social media. Kardashian has become some sort of postpartum nudist. She accepted her Break the Internet award at the 2016 Webbys with the simple phrase, "Nude selfies 'till I die." All of this from a woman who once cried over being photographed nude for W magazine.
She became the stable one
Family dynamics in the Kardashian-Jenner brood have certainly changed over the last few years. Khloé Kardashian's soon-to-be ex-husband, basketball pro Lamar Odom, suffered a near-fatal overdose at a Nevada brothel in October 2015. Kourtney Kardashian has endured her own battles with on-again, off-again partner and babies' daddy Scott Disick. They split in July 2015 after photos surfaced of Disick canoodling with another woman. Of course, everyone knows about Kris Jenner's split from Bruce Jenner, who later transitioned into Caitlyn Jenner in 2015. That leaves Mrs. Kanye West with what appears to be the most stable relationship in her family. Once the wild card, Kim now appears to be the Kardashian brood's pillar of strength.
Her ferocious new attitude
In recent years, a more outspoken and fiercly protective Kim Kardashian has emerged. She's making it clear that those connected to the Kimye kingdom must abide by its rules or suffer the consequences. Case in point: Kardashian and West threatened legal action against their former bodyguard, Steve Stanulis, for blabbing about their personal lives, reported Entertainment Tonight. "The West Family will no longer tolerate the spreading and selling of fake stories in a desperate, transparent and shameless attempt for publicity at their expense," the pair said in a statement. Stanulis alleges he was fired by West for simply talking to his wife.
Some say West closely controls every aspect of Kardashian's life. The young woman who used to seem bubbly and playful, now often appears tight-lipped and stone-faced.
Bigger business, deeper pockets
The Kardashian family's empire continues to expand. Together with her sisters, Kim Kardashian holds executive-producer credits on the family's wildly successful reality show. The siblings have also launched a clothing and makeup line bearing the family's name, and Kim released her own collection of fragrances.
Kim proved herself a business titan in her own right in 2014 when she struck gold with the "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood" video game. The app generated more than $140 million in its first 18 months, according to Forbes. She also debuted a 99-cent Emoji app, entitled Kimoji, in late 2015.
Forbes estimates the starlet pulled in a whopping $52.2 million in 2015, ranking her the 33rd top earner of the year. With a virtually never-ending stream of revenue, there's no stopping this Kardashian's unquenchable thirst for fame and fortune.