How to Dress for the Taylor Swift Gig, by Era
Whether you’ve got tickets to the Taylor Swift gig or you’re planning to hang outside the stadium with friends and a full-on a Tay Tay picnic party, you’re likely thinking what to wear. From cowboy boots to gold fringed dresses, the style options are many. So which era will you choose?
The Debut Era
Taylor’s first album Taylor Swift, also known as Debut was released in 2006, when Swift was 16. It’s a country album that was released with five singles. ‘Tim McGraw’ is the most successful from this album, spending eight months on the Billboard country singles chart. This was Swift’s era of tight curls, a classic smokey eye and nude lip, cowboy boots and floaty summer dresses.
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The Fearless Era
Fearless was Taylor Swift’s second studio album, released in 2009 when Swift was 18. In her second era, she veered to the border of country and into the realm of pop. A huge success, number one on the Billboard 200 chart and it won Album of the Year at the Grammys in 2010. Stylewise the Fearless era is know for its gold, sparkly fringe dresses as well as big Romeo & Juliet style ballgowns. Hair was still curly and her now trademark red lips were first seen.
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THE SPEAK NOW ERA
Released in 2010, Speak Now was Swift’s third studio album and it was the first to allude to those boyfriend issues with songs that are alleged to refer to John Mayer and Joe Jonas. The Speak Now era saw Swift in vintage dresses, slightly looser curls, and a more glam approach to makeup.
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The Red Era
Red was released on October 22, 2012, when Swift was 22. Its pop focus led to some criticism from her country audience. Again her heartaches inspired many of the tracks with allusions to her relationships with Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor Kennedy. Swift naturally wore a lot of red in this era, leaning into vintage silhouettes, those famous high-waisted shorts and her mainstay bright red lip. The Red era also the introduction of her obsession with a fringe.
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The 1989 Era
1989, Taylor’s fifth studio album and era, was released in 2014 when she was 25. Winning Album of the Year at the Grammys made Swift the first female solo artist to win twice. The album’s theme focused on Swift’s move to New York, her celebrity friendships, some of the more difficult elements of being famous and, of course, Harry Styles. This was when Taylor chopped her hair into a her sharp honey-coloured bob and wore plenty of glitter, sequins, crop tops, and mini-skirts.
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The Reputation Era
Reputation, Swift’s sixth studio album, was released in 2017 and heralded her return to the public eye. It is widely known as a revenge album, covering her anger towards Kanye West’s betrayal, her split with Calvin Harris and short but very public liaison with actor Tom Hiddleston. Slightly more rock-heavy it still hit the number one spot around the world and heralded a darker aesthetic, darker lips and a shaggier bob.
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THE LOVER ERA
At 28, in 2018, Taylor released Lover was released. Despite its name the album is less romantic than its predecessor Reputation. However, the Lover look was shift away from the darkness of Reputation, hallmarked by pastel pinks, blues, yellows and purples, signalling a lighter era of rebirth and light. Swift also dyed the ends of her hair pink during this era.
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The Folklore Era
Released as a surprise in the Covid summer of 2020, Folklore saw a return to a folky, alternative country sound and featured a lot of strong storytelling and lyricism. It earned Swift another Album of the Year Grammy. A more relaxed look, Taylor wore her fringe wild and curly and wore a greyscale colour palette and with a bit of cottagecore energy. Reflecting lockdown living, the look was low key and outdoorsy with cosy knits and prairie dresses a-plenty in a palette of whites, creams, greys, and silver, and with light floral patterns.
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The Evermore Era
Evermore is often referred to as Folklore’s sister album. Both released in 2020, half a year apart, they have the same story-telling element to their songs. Aesthetically, this album had a more wintery palette including the rusty browns from the album’s cover.Swift kept her fringe curly, but instead favoured a single braid at the back of her head during this era.
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The Midnight Era
Midnights, released in 2022 when Swift was 32, is a concept album covering all those midnights in her life when she was either happily in love or haunted by the ghosts of the past. It’s a pop album with a slightly alternative feel in the extra 3am tracks. For Midnights, Swift returned to her dark colour palette with the addition of many sparkles and jewels. She wore her hair long and straight, with a fringe, and she made a return to her classic red lip.
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The TTPD Era
Swift announced the release of her latest album The Tortured Poets Department at February’s Grammy’s and it dropped mid-world tour in April, 2024. It set Spotify streaming records. Raw emotion shines through its tracks and alludes to the break-up with British actor Joe Alwyn and her relationships since. The look that has emerged as the tour’s set list evolved to include the new work is a mix of preppy (think varsity knits and loafers) and dreamy romanticism (Byronesque frilled blouses and dresses).
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