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Taylor Swift Style 2011-2018
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The Eras Tour | Midnights section | Version 5

Zuhair Murad custom

As I’ve noted throughout the tour, one should expect the unexpected when it comes to new costumes. As in, they can happen at any time in any city at any time. Even as we’re approaching the end of the European leg and creeping closer and closer to the bittersweet moment when this tour takes its final bow. 

The moment I saw this bodysuit I just knew it had to be a custom ZM piece. Not just because they’ve been responsible for 3 of the past designs for this costuming portion of the show but because that embellishment work is so distinctively Zuhair Murad. That intricate corsetry work and fringe? It’s so signature to them. The design itself took the atelier “over 120 hours to create”, according to Vogue, and features “180 stars [and] 10,500 crystal beads.”

Of the five bodysuits we’ve seen I think this one might just be a new favourite. The designer, Zuhair Murad, told Vogue the same thing. “I think this new iteration is our best yet, with symbolism that blends Taylor’s inspiration and my love for romanticism perfectly. I’ve always designed strong silhouettes, and I think that naturally translates well to the stage.” The additions of embellishments via the stars and moons feel very appropriate to the era, don’t they? That crescent moon in particular reminds me of her Clio Peppiatt dress she wore on her birthday last year. Murad said that the “vision” for the stars and moons was, unsurprisingly, all Taylor. Though a small part of me also reads the stars across the bust as a little star spangled Americana which feels a little funny given it got its debut in London. #iykyk 

It also got me thinking that one of my favourite parts of the Lover set is how her boots (often strassed in ombre crystals) are also swapped out to coordinate with the bodysuit she’s wearing. With this particular bodysuit, I couldn’t help but imagine what a lighter silver or navy pair would look like for this set. For the Midnights section, Taylor consistently wears a dark pair of ‘Gael’ boots by Christian Louboutin.

Photos by TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | The Tortured Poets Department section | Version 2

Vivienne Westwood custom

Taylor first debuted the Tortured Poets section when she kicked off the European leg of the Eras Tour in Paris. I had wondered aloud when/if we would see alternate versions of this dress with other TTPD lyrics scrawled across it. It was particularly top of mind for me given that, at the time, we had four versions of Tortured Poets (The Manuscript, The Bolter, The Albatross, and The Black Dog) and four nights in Paris. 

Now we have an answer! A new version of Taylor’s corseted Vivienne Westwood dress debuted during Milan 1. This second version features lyrics from “Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?”. I personally love the effect of the words strewn across this costume, akin to ripped out diary pages meant to be discarded but instead worn with a daring defiance for all to look at. In a way, that’s exactly how I feel about Tortured Poets as an album: A compilation of songs from a chapter in her life she could have buried but that she needed to exhume for everyone to see and know. 

Looking closely, I couldn’t help but notice a difference between the application processes of the lyrics on Versions 1 and 2 to the recycled taffeta used as the base for the dress. On the original version, the lyrics are delicately transcribed in a thin, calligraphic hand and some neatly aligned sections. On Version 2, the lyrics are larger and cover more area of the dress as well as featuring an almost pointillism effect between strokes that sort of bears similarity to the beads on a friendship bracelet. 

Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | Fearless section | Version 5

Roberto Cavalli custom

My very first thought upon seeing this dress was, “Oh that’s very Roberto Cavalli.” Which makes all the sense in the world why Taylor would want to time a new Cavalli creation (by Creative Director Fausto Puglisi) in Milan - one of the fashion capitals of the world and home country to both Cavalli and Puglisi.

Roberto Cavalli is known for many of its signature house code prints, like those of big cats. We see that reference in other Fausto-created pieces for Taylor on the Eras Tour such as the cat head emblem on the tops of the 1989 2.0 sets.

On this new Fearless dress, we see another classic print come to life: Roberto Cavalli’s iconic ‘Ray of Gold’ print. ‘Ray Of Gold’ was first introduced by the designer in 2007 and revived and recreated by Puglisi for a limited capsule collection in 2024. The original inspiration source for Cavalli was the beautiful refraction of a sunbeam on the golden facade of an art deco lighter. To me, the fan-like visual calls to mind the windblown hair toss of the Fearless cover albums.

After recreating the 'Ray of Gold’ print, Roberto Cavalli CEO Sergio Azzolari told WWD that Fausto is “very respectful of Roberto, yet at the same time he succeeds in reinterpreting his style in a more contemporary way, without distorting the brand.”

There’s something refracting light meets lionfish meets Flintstones meets sand through an hourglass meets animal print about this look. Which is to say I think it looks fantastic and eye-catching. However, I personally find Versions 1 and 4 come closest to honouring the original aesthetic of the Fearless era. Your thoughts?

Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | The Tortured Poets Department section

Paula Rowan ‘Aida Glove’ - $213.00

Many may have noticed a recent accessory addition to the Tortured Poets costuming on the Eras Tour: a sleek pair of triple dart leather gloves.

The addition comes as a functional fix to combat chilly temperatures on this particular stretch of dates in the United Kingdom. For backstory, the gloves were introduced after Taylor’s first show in Edinburgh, Scotland. During the acoustic section, a portion that immediately follows the Tortured Poets set, Taylor experienced a hand cramp when trying to play guitar. That night, winds and cold weather likely made playing her instrument so deep into the three hour show a little challenging (to say the least).

It’s an added delight to note this credit ahead of Taylor’s dates in Dublin, Ireland because Paula Rowan happens to be an Irish designer. Rowan’s work has not only been featured in many magazine spreads (including Vogue and Wall Street Journal) but her gloves have also been worn on stage before - most prominently for Lady Gaga’s Chromatica Ball.

Of Taylor wearing her gloves, Rowan told Image magazine, “Taylor Swift is known for her strength and confidence as well as her ability to constantly transform and evolve. For all of those reasons, I am delighted that she chose my gloves to wear.“

She added, ”[Taylor’s] style has evolved over her career and she uses both her lyrics and her outfits to communicate and to craft a story so I am honoured to be a part of that narrative.” How very TAYLOR SWIFT STYLE: FASHION THROUGH THE ERAS of her! I couldn’t agree more.

Taylor also has a sparkly black pair to coordinate with her darker Vivienne Westwood ensembles. While they were definitely brought in as a primarily functional role, I think the gloves add so much to Taylor’s ensemble and also tie in to the Victorian fashion from the “Fortnight” video. Don’t you think?

Photo by Gareth Cattermole/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | folkmore Section

Alberta Ferretti custom

When the folklore and evermore sets combined into one, Taylor introduced a few other smaller changes to the costuming. These changes feel like a proper ‘blending’ of the Eras.

For instance, she swapped her delicate folklore ballet flats for a pair of heeled lace up Christian Louboutin boots more similar to the ones she would wear during the previous solo evermore set.

Likewise, she upgraded her bottle green velvet evermore cape (previously custom by Etro who designed both versions of her evermore dresses) to a rich, chocolate brown one by Alberta Ferretti who has been responsible for all of her folklore gown variants.

Alberta Ferretti also provided the costumes for her dancers during this set, though their versions of the capes do not include Taylor’s embellished trim down the front and on the edges of the hood.

The Eras Tour | The Tortured Poets Department section | Version 1

Christian Louboutin custom

With near exclusivity across all tour costumes, it isn’t a surprise that for the newest addition to the Eras Tour set that Taylor would once again commission Christian Louboutin to custom design new styles for The Tortured Poets Department set. Both her costumes and their chosen accessories do a brilliant job segmenting each era into its own iconic visual timeslot. The Western-style flat boots for the Fearless set and the ready-to-wear lace up oxford flats for the Red set are both visual nods to the original time period of that album.

To Vogue, the designer said, “Joseph [Cassell, Taylor’s stylist] and Taylor were very instrumental in communicating all the different acts, and having shoes that reflect the genre she wore then with an updated modern twist … “For The Tortured Poet Departments era, we created a custom last based on archival styles that represent the Victorian theme.”

Over the course of the Eras Tour, Louboutin "created over 250 pairs for the superstar—including 60 new pairs for her European leg alone” according to Christian Allaire for Vogue.

The other TTPD custom pair are a strappy, silver heel reminiscent of ballroom shoes - perfect for when Taylor wears them during “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart”.

Louboutin previously also provided all the shoes on Taylor’s reputation stadium tour.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images and Christian Louboutin

The Eras Tour | Speak Now section | Version 7

Reem Acra custom (pictured similar)

During her “All Too Well” speech given on the first night of her Parisian tour dates Taylor said, “I think [this tour has] probably been the best experience of my life … But one thing I wish I would’ve gotten to do is … I wish I would’ve gotten to play all of our tours for you. And this tour, the Eras Tour, is a chance for us to bring you all of my favourite memories from those tours. Tours where I didn’t get to come see you in France—and get to collect all of them and experience all of it together.”

And in that moment, a lot of her new costume choices (almost two dozen were added over the course of the opening weekend of the European leg) suddenly made sense. 

Why her 1989 skirts fall closer to their original 2015 tour circle skirt silhouette (the 1989 Tour had 8 dates in Europe). 

Why her Fearless dress so closely honours the black/white fringed Mandalay dress from the Fearless Tour (the Fearless Tour only visited half a dozen places in England). 

And, of course, why her Speak Now dress feels like a more voluminous take on the Reem Acra gown she wore on the original Speak Now tour in 2011. More star power = more skirt circumference. 

It’s even more apt that she would turn to that very same designer to recreate the magic. This particular gown is a custom take on Look 26 from the ‘Glamour A La Reem’ collection featuring beautiful almost seashell-like pleats and crystal embellishments. How amazing is it to see a more glamourous revival of a dress that was once just a simple, shin-length gown? And those ballet flats! 

A fun fact? Even for the dozen European dates of the Speak Now Tour, Taylor actually never wore her previous Reem Acra dress which debuted for the North American dates. For Europe, Taylor actually wore a different dress by Collette Dinnigan that (naturally) involved an on-stage costume change. 

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | 1989 section | Version 7

Roberto Cavalli custom
Christian Louboutin custom

One of the signature elements of the Eras Tour costuming has been balancing visually referencing eras past, but refreshing them for the modern day. Her co-ordinating tops and skirts worn for the 1989 section are a great example. The previous quad of beaded ensembles (pink, gree[eeeee]n, orange, and blue) all featured colours and coordination that embodied the polish and shine of the original 1989 era but in a new, fitted skirt silhouette.

With the European leg of the tour, Taylor introduced a new series of 1989 costumes by Fausto Puglisi for Roberto Cavalli that are a shift from the original design concept.

From the ombre shading, the skater skirt fit, the incorporation of the Cavalli big cat emblem at the bust, and the two tone element. To me it all falls much closer to the original costuming of the 1989 Tour with bralettes and metallic skater skirts by Jessica Jones. Many of the new outfits debuted in Paris seem to have undergone what I call a ‘makeunder’ to more closely resemble their original, canonical tour ensembles and not the refreshed 'Taylor Versions’ we’ve seen thus far on the Eras Tour in 2023/24.

While Taylor also has the opportunity to mix/match these coloured sets to create endless new pairing possibilities, based on the sketches my thought is that these two-tone sets were created with the intention of being mismatched, right down to the coordinating Louboutins. And on that note, there is one very famous New Yorker known for mismatching her Louboutins which, if intentional, would be an apt 1989 era reference: the one and only Carrie Bradshaw.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | RED section | Version 6

Ashish Sequin Tee - custom

Worn with: Gladys Tamez hat, Ashish bodysuit, and Christian Louboutin oxfords

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | RED section | Version 5

Ashish Sequin Tee - custom

Worn with: Gladys Tamez hat, Ashish bodysuit, and Christian Louboutin oxfords

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | The Tortured Poets Department section | Version 1.5

Vivienne Westwood ‘White Three Row Bas Relief Choker’ - $690.00

I don’t think I’ve seen Taylor as committed to accessorizing as she has been on the Eras Tour.

It started with the Versace necklaces she wears for the opening Lover set, with each version getting its own coordinating necklace. Even the RED set sees Taylor wear the refreshed version of the Cathy Waterman ‘Love’ ring that appeared in the original 2012 album photoshoot and was later reworked to say ‘Red’ for the 2021 Taylor’s Version re-record.

During the TTPD set, Taylor has taken to coordinating her three row VW choker based on the two piece set worn underneath her corseted gown. So far, she’s worn a black one for her black and grey sets and this white one for a white set.

These are relatively small details but I find myself appreciating them so much. It’s the little things! Especially in a show that already requires so many quick costume changes, accessory swaps are something that could easily be forgotten about or done away with for ease. It’s with this in mind that I really appreciate that she chooses to complete the visual package as she goes through a live retrospective of the past ‘eras’ of her life.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | Acoustic section | Version 7

Roberto Cavalli custom

The Eras Tour | The Tortured Poets Department section | Version 2

Vivienne Westwood custom
Christian Louboutin custom

When it comes to the three versions of this set we’ve seen thus far I think the white does the best job at conveying the feeling of being stripped naked for the amusement of a live audience and integrates well into the leached starkness of the world she’s established in TTPD.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | The Tortured Poets Department section | Version 3

Vivienne Westwood custom
Christian Louboutin custom

In my predictions post for TTPD costuming on the TSS Patreon I had guessed that lingerie might play a theme, based primarily on the album’s official visuals as well as the ways physical intimacy is portrayed across the album. Noting, “While I don’t necessarily expect a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (Taylor’s Version) I also wouldn’t be surprised if … lingerie-like pieces make its way into her [TTPD] wardrobe.” This metallic bustier and hot pant set by #VivienneWestwood is around what I was expecting but as with a lot of things within the #TTPD set, it comes with a dose of bitterness. 

For her final number in the TTPD set, Taylor gives a rousing theatrical performance of “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart”. It’s thoroughly entertaining. It’s sardonically meta. It’s theatrical sarcasm.

The addition of the coat and tails reminds me a lot of her very famous ringleader costume from the original RED Era. Just as much as it did then, it feels like Taylor acknowledging the figurative circus that surrounds her celebrity and how, whether masterminding arbiter or unwilling performative participant, she is at the center of it. 

Full review of the TTPD set to come on the TSS Patreon! 

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images

The Eras Tour | folkmore section | Version 7

Alberta Ferretti custom

As per my previous note on V6 of Taylor’s newly joined ‘folkmore’ section, this is now the second time we’re retreading design territory. V7 of this dress takes the silhouette and botanical elements of the superb V4 gree(eeeeeeeeeee)n version of the gown and renders it in a saturated berry tone.

Since combining these two sections into one, both folkmore dresses are bolder in colour saturation than the previous folklore gowns. Those ran the gamut of softer tones covering mauve, white, blush pink, the aforementioned celery green, and a soft blue. These colours, by contrast, are much richer and bolder. Whether that’s to represent the ‘supercharged’ aspect of the sister albums being united or perhaps borrowing from the overall bolder, richer, warmer tones from the evermore album visuals (and the now defunct evermore-dedicated costumes) compared to the grayscale of folklore’s.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images