Swift’s Journey Through The Eras Tour: Fashion, Surprises, and Iconic Performances.
Taylor Swift isn’t just a master at topping the charts—she exerts unparalleled power in surpassing even her own milestones! After the release of the Grammy-winning album ‘Midnights’ in October 2022, not a single soul anticipated her heart-stopping announcement of an all-stadium world tour for 2023-2024. In her most recent cinematic masterpiece, ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)’, she opened up about the doubts surrounding The Eras Tour. Could she truly pull off a tour featuring all her studio albums? Would she be including Midnights in the set of those missed albums? Or would she simply choose the latest and ignore the rest? True to Swift’s never-ending spirit, she put a halt to all sorts of doubts.. Driven by her boundless love and passion for music and performing, Swift was determined to incorporate all of her career’s eras—even if it meant dancing non-stop for three magical hours.
A Journey Through Time: Taylor Swift’s Fashion Eras
The Eras Tour holds the power to take you back in time, no matter the era, the song, and most importantly: the outfits. Swift knew exactly what she was doing when preparing the costumes with her team. Although the outfits are repeated now and then, she makes sure not to repeat them one day after another, except for Reputation, which, suspiciously enough, never seems to change. Adding to the suspense of her eventual re-release of Reputation (Taylor’s Version) album which should drop any time soon.
Starting with her first set ‘Lover’, Swift makes an appearance through ginormous pastel pink petals that overflow the stage with love. During the first leg of the tour, the singer wore a pink bodysuit, bedazzled from top to bottom. However, for the kick-off of the European leg, Swift surprised everyone with a new orange-toned bodysuit made by Versace. To top that off, Versace also customise the blazer she wears during ‘The Man’ and ‘You Need to Calm Down’ into the same orange tones, pairing it with Louboutin boots. Surely, just by looking at it, many think it’s just a blazer and bodysuit with some sparkle—but what about the meaning behind these outfits?
“They wouldn't shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve
What I was wearing
If I was rude
Could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves?”
‘The Man’ by Taylor Swift
Although they make the singer look outstanding, the costumes during this set showcase how a woman can wear whatever she desires, with no correlation between what she can do, dress in glitter and a fearless leader.
With its power to time travel the audience, older sets like ‘Fearless’ and ‘Red’ revisit previous tour outfits, paying homage to the original costumes. During her second album performance, for the first leg of the tour (also seen in the film), Swift wears a mini dress from Fausto Puglisi. This dress is a resemblance to her ‘Fearless Tour’ shimmering, tassel-heavy dress that she’d pair up with cowboy boots. Watching her perform the same moves she’d done back in 2009 had all of us screaming with genuine nostalgia. All she was truly missing for us to fall into shambles was the bouncy, loose blonde curls that truly defined her youthful, country-inspired charm.
The Red era is particularly exhilarating for fans, especially with Taylor performing “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” in a stunning long red coat by Ashish. This song has had everyone in a chokehold for years, and now being able to watch her perform it live is more than just thrilling.
In this era, Swift delivers an immediate blast of nostalgia by rocking a black hat and a white shirt, also by Ashish, that reads “Not a lot going on at the moment,” immediately transporting us back to her iconic 2013 music video for “22.” For upcoming dates, she slowly changed the writing to her own lyrics: “We are never ever getting back together. Like ever.” It’s a bold and emotional move that had us all filled with tears, as it signifies her reclaiming her music with Taylor’s Version lyrics printed on her shirt, taking back the songs that were taken from her.
How Taylor Swift Became a Master of the Unexpected
The concert unfolds through countless elements of surprise. Everyone has been kept on their toes for Reputation (Taylor’s Version), which has yet to be announced, leaving fans eagerly searching for hidden Easter eggs. Out of every costume in The Eras Tour, the one set that never seems to change, as mentioned, is Reputation. Although there are many theories that the outfit will change once Taylor’s Version is announced, the singer has kept details under wraps.
Nevertheless, the unchanging costume has become one of the most iconic ensembles of the tour. The Reputation Tour was known for its snake-themed costumes, symbolizing Swift’s adoption of the reptile as her representative mascot for both the album and tour. The Eras Tour did not leave that inspiration behind; instead, it carried it to new heights. The costume for Reputation is strikingly dramatic: another daring creation by Roberto Cavalli. It features a one-legged, one-covered-arm jumpsuit. From a distance, the shimmering black silhouette seems to be covered with red vines, but upon closer inspection, they are glittering red, embroidered snakes.
One of the most exciting surprises Swift has presented to her fans is the unexpected addition of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. Swift took the stage in a custom-made white Vivienne Westwood dress adorned with the lyrics from her recent single “Fortnight”: “I love you, it’s ruining my life.”
The Vivienne Westwood dream continued with the next song, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.” As “Fortnight” concludes, the singer styles the dress with a matching white military jacket. Beyond the stunning fashion, the addition of the military jacket over the lyric-adorned dress symbolised her resilience. Despite love tearing her to pieces, she survived the war and is now stepping away from it.
How Sabrina Carpenter, Our Favourite Doll, Took Over the Spotlight
Swift made sure to invite many talented artists to take part in her show, whether to perform with her on stage or perform as her opening act. A few of these special guests were Paramore, Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrams and Beabadoobee.
One artist, however, took the spotlight and created waves of excitement. Well-known for her catchy lyrics and iconic ‘Nonsense’ outros, Sabrina Carpenter is undeniably the princess of pop and fashion. She’s made worldwide impressions for, not only her unmistakable talent, but also her feminine style, tall boots, and adorable behaviour. Some call her the pop-star we have all been craving for.
Although she was performing as an opening act on various dates, Sabrina Carpenter delivered a performance that felt as if the concert was her own, effortlessly blending her charm with The Eras Tour’s aesthetic. Carpenter has proven time and again that she is a devoted singer, and this performance was no exception. She and her band delivered an enthusiastic show that went viral across the internet. The audience was captivated by her energy and live vocals, while her costumes quickly became a trending topic among fans.
Carpenter has often been compared to Bratz dolls for her bold fashion choices, wearing short skirts, tight dresses, and tall shoes. For this tour, she collaborated with the Ukrainian brand Frolov, well known for their signature heart-shaped cutouts. Honestly, is there a more perfect outfit for an opening act before the Lover stage than a heart-cutout dress? It was an extravagant choice of ensemble, and everyone loved it! The outfit came in two different colors: black and light blue.
What will be The Eras Tour’s Impact and Legacy
Despite initial doubts about the impact of a three-hour concert, The Eras Tour has shattered expectations and broken records one after another, proving its tremendous success. In October 2023, Taylor Swift broke yet another record, becoming the first-ever artist to achieve billionaire status solely through her own music. This triumph continues to prove her relentless spirit and remarkable talent. The concert has been an absolute powerhouse, bringing together not just families and friends, but even a few celebrities. Legendary Beatles star Paul McCartney was spotted at the London show, swapping friendship bracelets with fellow stars and fans!
Now, let’s talk about trends: the friendship bracelets! The friendship bracelet exchange began thanks to none other than Taylor Swift and her fans. This global phenomenon came after the dropping of the track “You’re On Your Own, Kid” from the ‘Midnights’ Album. Fans took the lyrics to heart:
“So make the friendship bracelets
Take the moment and taste it
You've got no reason to be afraid”
‘You’re On Your Own, Kid’ by Taylor Swift
Since then, fans have been enthusiastically crafting friendship bracelets to swap with anyone they might meet and greet! Some have even been fortunate enough to exchange their bracelets with Taylor Swift herself during the song "22." These bracelets have become more than just a trend and accessories; they’re now seen as a symbolic "invisible string" (inspired by the song from the Folklore album, “Invisible String”). Without the lyrics from Midnights, this trend might not have existed, and Travis Kelce—Taylor Swift’s current partner—might never have made his own bracelets to gift to the singer, thus shooting his shot in a unique and memorable way.
Taylor Swift’s singing journey through the public eye has been one of the most challenging and scrutinized careers known. Her Netflix documentary, Miss Americana, vividly captured the highs and lows she has had to endure throughout the years. Yet, through it all, she remains an inspiration. She continues to demonstrate that persistent devotion can overcome any doubt cast by others.
