Confession: I have an obsession with Taylor Swift. And, like many in the Tri-state area, I'm faced with a fashion emergency! What to wear to ‘Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour’ at the Linc, this Friday and Saturday?
The clock is ticking until the Reading native’s highly anticipated homecoming and until then I will be on a mission to prove to Tay Tay that we Philadelphians never go out of style. The solution? I need the best outfit, well, ever-- to embody the ultimate millennial celebrity.
Before tackling this fashion feat, I decided to draw inspiration from the 25-year-old’s prolific career.
To embrace the new Taylor Swift, the ‘Pop Star’, or the old Taylor Swift, the ‘Country Crooner’—that is the question?
With this question weighing on my wardrobe, I rushed around Philly to locate all of my Swift swag. Come Friday, I would make a game-time decision and select the outfit and type of ‘Taylor’ that I would honor.
What if I really wanted to show off my credibility as a Swiftie this Friday? Well, then I would pay tribute to a teenage Taylor, America’s angelic sweetheart, who made waves in the south and beyond with her cowboy boots, white lace dresses and a bedazzled guitar.
Taylor Swift performs during the 42nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, in Las Vegas. Mark J Terrill/AP.
For fans who have followed the blonde bombshell since her eponymous debut album, Taylor Swift, look no further than Free People to score a frilly, feminine frock. Tay would totally approve of me tailgating in the Cross My Heart In Lace Tunic ($108). In addition to wearing my heart on my sleeve, I would presumably earn major brownie points by paying tribute to Taylor’s love for Nashville with vintage cowboy boots courtesy of Old City’s Sugarcube. I may have to try on a bunch to find the perfect pair, but I would do anything for Taylor – just like she’ll do anything for her fans!
On the other hand, I could "Shake If Off" this Friday as Taylor Swift, the pop princess, who has taken the fashion world by storm both on and off the red carpet. Be it her fiercely feminine off-duty looks or her penchant for midriff bearing crop tops and high-waisted shorts during her concerts, Swift has become a bonafide style star.
Indeed, Taylor’s famous cats, Meredith Grey and Olivia Pope respectively, would purrrrr once they saw AOKI’s, Quilted Studded Bunny Bag ($40-$65), which I would throw over French Bow Waist Hi-Rise Short ($74.00) from south moon under and a Forever 21 Striped Off-the-Shoulder Crop Top ($10.90). Plus, with Century 21’s Cole Haan Cat Eye Sunnies ($19.97) and Zara’s Metallic Brogue Blucher ($89), my Swiftie style would make for the ultimate conversation starter with fellow feline loving fashionistas. Me-ow!
But, if you’re one of the lucky ones who will be able to see Taylor on both Friday and Saturday then you better use this two-day dream to capture the singer’s style evolution. On Friday, go girly and capture Tay’s sweet southern charm. Then throw the ultimate curve ball on Saturday by unleashing your inner pop star. Achieve this by rocking a razor-sharp silhouette complete with come-hither cutouts and a hemline that shows off your never-ending legs.
Regardless of the age that you’re channeling from the singer’s successful career, we would all be remiss if we didn’t rock that ‘red lip classic thing that [she] likes’. At the very least, a signature scarlet pout and a gigantic smile to match will earn you a spot at my Taylor Swift tailgate.
Photo by Charles Sykes/AP