Taylor Swift Eras Tour outfits: Fans dress to the nines in styles with meaning behind the music

There are four major eras in the development of the world. But in the world of Taylor Swift, there are 10.

In tribute to Swift’s discography, the singer launched an eight-month Eras Tour, a global series of shows that cover all styles of music from her 10 studio albums, ranging from country and pop to folk and alternative rock genres.

Over her 17-year career, the singer has gained a group of loyal fans. As they were growing up listening to her music, Swift was growing with them, often changing her personal style and the genres of music she sang. As she and her audience matured, so did her lyrics, making her music able to withstand the test of time and fleeting trends.

Fans have chosen a creative way to express their love for Swift, starting a worldwide trend that has gone viral on multiple social media platforms.

Since the first show in Arizona, Swifties have been wearing “Eras Outfits,” one-of-a-kind ensembles that match the theme of a chosen era of Swift’s career.

Some fans have posted videos of them making their outfit from scratch. Some have custom-ordered their pieces. Some have chosen accessories with hidden meanings or as subtle references to their favorite songs.

Despite the personal touches put on each outfit, cowboy boots are a common similarity as a wave to Swift’s roots as a country singer.

Dressed for success

Maisie Albert, a lifelong fan of Swift, is getting her outfit custom-made in order to solidify her commitment to Swift’s Reputation Era, a 2017 album where Swift dipped her toe into a darker side of pop music, using more mature lyrics and themes in songs such as “Look What You Made Me Do” and “Don’t Blame Me.” Most of her outfits featured in music videos were black with red accents and, of course, sparkles.

“ ‘Reputation’ is one of my favorite albums,” said Albert, 18, of Charleroi. “I think it gives a Pittsburgh vibe. It’s edgy, fun, and it’s just my favorite type of energy.”

Albert considered the subtle details an outfit would need to fit the theme of the album. Albert said the way the clothes fit were just as important as the color and detailing and wanted the pieces to be a little “flowy” in order to stay comfortable during the show.

“I’ll have some red accents, but the outfit is mostly black and white,” Albert said. “It’s kind of edgy but still has some baby flairs to it like flowers and the fit of it. If you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing, you’re confident, and that’s what ‘Reputation’ is about.”

Albert will be going to the show with three friends. Each will tackle an era of their choosing while wearing specially chosen cowboy boots. Albert’s are bright red with white embroidered flames on the sides.

“I don’t really think that what people wear changes their experience, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime situation,” Albert said. “There will never be another Eras Tour.”

While Ashley Hall, 21, of Morningside was tempted to get in touch with her darker side in a “Reputation” tribute outfit, she ultimately chose the era most sentimental to her and plans to attend the show in a Lover Era outfit.

“ ‘Lover’ has such a special place in my heart,” Hall said. “That was one of the albums that got me listening to Taylor Swift the most.”

Swift’s 2018 release was her sixth consecutive album to debut at the top of the Billboard 200 list. The imagery of the album relied heavily on pastels — especially pink and yellow — to drive home the bubblegum hits like “Paper Rings” and “You Need to Calm Down.”

Once Hall was sold on being a Lover for the night, she had to decide whether she was going to go all pink as an homage to Swift’s music video or use multiple vibrant colors in reference to the “Lover” album cover. She ended up settling on a tie-dye dress, color changing Air Force One tennis shoes and heart accessories.

“I think that my personality and my style really goes well with the Lover Era,” Hall said.

Hall was one of the 1.5 million fans who received a ticket presale code. After waiting in the queue for four hours, she was able to buy six tickets and invite five of her friends to the show.

“I remember when ‘Lover’ came out,” Hall said. “I was in high school. Music has played such an important role in my life, and I’ve always wanted to see Taylor Swift in concert. She’s such a role model for me, and even through an outfit I feel like we’re connected to her. We’re almost paying our respect to her.”

Juliana Boyd, 21, of North Huntingdon has to do double the work when it comes to outfits — she is going to both shows in Pittsburgh. For her first outfit, she will be drawing inspiration from Swift’s 2014 album, “1989.”

During this era, Swift relied heavily on crop tops, matching sets, sequins and bold red lipstick for the visuals in her music videos such as “Blank Space” and “Bad Blood.” Boyd will be following the matching set blueprint with a mint green, 3-dimensional floral tube top and striped-sequin pants.

“ ‘1989’ is my favorite album of (Taylor’s) that she’s done,” Boyd said. “I like the fashion that comes with it. I like the sparkles and the two-piece outfits that she wore around that time.”

During her second concert night, Boyd will be referencing the Speak Now Era. Most of the “Speak Now” visuals include rich-colored chiffon dresses and ballgowns. On the cover of the 2010 country album, Swift wears a dark purple halter-neck dress. Boyd will be wearing a tasseled crop top with a subtle floral pattern that is the same color as the album cover dress. She plans to pair it with jean shorts and white cowboy boots as a nod to one of the last country albums Swift produced.

Boyd has been to four Swift concerts. The outfit brings her a feeling of nostalgia of when Swift first started her career.

“I’ve been a Swiftie since I was pretty young,” Boyd said. “I remember going to the ‘Speak Now’ concert when I was 8 to 10 years old. I went with a group of friends and our moms.”

A labor of love

Fans participating in the Eras outfit trend are not just dressing up for the singer. As Swift takes her audience on a nostalgic trip from their childhood and hers to present day, fans use these outfits as a lifeline to pinpoint where their Swift fandom began.

“She is just so true to herself,” Albert said. “She doesn’t care what people think about her, and she just wants to be successful. She wants to see her fans thrive. You can tell that some other artists are just there for the money, but she seems to really want to make sure that everyone is having a good time.”

Albert said getting to dress the part helps to complete her Eras Tour experience.

“I think these outfits boost everyone’s confidence,” Albert said. “It’s so much fun. These aren’t really outfits that you can wear out to dinner, you know? It really gives you the full experience.”

Hall said she sees Swift not only as an artist but also as a role model.

“I love how willing she is to just express all of her emotions in her music and how raw she’s able to be,” Hall said. “There’s so many people that can relate to her music. To me, she does it so people can relate to her music. It’s not for her paycheck or her fame.”

She also admires Swift’s actions off the stage for her advocacy of LGBTQ+ and women’s rights.

“She’s always sending the message that we should never forget how much power we actually have,” Hall said. “I love it.”