Why Taylor Swift Ditched Her Signature Romantic Glam for Edgier Look at 2024 MTV VMAs
We have some theories, okay!
Every time Taylor Swift hits the red carpet, the Internet gets down to decoding her looks, head to toe. That’s because the pop icon is known for her expertly planted outfit Easter eggs. (Never forget her 2024 Grammys clock choker!). And her 2024 MTV VMAs moment definitely delivered on all fronts.
Swift seemingly went punk in her head-turning Dior look featuring a plaid bustier top with attached skirt, teamed with velvet hot pants and caged gloves, plus thigh-high Stuart Weitzman boots. Her whole look has left Swifties buzzing about “Reputation Taylor’s Version” once again. The singer has yet to drop a re-recorded version of her chart-topping 2017 album, which many of her loyal historians feel will be the next re-release record.
But it was her glam that really felt Reputation-coded to us. It also felt ’90s supermodel. Swift switched up her signature classic, bright, crimson lip shade for an orangey-red vermilion hue. Her dark charcoal smoky eye and exaggerated winged liner rounded out the Rep feel of the look.
Her hair was also less polished, styled with a textured bombshell blowout.
Swift’s 2017-2018 Reputation era was marked with edgy, moody color palettes, smoky makeup looks, vampy lips, serpent symbolism and lots of over-the-knee boots as seen during her tour and award show performances at the time.
She also was known to reference a slight ’90s grunge aesthetic with plaid prints.
Taylor famously did her own glam for her Folklore album during Covid 19 pandemic. Her look has become synonymous with a crisp red lip and winged eye liner.
At the 2022 VMAs, Swift tapped beauty icon Pat McGrath for her makeup moment. McGrath called the singer her “angel” on Instagram at the time and shared a breakdown of the makeup she used.
“TAYLOR-MADE BEAUTY💎💎💎 ‘Surprise! I have been SO EXCITED about this! The MOST DIVINE @taylorswift in #makeupbypatmcgrath at the 2022 @mtv #VMAs in total #patmcgrathlabs,” McGrath wrote before listing out the products used on Swift’s face, including that iconic bold red lip, courtesy of LiquiLUST Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick in Elson 4.
Swift famously wore the same shade in her “Bejeweled” music video.
The 2024 MTV VMAs air on Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. ET/ PT live from the UBS Arena in New York.
