Inspired by Taylor Swift Eras

It was my turn to choose the Thrifty Six theme this month, and I landed on Taylor Swift eras! Perfect timing with the release of her new concert movie, right? Now, I decided on this theme a long time ago, even before all the Travis Kelce drama… so I get that people might be over the whole T-Swift thing at this point. But I made this eras-inspired Reel over the summer and realized several of my outfits were secondhand… so I thought it would be a creative (and versatile) theme for our group. There has to be something for everyone with all of her different styles over the years!

I decided to photograph my 1989-inspired outfit (but without the striped sunglasses featured in the Reel because my boyfriend’s friend sat on them). These photos are not at all the fabulous pics I was imagining for this outfit, but oh well I guess. I read that 1989 is the album where Taylor Swift fully transitioned from her country roots to a pop icon. What screams pop star better than an electric blue velour dress?

I thrifted this dress, as well as the snakeskin boots, when I was studying abroad in Scotland. I originally purchased the bodycon specifically for a Y2K-themed party, which I never ended up attending because all my friends got Covid from the same dinner party. Instead, it has sat in my closet mostly untouched since then—after all, there’s not many places I can wear such a flashy dress.

I did style it for the first time back in September at the anime convention I attended with my boyfriend. It was the perfect piece for that event, and I also think it would work for hitting up the clubs (which is a once-a-year occasion for me, if even). I considered bringing it with me on my trip to Vegas a few weekends ago but decided it wasn’t upscale enough, and I think that was the right decision. The only other place I could wear this outfit is to the Eras concert or movie, of course!

Taylor’s signature red lip didn’t look that great on me with this particular outfit, so I opted for a slightly more pink hue instead, called Cherries in the Snow. I also decided my Instax Mini camera would make a fun prop since the original 1989 album cover is a polaroid photo. My jacket isn’t thrifted, but it’s a necessary piece to complete the look.

Be sure to check out my thrifty friends’ Taylor Swift-inspired outfits at the links below. Shelbee’s post is especially fun, as she included side-by-side inspo pics of Taylor in various concert outfits!

Emma of Style Splash:

“I am not a Taylor Swift fan (I don’t mind some of her songs, but I’m more into rock music) so I was flummoxed with this challenge. After searching Pinterest I found some ideas and got a feel for the aesthetics of the different eras. Luckily, I’d just bought this red military style jacket on Vinted which I thought would be ideal for the Red Era. And then while I was going through some bags of clothes I came across these Ted Baker frilled trousers that I’d bought in a charity shop for £6 and never worn. I added a graphic T-shirt (which is very old) and gold bag to pick up on the piping on the jacket.”

Jane of Preloved Vintage Handmade:

“On stage she seems to love sparkle which reminds me of a vintage showgirl bustier I have. This amazing silver and gunmetal number is intricately spangled and bejewelled within an inch of it’s life… and adorned with beaded tassels, each finished off with a tiny bell! It truly is a remarkable piece; I believe it’s handmade and probably dates back to the 1960’s or maybe even in the 50’s. When I came across it, the condition was terrible; I had to remove the bra fastenings from the back but luckily I was able to save the fun part by attaching it to a plain black bodysuit. So it lives on as part of my vintage eveningwear collection and is very happy to make an appearance celebrating Taylor Swift’s Eras tour!”

Jodie of J’s Touch of Style:

“I read something about Taylor Swift’s Red era as a showcase of her love of things vintage. And since I would consider myself vintage, and I love a great red lip, I decided to go with the inspiration photo as included. The only things not thrifted are the shorts and tights. But the top was a hand-me-down from one of my book club friends, the shoes were found at Goodwill, and the hat was my bestie’s mother’s hat. Even the purse (which is actually a wine carrier) was found secondhand.”

Nancy of Nancy Fashion Style:

“Gosh what a theme! I think I know all about Taylor Swifts life now! Lol. And still struggled with the theme. Her songs are not ones that talk to me so to speak, so the lyrics didn’t inspire me. And all I saw was shorts and mini skirts and dresses all glittery. Short it has to be! So I thought of a mini dress, I had the boots and all, ’til I found out I just brought that dress to the container! And then I remembered I had one photo, somewhere. I searched and searched and of course in about the last map there it was. The skirt was preloved, but can’t remember where I bought it, I think it was in the UK. The rest is long gone. The skirt also. But this was what I thought represented Taylor Swift the best as a 57 year young woman can do.”

Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge:

“My thrifted outfit was inspired by Taylor Swift’s Debut Era which began in 2006 when she was 16 years old. Her style was defined by a casual cowgirl vibe with her outfits consisting of short, flirty, bohemian sundresses paired with western boots. I wanted to showcase my favorite thrifted cowgirl boots, these two-tone Tony Lamas, so I started with my feet. Then I added a preloved dress and secondhand kimono for a mostly thrifted outfit perfect for a Taylor Swift show and perfect on a budget. You need to save money somehow if you want to go see Taylor Swift perform live in person because, you know, her tickets are insanely expensive!”

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I hope you enjoyed this fun theme, and thanks for stopping by the blog today.

Miles of smiles,
Grace

Blue Velour Dress: Thrifted, originally from H&M, $10 ($10 per wear) | Leather Jacket: Blank NYC via local boutique, $25 ($0.42 per wear), last worn here | Snakeskin Booties: Thrifted, $11 ($1.83 per wear), last worn here