Why Taylor Swift Ditched Her Signature Romantic Glam for Edgier Look at 2024 MTV VMAs

Mar. 15, 2025

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Swift seemingly went punk in herhead-turning Dior lookfeaturing 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 “ReputationTaylor’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 feltReputation-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 theRepfeel of the look.

Her hair was also less polished, styled with a textured bombshell blowout.

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Swift’s 2017-2018Reputationera 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.

Taylor Swift performs onstage during opening night of her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour at University of Phoenix Stadium on May 8, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona.Kevin Winter/Getty

Kevin Winter/Getty

She also was known to reference a slight ’90s grunge aesthetic with plaid prints.

Taylor Swift Performs at 99.7 NOW! Presents POPTOPIA in 2017.Steve Jennings/WireImage

Taylor famously did herown glam for herFolklorealbumduring 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” onInstagramat the time and shared a breakdown of the makeup she used.

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source: people.com