Let’s be honest, the line between costume and couture has always been blurry. But with pop stars increasingly using their music videos as glorified runway shows, it’s getting harder to tell where performance ends and, well, pretension begins. And no one embodies this more than Taylor Swift.
Now, I’m not averse to a little spectacle. I’ve sat through enough Comme des Garçons shows to know the difference between a statement and a stunt. But there’s something about Swift’s recent parade of music video looks that feels…off. Like a Pinterest board exploded onto the set.
Take the “Bejeweled” video, for instance. One minute she’s in a shimmering, vaguely flapper-esque gown (a touch on-the-nose for a song about outshining everyone, no?), the next she’s channeling a disco ball in a hooded jumpsuit. It’s a lot. And not in the good, Lady Gaga “are you brave enough for this jelly fish dress?” kind of way.
Then there’s the “Lavender Haze” video. A pastel dreamland where Swift floats around in a series of diaphanous gowns that wouldn’t look out of place at a particularly extravagant bridal shower. It’s all very romantic, very ethereal. But also, dare I say, a tad…predictable?
Don’t get me wrong, the girl can wear clothes. She’s got the height, the presence, the ability to make even the most outlandish outfit look somewhat approachable. And I understand the desire to use fashion to tell a story, to create a visual world that complements the music.
But there’s a difference between using fashion as a tool and letting it become a crutch. When the clothes become the main event, the music, the emotion, the very reason we’re watching in the first place, gets lost in the shuffle.
I remember a time when music videos were about more than just product placement and costume changes. Think Madonna in “Vogue,” Sinead O’Connor in “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Simple, powerful, unforgettable. The focus was on the artist, the message, the raw emotion that transcended the screen.
Maybe I’m just an old-fashioned girl in a world obsessed with fast fashion and fleeting trends. But I yearn for the days when a music video could be a work of art, not just a series of perfectly curated Instagram posts set to music.
So, is Taylor Swift’s music video dress-up a fashion moment? Perhaps. But a fashion mishap? I’m afraid that’s a resounding yes. And one that, sadly, is becoming all too common in the age of the spectacle.
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