Taylor Swift has come a long way since her debut in the world of music. Once a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed country singer with a big voice, a beautiful mind, and corkscrew curls that were the envy of the town, she has soared from era to era, her growth in style keeping pace with her growth in success. Want to steal her style? Read on for the iconic hair and beauty evolution of Taylor Swift across her 10 distinctive eras.
From corkscrew ringlets to a platinum blonde bob, Taylor Swift — and by extension Taylor Swift’s hair, pun 100 percent intended — has seen it all. Once a doe-eyed damsel and country crooner, this pop culture princess has since Swiftly emerged to become the foremost trendsetting style icon of our day.
Swift’s music is far from the only thing that has transcended genres; the songstress has famously adapted her aesthetics du jour to suit the era of her life, from the dreamy drop-waisted princess ballgowns of Debut — Swifties’ name for the singer’s inaugural self-titled album — to the sparkling varsity bombers of 1989, every season has had its time in the sunlight, and rightly so.
With each era as distinct as the last, Taylor Swift’s style and beauty evolution is one for the books, inspiring fashion forward Swifties to put on that Dress, get out in Style, and rock that Gorgeous attitude. And if anybody points and laughs? Do as Swift does, and simply Shake It Off.
How Taylor Swift’s hair texture has evolved through the years
Like the rest of us, celebrities can sometimes indulge the need for change, and nowhere is this change more evident than in a drastic haircut. While Taylor Swift has rocked several striking hair styles over the years, the evolution of her hair and style has been gradual, almost natural, with one change flowing into the next as if they were neighbouring tracks in one of her albums.
While the length of Taylor Swift’s hair has certainly seen some evolution throughout the years, its texture has likewise changed. Speaking to Elle in March 2019, Swift shared that her hair, which in its original form holds 2B or 2C curls, had completely changed in texture. “From birth, I had the curliest hair and now it is straight. It’s the straight hair I wished for every day in junior high. But just as I was coming to terms with loving my curls, they’ve left me. Please pray for their safe return.”
The consensus among fans is that the pandemic provided Swift with an opportunity to rehabilitate her then-fried hair. At the height of her celebrity pre-pandemic, Swift’s numerous public appearances and performances meant that her golden blonde tresses would constantly be plied with heat.
Emerging into the eras of Folklore and Evermore, however, Swift displayed a headful of sometimes unruly, but incredibly charming curls and waves, which she wore in folksy braids to reflect the tone of the time. What was made crystal clear, however, was that her hair was luscious, healthy, and evidently happy with the time it had received out of the spotlight.
At the recent Singapore leg of the highly anticipated Eras tour, fans received confirmation that Swift’s curls had indeed made their safe return. In the heat and humidity of Southeast Asian weather, it was only a matter of time before the starlet’s carefully straightened hair succumbed, and as Swift laughingly joked on-stage, “Returned to their factory settings.”
Skincare and siren lips
In terms of skincare and makeup, three elements align with Swift’s personal beauty ethos: Moisturiser, a bold and smudge-free red lip, and a cat eye sharp enough to kill a man. When she isn’t making the best-dressed list on red carpets, Swift famously believes in the less-is-more approach.
In terms of skincare, she never misses out on moisturising before bed, nor does she skip out on the sunscreen before stepping out. Workouts, ample hydration, and a healthy diet don’t just keep her in top condition for the Eras tour; they also ensure she keeps the breakouts at bay, whilst maintaining the lush and bouncy texture of her skin.
With the exception of special red carpet and performance looks, Swift’s makeup has largely remained the same throughout the years. Her earliest eras were marked by the generous use of pink lip gloss and soft coral shades, admittedly age-appropriate choices that reflected her girlish innocence and country-singer charm. In 2009, Swift began switching up her lipstick, marking the first appearance of her now-iconic shades of red on the March 2009 cover of Allure.
Taylor Swift’s beauty and hair evolution has carried her through 10 albums and several different hairstyles. Her aesthetic today marries the hallmarks of her unique style, characterised by her journey from young girl to a determined, tenacious, and proudly sparkling woman who is not afraid to shine in the spotlight.
The hair and beauty evolution of Taylor Swift in 10 distinct eras
Taylor Swift (aka Debut) Era (2006)
In 2006, Taylor Swift emerged in the world of country music, a radiant vision of youthful innocence reflected in her hair, makeup, and wardrobe. In this era, Swift wore her hair styled in their natural curl patterns, taking over the world with her corkscrew ringlets, soft pink lips, and glittering baby blue eyeshadow. During this era, Swift also sported the occasional smoky eye, adding a touch of visual depth to her youthful makeup routine.
Fearless Era (2008)
Taylor Swift’s first Fearless era showcased a hint of evolution for her choices in hair and makeup. While the songstress retained her soft pink lip colours and the occasional shimmer eyeshadow, it was in this era that she also began experimenting with different hair styles. From incorporating glittering headbands to test-driving her curls in elegant updos, this was the era of Swift’s genteel becoming, where fans began to see more of who she was and what she liked.
Speak Now Era (2010)
Having debuted her first appearance with red lipstick the previous year, Swift went on to mark her Speak Now era with an extreme hair makeover. Despite her signature corkscrew ringlets featuring prominently on the cover of the album, which had been released just one month prior, Swift shocked her fans by rocking a whole new look on the red carpet of the 2010 American Music Awards.
Swifties the world over marvelled at the songstress’ long straightened hair, blunt-cut bangs, sensual nude lip, and a smoky eye that signalled the arrival of the Real Taylor Swift.
Red Era (2012)
While Swift would briefly flirt with the idea of regrowing her hair between 2010 and 2011, her Red era cemented her commitment to the blunt-cut bang. This was truly the time for her red lip to shine, and Swift wore it with pride, playing the colour off against monochromatic fashion palettes to great success. The Red era also saw the generous use of smoky eye makeup, beckoning to a stark departure from the Taylor Swift of old.
Leading up to the cinematography epic that is her Wildest Dreams music video, Swift had also begun experimenting with old Hollywood glamour a year prior when she wore hair in a carefully coiffed faux bob at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. She continued her experimentation with the look at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, and once again at the 2014 Golden Globes awards.
1989 Era (2014)
Months ahead of the release of 1989, Swift once again shocked the world in February 2014 by shearing off her long blonde waves in favour of a chic, blunt-cut bob. The shearing was presided over by OG squad members Cara Delevigne and Ellie Goulding, marking the end of an era in Taylor Swift’s hair and beauty evolution, and ushering in a brand-new world of styles to be explored.
Swift soon brought her shaggy bob out for a spin, debuting it on the red carpets of the 2014 Met Gala, and the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival, pairing it with — you guessed it — red lipstick and sharp winged eyeliner.
Swift’s bob was not the last surprise of 2014; in December, the singer posed on the cover of Wonderland magazine, featuring her hair slicked back in summery wet waves. Most notably, however, were her eyebrows, which were filled in fully to render her nearly unrecognisable.
Throughout 2015, Swift continued to experiment with various styles for her shaggy cut, from curls to straightened to slicked-back knots. The messy bob and low ponytail both became emblematic of her 1989 World Tour, and likewise featured prominently in her music videos of the time, from Blank Space and Shake It Off to Wildest Dreams and New Romantics.
Having embraced the shaggy bob and blunt-cut bangs, Swifties were all aboard — then at the 2016 Grammy Awards, Swift premiered a short bob, the shortest she had ever gone.
Three months later, she attended the 2016 Met Gala, and once again made waves for her huge hair transformation. At the event, Swift stepped out of her comfort zone by rocking a peroxide-blonde hairdo that gave ‘I got out of bed like this’, and a dark cherry liquid lipstick by Anastasia Beverly Hills.
Reputation Era (2017)
Along with a newly restored choppy bob styled in messy curls, dark red lipstick, and a brand-new wardrobe with fishnet tights and oversized black jumpers, Swift also debuted a harder, stronger self in her Reputation era. In her leading single Look What You Made Me Do, the songstress made it clear as day that she was done playing and would no longer be taking any abuse — no matter what Kanye had to say about it.
Reputation was an era of self-actualisation, with Swift taking the remarks of her critics, acknowledging them for pointless hate, and using them to fortify the armour of her confidence.
Her styles of the time reflected the unofficial tagline of the album: “There will be no explanation, there will only be reputation.” From glittering black bodysuits and monochromatic smoky eyes to futuristic music video compositions and post-apocalyptic vibes, Swift rocked it all, endlessly edgy to the very end.
Lover Era (2019)
Following the dark and gritty Reputation era with the rainbows and unicorns of the Lover era may seem a little confusing to some, but true Swifties knew it was because Mother had fallen in love.
True to its inspirations — Swift’s relationship with then-beau Joe Alwyn — the Lover era saw the songstress adopt pastel hues in her styling, hair, and makeup. Colours featured prominently across Swift’s red carpet wardrobe choices, emulating the playful femininity of the album, its songs, and its inherently romantic lyrics.
Throughout this era, Swift retained the choppy blunt bob characteristic of Reputation, but switched it up on occasion by dyeing her tips hot pink. And at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, Swift stunned on the red carpet in a gorgeously ruffled purple minidress, putting her hair up into a romantic braided updo and emphasising her eyes with purple eyeshadow and bold lashes. In May 2020, Swift showcased pastel blue and pink streaks in her hair, keeping the Lover boat well and truly alive.
Folklore Era (2020) and Evermore Era (2020)
Released as sister albums at the height of the pandemic, both Folklore and Evermore evoke woodsy cottagecore vibes — vibes that Swift ultimately embraced in the albums’ music videos and her subsequent red carpet looks.
With her fashion picks of the era dominated by chunky knits, woollen sweaters, flowy dresses, thick and heavy coats, tartan, and symbols of simple country life, it was inevitable that Swift would incorporate the corresponding aesthetics into her hair and makeup looks.
Fishtail braids, pigtails, low buns, and devil-may-care frizz dominated the aesthetics of these eras, bringing Swift down to the earth in an appealing and relatable way. Emboldened by the revival of slow living in mainstream media, Swift incorporated symbols of bygone fashions — flower crowns, velvet capes, and white lace, further celebrating the beauty of the natural world amidst isolation.
Midnights Era (2022)
Nostalgic ’80s disco imbued with camp and charm marks the Midnights aesthetic. The latest notch in the evolution of Taylor Swift’s inimitable style, Midnights era hair is a natural progression that follows her Folklore and Evermore eras. Over the past couple of years, Swift has maintained a lustrous curtain of sleek waves, her bangs immaculately styled to perfectly frame her face.
However, in keeping with the Bejewelled theme of her album, the starlet has on numerous occasions opted to incorporate extra bling into her makeup looks — from her facial rhinestone adornments of the 2022 MTV VMAs to the shimmering silver-blue eyeshadow of the 2023 Grammy Awards. One thing is for certain — no matter what era she’s currently in, the evolution of Taylor Swift, from her music to her style, is set to be a never-ending adventure.
(Main images: Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic, Jim Spellman/WireImage,Taylor Swift/Instagram; Featured image: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– How has Taylor Swift’s style changed?
Over the years, the evolution of Taylor Swift’s style has taken her through numerous different hair and fashion styles. Once a teenage country star rocking a headful of corkscrew ringlets, she has also been seen rocking a short platinum-blonde bob, a shaggy bob, braids, straightened hair, and wavy hair. Today, she is easily recognisable for her blunt-cut bangs.
– How many boyfriends has Taylor Swift had?
Taylor Swift has reportedly dated 10 public figures including Joe Jonas, Tom Hiddleston, Harry Styles, and Joe Alwyn, among others. She is currently dating NFL star Travis Kelce.
– Is Taylor Swift a billionaire?
Yes, Taylor Swift recently crossed the billionaire mark and is the second billionaire musician, right behind Rihanna.
– How many versions of Taylor Swift are there?
There is only one Taylor Swift; however, she has had 10 eras of music corresponding to her 10 released studio albums.
