Fashion Inspired By The Tortured Poets Department

On the JJ Barnes Blog, to celebrate the start of the UK leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, I check out top tips for fashion inspired by The Tortured Poets Department.

Swifties, assemble! The queen of catchy choruses and epic storytelling, Taylor Swift, is finally gracing the UK with her long-awaited Eras Tour! Get ready to relive all your favorite eras, from the sparkling innocence of Fearless to the dark allure of Reputation.

As anybody who knows me will tell you, I’m a huge fan of Tay-Tay, and I’ve listened to her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, more times than I can count. Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me? and I Can Do It With A Broken Heart are my favourites, but there’s a Taylor Swift shaped space in my heart for every track, adding to the existing set list that lives rent free in my head from her previous albums.

While I don’t have a ticket to the iconic tour, yes I’m gutted, as I’ve previously shared fashion inspired by other Taylor Swift eras, I thought it was time to explore fashion ideas inspired by TTPD too. To help me out, fashion experts at the London-based fabric shop, Dalston Mill Fabrics, sent over a list of trending fashion pieces mentioned in The Tortured Poets Department!

Fashion Inspired By The Tortured Poets Department

Lilac miniskirts  

Stylish miniskirts have always been a signature piece in Taylor’s wardrobe, which is why they warranted a mention in The Tortured Poets Department. The artist’s iconic preppy look was referenced in the opening lyrics of imgonnagetyouback: “Lilac short skirt, the one that fits me like skin”.  

In Taylor’s recent YouTube short, she was briefly seen wearing a lilac skirt, further increasing the hype for this fashion piece. Since then, worldwide searches for “Lilac skirt” have skyrocketed by 992%, reaching their highest peak in the past 30 days.

Black dresses 

In Fortnight’s celebrated music video, Taylor is seen in a black dress reminiscent of one of Queen Victoria’s mourning gowns. The dress reinstates the album’s themes of loss and emotional upheaval, making it a memorable fashion moment.  

In the aftermath of The Tortured Poets Department’s release, worldwide searches for ‘Black dress’ have rapidly increased, spiking on the day when the Fortnight music video was released. Black dresses are quickly becoming the basis of many Tortured Poets Department-inspired looks due to this video.  

Lace looks 

Lace is another signature fashion piece referenced in The Tortured Poets Department, specifically in the song, Florida!!!. Taylor’s collaboration with Florence + The Machine has been celebrated as one of the biggest hits on the album and features the following lyrics: “All my girls got their lace and their crimes.”  

Following the song’s release, worldwide searches for ‘lace tops for women’ have soared, making it one of the hottest fashion pieces mentioned in the album.  

Buttoned dresses  

Since its release, But Daddy, I Love Him has been embraced by Swifties and compared to the nostalgic hit, Love Story, from Swift’s Fearless era. Amid the rebellious song, Swift’s protagonist cries out: “Now I’m running with my dress unbuttoned, screaming, ‘But Daddy, I love him!’”.

Taylor has often been spotted sporting buttoned sundresses reminiscent of her Fearless era, making this song a decisive fashion moment for country chic. Since But Daddy, I Love Him’s release, worldwide searches for “Dress with buttons” have spiked, showing that country chic is back thanks to Taylor’s influence.  

Taylor Swift Fashion

The recent release of The Tortured Poets Department has solidified Taylor Swift’s reputation as a fashion icon. The album contains various fashion illusions and direct references to muses such as Stevie Nicks and Clara Bow.

These search spikes also demonstrate Taylor Swift’s position as a global trendsetter. Her influence is indisputable, and it will be great to see Swifties debuting some of these outfit trends at the upcoming Eras Tour shows.

-A spokesperson for Dalston Mill Fabrics

Methodology  

Data from Google Trends was analysed to calculate the percentage increase of certain fashion pieces following the release of The Tortured Poets Department.  

Sources  

Google Trends: https://trends.google.com/trends/