Taylor Swift first appeared in the music industry in 2006 when she was just 17 years old. Since then, the Pennsylvania native has undergone significant changes, especially in her music genre – moving from country to pop. As she approaches her 30th birthday on December 13, Daily Mail examines her remarkable evolution in style.
During her teenage years, Taylor Swift made her mark in the music industry when she burst onto the scene in 2006 at just 17 years old.
A rising star emerges: Taylor was among the initial artists signed to the country music label Big Machine Records. Her debut album featured ‘Tim McGraw’ as the standout lead single.
Innovator: Taylor was among the initial artists to sign with the country music label Big Machine Records. She was young and had a raw, natural charm. Taylor’s entrance into the music industry showcased her with long, curly blonde hair, mini dresses, and cowboy boots. Her simple and girl-next-door look was accentuated by minimal makeup. In 2006, she released ‘Tim McGraw’ as the leading single from her first self-titled album. The album was well received, and the third single, ‘Our Song,’ made her the youngest artist ever to write and perform a No.1 song on the Hot Country Songs chart.
In 2008, she found solace in mini dresses paired with cowboy boots.
Cascading Curls: When she stepped into the spotlight, she exuded a youthful and natural charm, her flowing locks adorned with beautiful, golden curls.
In 2008, Taylor Swift launched her second studio album, ‘Fearless.’ While maintaining her country roots, the album also had a wide pop appeal, which reflected in her evolving style.
By the end of 2009, ‘Fearless’ became the best-selling album of the year, thanks to hit singles like ‘Love Story’ and the award-winning ‘You Belong With Me’ at the VMAs.
With her escalating fame, Taylor refined her appearance, sporting a more sophisticated and cohesive look, along with a chic, styled haircut. She ditched cowboy boots for high heels and added a signature red lip to her makeup routine.
At the Video Music Awards, she stunned in a sparkly Kaufman Franco dress paired with sparkling Lorraine Schwartz jewelry as she accepted the Best Female Video award for ‘You Belong With Me.’
During the ceremony, Kanye West’s interruption stole the spotlight when he claimed Beyoncé had one of the greatest music videos of all time with ‘Single Ladies,’ overshadowing Taylor’s moment. The incident made headlines worldwide.
She’s here: At the Video Music Awards that year, she wore a sparkling dress by Kaufman Franco and adorned herself with dazzling diamonds by Lorraine Schwartz.
Taylor has been a fan of A-line dresses for quite some time, particularly in 2012 when she really embraced the style. The dresses hit just above the knee, striking a perfect balance between sweet and sexy. This was the same year she released her fourth studio album ‘Red’, which featured hit songs like ’22’ and ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’. The album was a huge success, receiving critical acclaim and commercial recognition. During this time, she also began dating Harry Styles, leading to numerous public appearances where the couple would coordinate their preppy outfits. With her A-line dresses hitting just above the knee, Taylor managed to look both sweet and demure while still exuding a hint of sex appeal.
Fresh gossip: In 2012, she kicked off a romantic relationship with the talented English singer, songwriter, and actor Harry Styles.
Taylor and Harry have truly evolved over time, thanks to the assistance of celebrity stylist Joseph Castell and Taylor’s rising success in the music industry. Her once simple wardrobe has now transformed into a more sophisticated one, adorned with luxury designer labels.
One memorable moment was at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, where she stunned in a gorgeous red gown by Elie Saab. The dress featured a sheer lace bodice and a flowing hem, paired with sleek hair, bold makeup, and striking blunt bangs.
Another fashion highlight was at the Academy of Country Music awards, where she wowed in a chic J.Mendel dress. The Parisian designer’s high-end creations became a staple in her closet during this stylish phase of her career, accentuated with elegant accessories like Lorraine Schwartz jewels and Christian Louboutin sandals.
Her style evolution continued at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, where she flaunted her figure in a Zuhair Murad mini dress. The sultry ensemble was balanced with an elegant updo, showcasing her long legs and impeccable fashion sense.
Get ready to pucker up because her go-to beauty style always includes winged eyeliner paired with a bold red lip.
Sizzling in red: This starlet confidently posed at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for the Billboard Music Awards, dazzling in a fiery Elie Saab gown.
She made a stunning appearance at the Academy of Country Music awards, held at the MGM Grand hotel & casino in Las Vegas that year, wearing a beautiful outfit by J.Mendel that caught everyone’s attention.
From top to bottom flawless: Her Zuhair Murad ensemble was complemented by an elegant updo.
All set for a cocktail party: The singer of ‘You Need To Calm Down’ flaunted her elegant long legs in a tight-fitting Zuhair Murad mini dress at the 40th Anniversary American Music Awards, which took place at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.
Timeless styles: The celebrity fully embodied (and excelled at!) the classic retro chic fashion with striped nautical patterns, dresses with collars, high-waisted pants, bowler hats, and elegant framed handbags.
In an interview with Access in 2012, Taylor shared, “I go through different phases. Right now, I’m really into vintage dresses.” She flawlessly embraced (and mastered!) the retro chic aesthetic with her outfit choices.
She effortlessly rocked the vintage look, whether she was heading to the gym or out on the streets. Her wardrobe exuded an old-world charm complemented by her bold red lipstick and winged eyeliner.
To complete her retro-inspired ensemble, she opted for the iconic Ray-Ban Wayfarers as her sunglasses of choice.
Rephrased: She looked absolutely flawless from top to bottom, even as she headed to the gym, as shown in the photo.
Pinup Taylor shared with Access in 2012 that she goes through various style phases, with her current one being a love for vintage dresses.
Every little thing matters: Her retro street style wardrobe wouldn’t be complete without her bowler hats and cute kitten heels.
In 2014, Taylor Swift switched up her style by rocking mod Ray-Ban Wayfarers sunglasses and embracing a new sound and look. With her fifth studio album ‘1989’, she officially made the transition from a country artist who occasionally dipped into pop to a full-fledged pop star. This album was her first official venture into the pop genre, which she declared as her favorite work at the time. Taylor’s fashion choices also took a bold turn, as she experimented with edgier and more daring outfits that caught everyone’s attention. For example, at the Video Music Awards, she disregarded her usual modest dress code and opted for a standout romper by Mary Katrantzou. Taylor Swift proved that sometimes, all you need is confidence and a killer outfit – who needs pants anyway?
With legs for days, Taylor Swift made a bold statement at the Video Music Awards by opting for a daring romper designed by Mary Katrantzou, disregarding her usual modest dress code. Despite showing some skin, she maintained her classy and elegant look effortlessly.
Switching up her style game, Taylor wowed at the 2014 American Music Awards in a custom Michael Kors column gown, deviating from her go-to mini dress silhouette. The emerald gown with a waist cut-out showcased her toned tummy, completing her chic and modern ensemble with soft waves and pretty makeup.
Taylor exuded sophistication at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2014 in a black Julien MacDonald gown, featuring long sleeves and sequins with a sheer sleeve detail, channeling vampy Old Hollywood glam perfectly.
Accepting the Album of the Year Grammy for ‘1989’ at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, she rocked a red crop top paired with a hot-pink skirt by Atelier Versace, showing off her sexier side. Closing out the award show season, she stunned in a black Alexandre Vauthier gown with a plunging neckline and thigh-high slit, looking more breathtaking than ever.
Putting a modern spin on her usual look, the adorable young woman opted for a unique Michael Kors column gown instead of her usual mini dress at the 2014 American Music Awards.
Flexibility: She was spotted at the star-studded Vanity Fair Oscar Party 2014 in West Hollywood, dazzling in a stylish long-sleeved black Julien MacDonald gown adorned with sequins. Her overall appearance exuded a vampy, classic Hollywood glamour that left everyone in awe.
She’s got that special something: Even when she’s flaunting her figure, Taylor always exudes a sense of sophistication and grace.
No sweat: The All-American beauty fell in love with coordinating sets back in 2014.
In 2014, the All-American beauty became obsessed with coordinating outfits. Her go-to look consisted of matching crop tops and skater skirts, which she wore for any occasion, be it a casual day out or a fancy evening event. She especially loved donning two-piece sets for romantic evenings spent with her then-boyfriend Calvin Harris (before Tom Hiddleston came into the picture!). At the 2015 MTV VMAs, Taylor was up for 10 awards and debuted her ‘Wildest Dreams’ music video. She made a stunning entrance in a sparkly houndstooth set by Ashish, perfectly paired with eye-catching Christian Louboutin heels.
Her fail-safe outfit typically consisted of crop tops paired with skater skirts, making it her go-to attire for various occasions, from casual days out to formal evenings and everything in-between.
Cannot go wrong: Taylor managed to popularize matching two-piece outfits all on her own.
Side by side: She always rocked a flawless look with matching two-piece outfits, her favorite choice for romantic evenings with her previous beau, Calvin Harris (before Tom Hiddleston came into the picture!).
Matching outfits on the red carpet: For the 2015 VMAs, she made a statement with a dazzling sequined houndstooth ensemble designed by Ashish.
2015: Rocking the perfect look with legs and high heels
The ultimate combination
It’s often advised to dress according to your body type.
For Tay, this meant showing off her beautifully long and toned legs.
In 2015, the 5’10” star became a fan of high heels. These added height to her already tall stature, leading her to rarely opt for flat shoes.
She accentuated her tall and elegant figure by teaming her heels with skirts and shorts that sat well above her knees.
No more flat shoes for her: Back in 2015, the world-famous celebrity developed a love for high heels.
In a stunning transformation, Taylor shook up her look by going platinum blonde in 2016 for Vogue magazine. The typically conservative singer embraced a new edgy style, rocking a mini sequined dress with platform boots and bold red lipstick on the cover. Anna Wintour praised the change, saying they aimed to give Taylor a rock n’ roll edge. This new look continued with glam-goth outfits, including a ruffled Louis Vuitton dress and knee-high lace-up stilettos at the Met Gala. Taylor’s fashion evolution was on full display at the BMI Pop Awards, where she stunned in a velvet Monique Lhuillier dress to accept the first-ever Taylor Swift Award.
Guess who? Taylor decided to switch things up in 2016 and went platinum blonde for a photoshoot with Vogue.
Taylor’s fresh hairstyle was a game-changer, inspiring a string of edgy-glam looks for the following months.
Stylish transformation
In 2018, the 29-year-old singer embraced a fresh style with the release of her album ‘Reputation’.
Returning to her natural blonde locks, she maintained her edgy fashion choices.
At the American Music Awards, she stunned in a full Balmain ensemble, including thigh-high boots and geometric earrings.
Off the red carpet, she traded in her retro vibes for a more laid-back wardrobe.
The ‘Bad Blood’ songstress was captured in New York City rocking leopard-print skirts, distressed jeans, vibrant pink sweatshirts, and edgy combat boots.
Spotted at the American Music Awards was her full-on mirrored outfit by Balmain.
Steering away from vintage styles, she was rocking leopard skirts, bright pink sweatshirts, and edgy combat boots off the red carpet.
Looking lovely in pink: Last year, she traded in her darker outfits from the ‘Reputation’ era for lighter pastel styles to coincide with the release of her latest album, ‘Lover’.
Exclusively pastels sought
In 2019, she traded in her dark outfits from the ‘Reputation’ era for softer pastel ensembles to coincide with her latest album ‘Lover.’
Embracing a more joyful and light-hearted music phase, she dazzled in a pastel pink and yellow outfit from J. Mendel’s Spring 2019 collection at the Time 100 Gala held in New York City.
At the Billboard Music Awards, the singer stole the show in a lavender dress by Raisa and Vanessa paired with Casadei shoes.
Accompanied by Joe Alwyn at the British Vogue And Tiffany & Co. Fashion And Film Party, Taylor looked stunning in a baby blue dress and matching coat.
Joyful: In Las Vegas, she embraced her cheerful and lively music era by donning a lavender Raisa and Vanessa dress paired with Casadei shoes.
Taylor Swift and her boyfriend Joe Alwyn made an appearance at the British Vogue And Tiffany & Co. Fashion And Film Party, looking stunning in baby blue attire.
Taylor entered a new era in her career as she was named the Artist of The Decade at the 2019 American Music Awards, surpassing Michael Jackson’s record with 24 all-time wins.
During the ceremony, she delivered a memorable performance with a medley of her hit songs like ‘Love Story,’ ‘I Knew You Were Trouble,’ and ‘Shake It Off.’
On the red carpet, Taylor dazzled in a deep green Julien Macdonald gown with intricate embroidery, paired with black Casadei thigh-high boots.
To accessorize, she wore black diamond hoops from Ofira Jewels and a variety of black diamond rings from Lorraine Schwartz and Ofira Jewels, completing her transformation from country cutie to global superstar.
Praise: Taylor looked stunning in a beautifully embroidered dress by Julien Macdonald paired with sleek black thigh-high boots by Casadei.