How Taylor Swift's “Tortured Poet's Department” Style Compares to Past Eras

Like her musical eras, the popstar’s style has evolved over her nearly 20-year career

The release of The Tortured Poets Department on Friday, April 19, marks the beginning of yet another era in Taylor Swift’s musical career.

Now on her 11th studio album, the singer-songwriter has emerged over the years as one of this generation’s biggest names in music. From a humble country music beginning to multiple musical genre switches, some acting stints, and the most recent display of her entire musical catalog on the wildly successful, history-making Eras Tour, Swift, 34, is no stranger to experimentation. Her style is no exception to that rule.

From cowboy boots to her latest “literary academia” inspired looks, Swift’s musical endeavors have often been reflected in her style choices. Read ahead to see how Swift's style eras over the years compare to her latest stylistic and sound shifts from The Tortured Poets Department.

Taylor Swift (2006)

Released in 2006, Taylor Swift's eponymous albumlaunched the then-16-year-old’s now storied career. A country album, this musical era is accompanied by a little bit of twang and a whole lot of cowboy boots. Mini dresses were a must, ensuring that Swift's footwear was visible at all times.

Fearless (2008)

During her Fearless era, Swift took her country vibe to new heights, and added in plenty of sequins and fringe — after all, she does love glitter and sparkly dresses. However, the "You Belong With Me" singer kept true to her roots with plenty of cowboy boots and her signature curly hair. A truly ‘fearless’ combo!

Speak Now (2010)

Swift's third album, Speak Now, saw a more romantic shift in the singer's style. After songs like "White Horse" and "Love Story" appeared on Swift's sophomore album, Fearless, the young country artist began experimenting with longer silhouettes, beading and updos. The color purple was a mainstay in this era of Swift's style.

Red (2012)

Swift's Red era was, well, pretty red. The star favored a more streamlined color palette—blues, whites, blacks, and yes, reds, often pairing them with a high-waisted short for a retro vibe. Patterns were another favorite of Swift's during the Red years, as she sported many a stripe and polka dot. The iconic "22" hat also made its debut here and has been one of the most celebrated looks on the Eras Tour ten years later. Her red lip also became her beauty signature.

1989 (2014)

1989's release marked a major milestone in the then-24-year-old's musical movements. The star, who had risen to fame with her country music, left her boots behind and made the full switch to pop music. Her outfits from this period are certainly inspired by her move to New York City around the same time — bright, sparkly and chic like the "City that Never Sleeps." It might explain why she found herself wearing sunglasses so often!

Reputation (2017)

After the bright colors and sparkles of 1989, the "End Game" singer's Reputation style took a dark turn — literally. After nearly vanishing from the public eye altogether, Swift reemerged, suddenly favoring dark colors, edgy metallics and her fair share of snake print.

Lover (2019)

Almost as suddenly as they had appeared, Swift swapped her snakeskin for something a little softer. With the release of her 7th studio album, Lover, in 2019, love certainly seemed to be in the air as Swift once again donned sparkles and vibrant pastels.

Folklore (2020) and Evermore (2020)

Swift's 9th and 10th studio albums, released only five months apart, signified another genre shift for the lyricist. With twinges of folk present in the music and writing on the two LPs, it's easy to see how Swift's style morphed into a reflection of the albums' literary influences. Plaids and florals abounded in this style period, and Swift always appeared looking cozy — perhaps a nod to the sister albums' pandemic release that kept many indoors.

Midnights (2022)

Swift's style during her Midnights era was reminiscent of a night sky. With deep blues and dripping sparkles, the "Anti-Hero" singer never failed to shine during this era — like a star at, well, midnight.

The Tortured Poets Department (2024)

Swift's latest style endeavors are truly the looks of a tortured poet. It's all a little bit preppy, a little bit edgy, and somehow, very literary. The 14-time Grammy winner's accessories are the star of this era — doing more than just spicing up her outfit and sometimes functioning as the wearable Easter eggs that the superstar loves so much.

One of the biggest Easter eggs foreshadowing the star's new musical era was the Schiaparelli gownshe wore to the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2024, seemingly channeling her own modern-day Clara Bow. Swift even named a song on TTPD after the 1920s silent film star. And in the “Fortnight” music video, Swift dons Bow's signature doll-like makeup look (razor-thin eyebrows, smokey eye makeup and bold lipstick).

The Tortured Poets Department is now available on music platforms.

Read PEOPLE"s review of The Tortured Poets Department and dive deeper into the album's deeply personal lyrics, call-outs and more.

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