Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is back, but not quite how Swifties remember it. On Thursday, May 9, at the la Défense Arena in Paris, France, Swift returned from a two-month break to kick off the European leg of the tour with a remixed setlist and fresh outfits styled by Joseph Cassell to go with it. But the biggest surprise wasn't the update to each segment's costume, or evenThe Tortured Poets Department's arrival on the lineup. It was the one outfit Swift left off the glow-up list.
While Taylor Swift debuted a custom Vivienne Westwood dress for her TPD set and performed in upgraded costumes for her other nine albums, she didn't make a single alteration to her Reputation look. For her fan-favorite sixth album, she remained in the exact same outfit she's worn for the entire tour: a Roberto Cavalli jumpsuit embellished with red, beaded snakes.
Reputation has long been rumored to be next on Swift's list of albums to re-record as part of her "Taylor's Version" project. Singling out the era as the only one without a fresh costume could be a sign that the updated album is on the way—or that fans should simply pay close attention it. Of course, it might not be deeper than Swift already feeling her best performing "Delicate" and "Look What You Made Me Do" in the original costume. But as the only unaltered look in a three-hour show filled with costume changes, it stands out.
There was more style news unfolding on the Eras Tour stage last night. Swift brought her Tortured Poets Department era fashion out in a custom Vivienne Westwood gown. The piece featured a structured corset and snippets of Swift's "Fortnight" lyrics all over the skirt. Later in the show, she layers a military jacket with tasseled sleeves over the top; to close the set, she sheds the dress entirely for a sparkly black bra and hot pants set underneath.
Otherwise, Swift moved through her modified setlist in slight adjustments to the outfits she's worn throughout the tour. For the show-opener Lover, she twirled onstage in a variation of the same custom Versace bodysuit and necklace worn for past stops on the tour. But this time, they were cast in a sunset-like combination of pink and orange sequins. Coordinating ombré boots by Christian Louboutin finished the look.
Afterward, Swift quick-changed into a fringed Naeem Khan mini dress for the Fearless era. The new piece closely resembled a piece she wore on the original Fearless tour, with a mix of silver and gold tinsel.
For Red, Speak Now, and the new, combined setlist for Folklore and Evermore, Swift also modified the pieces she's worn on past stops. She starts the Red set in a custom Ashish shirt that snaps off into a sequined ombré romper by the designer, both updated with a new slogan and new silhouette. Speak Now came with a lavender ballgown coated in crystal detailing; Folklore and Evermore shared a fifth version of the tiered, ethereal Alberta Ferretti dress she's worn on past stops.
Those weren't the end of Swift's marathon outfit changes. She also debuted an aquamarine and flamingo pink Roberto Cavalli skirt set for 1989, plus a fringed Zuhair Murad bodysuit with a keyhole cutout for Midnights. Each one was paired with custom Louboutins.
She also debuted new looks for her acoustic set, ombré high-low Roberto Cavalli halter gowns with coordinating shoes.
There's still time for Swift to introduce a fresh look for Reputation. Currently, she's on a multi-night stop in Paris, followed by weeks of back-to-back shows for the European leg of the tour. Whether the Reputation outfit is a clue for something bigger remains to be seen—at press time, she has not unveiled a new Reputation look for any night on the Paris leg (May 10, and 11). But as most things go with Swift, no one knows until she's ready to make her grand reveal.
This post has been updated to include further outfit details.
