The Swiftie who sees Taylor Swift's 35th birthday dress and doesn't scream "Reputation!" is stronger than I am.
Photos of the singer's lavish Kansas City birthday party finally surfaced online on Dec. 18, courtesy of a photo montage by Swift's close friend and fellow Chiefs significant other, Brittany Mahomes. It had all the makings of a stunning going-out LBD, and a potential wink to the haute-goth aesthetics of her sixth album.
Pictures showed the pair hugging and toasting Swift's birthday in front of a dimly-lit bar, wearing coordinating black and silver looks: Swift's, a $4,290 Balmain mini dress styled by Joseph Cassell Falconer and birthday party nails that sparkled like glitter confetti. Meanwhile, Mahomes channeled her pal's Eras Tour outfits in a glittery fringe jacket resembling the "Karma" finale jackets, while Chiefs WAG Lyndsay Ball wore a Lover-coded pink jacket. Guests in subsequent images—including Ashley Avignone and Patrick Mahomes—also wore a lot of tassels, sequins, suiting, and jewel tones. It could have suggested a roaring-20s dress code in the tune of the Great Gatsby references in Reputation's "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things," but People reports the birthday party was actually Eras Tour-themed.
Swift accessorized her little black birthday dress with diamond drop earrings by DeBeers—valued at $36,000, according to the jeweler's website. (Her loud luxury era, started by a $54,000 Louis Vuitton watch and Gucci loafer pumps, appears to be ongoing.) She also added what looks like a red Chiefs friendship bracelet and peep-toe black pumps. The singer gracefully swept her hair into an up-do, similar to the French twist she test-drove at a recent football game. Her signature NARs lipstick completed the birthday girl ensemble.
In additional photos, host Travis Kelce wore a tuxedo referencing his costume from an "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" cameo during the Eras Tour last summer. The Chiefs tight end reportedly planned the concert-themed birthday party as a surprise for its guest of honor.
The Instagram window into Swift's exclusive birthday party also included luscious bouquets of flowers, a light-up dance floor referencing the Eras Tour stage, and colorful cocktails. Not pictured: The reported $175,000-worth of gifts Travis Kelce allegedly purchased for his girlfriend.
Taylor Swift typically shares an Instagram post highlighting her birthday plans, gets caught celebrating by the paparazzi, or both. Last year, she turned 34 surrounded by pals in New York City while wearing a celestial Clio Peppiat mini dress. Fans incorrectly assumed the LBD was a hint at her long-awaited Reputation re-record, when it was in fact the unofficial first outfit of her Tortured Poets Department fashion era.
A knee-jerk, "...Ready for It?" reaction isn't too far out of left field with her 35th birthday look. Balmain's strong shoulders and over-the-top embellishments are well-suited to the armor Swift metaphorically wears in her Reputation lyrics. The winding vine of silver flowers up the front of her party dress also reminds this writer of "Call It What You Want"'s lyrics (in which flowers grow back as thorns).
Balmain is also an interesting choice as far as the designers in Swift's repertoire. She's lately gravitated toward Vivienne Westwood corsets, Miu Miu tartans, and Versace skirt suits—all paired with gold necklaces—for recent appearances. The last time Swift wore Balmain in a major way was the London premiere of Beyoncé's Renaissance concert film in 2023. Back then, she chose a disco ball-esque gown in metallic silver to meet Queen Bey's dress code.
Perhaps this birthday look is just a hint to what was on Taylor's 35th party playlist—and the real Reputation (TV) outfits are being saved for another event. Either way, I'm waiting for Swift to confirm exactly which of her own eras she referenced on her big day.
