Taylor Swift Style: Fashion Through the Eras

by Sarah Chapelle

Dazzling. Incomparable. Unforgettable. The definitive book of Taylor Swift's fashion evolution. For Taylor Swift, fashion and music go hand-in-hand—each playing a powerful role in shaping the narrative of this generation’s most prolific storyteller. Red lipstick isn’t just a makeup choice—it’s the emblem of an era. A mini skirt isn’t simply part of a cute outfit—it’s a suit of armor. From cowboy boots to teetering heels, fairytale dresses to bleach-tinged tresses, and the many memorable moments in between, Taylor Swift Style tells the fashion story behind every single Taylor Swift album, tracing Swift’s musical evolution along with her ever-changing personal style. From red carpet looks, to streetwear, to tour costumes, Sarah Chapelle of the successful Instagram and blog Taylor Swift Style, has spent more than a decade documenting Swift’s fashion choices and the intention behind each ensemble. Her deep dives into songs, lyrics, and behind-the-scenes insights paint a portrait of a megastar who knows exactly what she is doing. Taylor Swift Style explains the ‘why’ behind Swift’s outfits—the easter eggs and deeper meanings behind every hemline and haircut—that speak to the emotional context of each musical moment. With over two hundred photos dating from Swift’s earliest days as a country singer in Nashville, up through the present as a renowned pop icon, paired with insightful commentary, Taylor Swift Style is a one-of-a-kind keepsake and a must-have for Swifties.

Genres: Nonfiction, Fashion, Pop Culture, Biography, Music, Art, Adult

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2024

About the author

SARAH CHAPELLE is the fashion writer and creator of the blog Taylor Swift Style and Instagram account @taylorswiftstyled. Her thoughtful, thorough, and witty approach to style commentary has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Harper’s Bazaar, Coveteur, People, and more. She lives in Vancouver, Canada, with her husband and their cat.

Reviews

[Mathilda · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a huge Swiftie and a fan of Sarah’s blog for over a decade, I expected to love this book — but I didn’t. The writing felt more like a personal story than a fashion-focused piece. Plus, there’s one incredibly bad, poorly edited photo of Taylor where it looks like half of her leg is missing. I’ll be returning it because I don’t even want to keep it in my collection or on my coffee table.

[Andy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sarah is just another person profiting off of Taylor Swift. This book was not approved or authorized in anyway by the subject of the book (i.e. Taylor) which should tell you all you need to know about how ‘legitimate’ anything written in this book is.

[Gloria Corbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for any Taylor fan written by the fandom MVP. Sarah outdid herself. Truly. The amount of love and care and emotion that went into this book is so apparent in every single page. So so so proud. Highly recommend for any Taylor swift fan

[Mackie Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

I ordered this book hoping to find full page splashes of Taylor’s most iconic and little known looks accompanied by captions that detailed style, designer, and an analysis on the era it was worn during. While I did get some of that, I also got more commentary than I was expecting. I can appreciate the narrative of each era woven through the book, linking the fashion choices with the choices Taylor makes sonically, but I was taken aback by many of the snarky comments about her wardrobe. Sure, we all have our opinions on fashion and I’m fine with those coming through, but so many of the comments came across as mean spirited and rude.

We don’t have to call a shade of yellow “‘couture butter stick” or say that you “shudder at” debut Taylor’s fashion choices (even if it’s labeled as a shudder done “lovingly”) (19, 29). Vintage doesn’t have to be labeled “Modern Grandma” just because it’s not your style and we don’t have to call her faux bob “limp” and say her dress looked like it was “upcycled from vintage doilies” (110, 86). You can just say you didn’t like the dress without needing to comment that “the rural milkmaid look and dingy floral pattern felt forgettable and unflattering” (83). We don’t need to comment that an outfit, which Taylor styled for herself during the pandemic, “has all the mismatched chaos of a girl getting ready for her first date and hodgepodging an outfit together because she’s already fifteen minutes late” (266). That’s something straight out of a high school mean girl’s mouth. While claiming that the goal was to be “critically kind” in the thoughts on Taylor’s wardrobe, many of the comments made in the book seem to forget that goal and instead read like intentionally mean jabs (301). The entire chapter dedicated to what the author thought were Taylor’s worst looks just wasn’t necessary even if it was affectionately named “Bloopers” (300-307).

I was also uncomfortable with the unnecessary discussions of Taylor’s eating disorder and the many instances of almost attempting to paternity test Taylor’s wardrobe choices as reactions to breakups or new relationships (as if we don’t see enough of that in the analysis of her songs!). If Taylor had endorsed the book or written it herself, perhaps these instances wouldn’t have seemed so out of place. But an unaffiliated author quoting Taylor and then speculating (or really stating) on the nature of her crop tops as armor against her body dysmorphia just doesn’t sit well with me (169).

Overall, I would’ve liked more focus on the clothes, the designers, the cut and style, and more photos rather than opinions that often leaned towards comments that were just plain Mean.

[Sydney | sydneys.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember which article of clothing or accessory first lead to me discover Sarah's highly informative Instagram, @TaylorSwiftStyled, but I am so glad I did find her account, if only to keep me occupied during The Drought. (Swifties know what period of time I'm referring to.)

If you're a lover of Taylor, fashion, or simply the genius behind one of the world's most successful businesspeople, you will find something interesting and inspiring in Taylor Swift Style. I am in the top 1% of Taylor Swift stans and yet I learned new information while reading. I truly did not think that would happen! I'm basically the human equivalent of Taylor's Wikipedia page. Leave it to Sarah for being both the backbone of Swiftstagram and an educator for even the most die-hard of stans.

Please read every word of this book. The captions are witty, even making me laugh out loud (comparing Random Access Memories to the Dodo bird in regard to relevancy? Hysterical. I almost cried). But, of course, the real shining star is the gorgeous prose, weaving commentary, history, and Swiftie-isms amongst glossy photos and color-accurate eras. Sarah has a journalism background and it shows. Some passages felt like reading the deeply analytical paper of an AP English student.

Not a single stone is unturned. Sarah included the fashion of the Eras Tour, highlights from the unofficial rerecords era, and even a section dedicated to the fashion mishaps where Taylor should've said no. She set out to prove that Taylor's growth as a person, a songwriter, and a human brand evolves with each reinvention of herself and her aesthetic, shown clearly in her fashion, from the stage, award shows, candid moments, and red carpets. It's part of what makes my party trick of identifying the year a Taylor photo was taken so deceptively easy. And Sarah accomplished just that, in 330 pages of interpretation, insight, and poise.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have followed Sarah and her blog since 2012, and her scholarship has played a huge huge role in my fan experience - she undoubtedly has had the biggest impact on my Swiftieism besides Ms Swift herself. I was thrilled to support her book, even though I thought it would all be information I already knew. I was really surprised that I learned a ton especially in the earlier chapters. Finding out about how Taylor's relationship with her stylist Joseph started was a real treat. And as others have said, Sarah's care and dedication as a fan shines through on every page, unlike the hollow cash grabs published by guys in suits who don't understand Taylor and what makes her special. Sarah's book - now officially a NYT Bestseller! - is the unofficial official guide for fans by a fan. I'll admit there were some moments in the later chapters that made me wish she had included different outfits to discuss, but the recent eras are all very fresh in my memory so I didn't need to really revisit them. But the first 5 chapters were stunning and I gobbled up this book in 2 sittings, much much faster than I anticipated! I am thrilled to be a small part of supporting Sarah's success. Any swiftie worth their salt is familiar with Sarah's work and would call her the backbone of the fandom. I have called her that - in tumblr messages and instagram comments - many times! If you've ever been curious about Taylor's approach to style or her early career this is a must read. So proud of my friend.

[Niamh Doran · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can tell Sarah put so much thought and love into this and the result was pure joy from start to finish

[Anna Fedoruk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book perfectly encapsulates what it means to be a Swiftie. It’s a perfect mix between highly knowledgeable yet understandable fashion insight, and a description of Taylor’s eras along with the authors own stories. As a huge Taylor fan, I consider myself pretty well educated, however this book surprised me with facts that I didn’t even know. Written by a fan, for the fans, Taylor Swift Style will accurately describe the way Taylor’s eras relate to life, what it truly means to be a Swiftie, and how Taylor’s style has helped her craft an empire.

[Tara Wyckoff · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this as a gift. I decided to read through it to see what the deal was because I saw people negatively discussing the book on TikTok. The pictures are beautiful (dresses/fashion), but the commentary isn't what I expected. It's not really grounded in fashion expertise or compelling observations that are fashion-oriented. I guess I expected more of a discussion on designers, leveraging cultural moments, evolution of style and the cultural influences. Instead, the text read more like a gossip magazine. It focused more on comments about Swift's fashion sense, alluding to her eating disorder, and incorporating commentary on her personal life. It wasn't a fit for us, so I actually didn't give it as a gift.

[Katelyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book reads like a bad, snarky Reddit post. She doesn’t properly credit photographers, she has a terrible history of perpetuating gaylor theories, & horrible commentary in the book about Taylor’s ED. Awful she uses Taylor to profit and claims to be a fan.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

stunning

ETA: i was right it IS stunning

[McKenna Gray Lemke · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautifully done

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love the Instagram account Sarah runs, you’ll devour this book. Even if you’re a passing Taylor Swift fan, you’ll explore the lore with new eyes after reading. Learn of Swiftian costume designers, how Swift is a serial outfit repeater, and how she uses her clothes to tell more of her story (and sometimes wears the…wrong?) I’m a massive Taylor fan and still learned something new. Fantastic read and also stunning to look at, cover to cover. Great job Sarah!

[Vindya V · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book felt rather mean-spirited. And for what? Can’t think who the target audience for this book was. It’s just not even mean in a funny but endearing way. It’s making quips about her eating disorder and relationships etc. Maybe it’s for the general public who like to casually make fun of Taylor’s relationships. It’s definitely not for the Swifties.

[Dabney S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic. Classic. Must have for any fan of TS. The writing is flawless and so engaging. You can tell this isn’t a random idea but something Sarah really took time to research and write about. Thank you for your hard work!! This book is everything!!

[Corbyjane · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s really sad that Sarah is getting review bombed and lied about by immature Swifties who didn’t even read the book because this book has so much love for Taylor from cover to cover. As most long time fans and fashionistas know, she has been blogging about Taylor’s style for over a decade, helping fans find exacts and similar items for their own closet.

This book is not a rehashing of her extensive blog, just listing off designers; it is a general overview of what the keynotes of each era contained and why she felt Taylor and her stylists opted for those choices. She often adds her own commentary by stating what she felt the goal of the look was, as well as whether she felt it was achieved. There is no body shaming in that sense, simply was it pulled off successfully or not.

There is a final chapter called “bloopers” which includes a few looks Sarah does not think were successful— however she notes that taste is subjective and one of your favorites may very well be among them (as one of mine is lol).

This book is a perfect Christmas gift for any Taylor fan. Sarah is a big name in both the blogosphere and swiftie fandom and her opinions on fashion come from years of working in the industry, and are a pleasure to read.

[Syla · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book contains a lot of snarky comments that I was not prepared for. I thought it would be a book with Taylor's outfits, great photos, dates, more detailed information about the clothes, materials, something like a beautiful photo album, which I would like to review and return to from time to time. I would never have expected the author to write about Taylor’s ED or make snide comments about her relationships. And on top of that, I had no idea that the author is a Gaylor who loves to theorize about someone's sexual orientation, we live in the 21st century, such things should not happen, it is very harmful to the LGBT community. Taylor is a person and we should treat her like a person, not a product. I'm afraid Sarah treated her like the latter. That's why I'm so disappointed in this book and don’t recommend to anyone.

[Mayela · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty photos - for the most part, there were some badly cut ones - but the writing would have greatly benefited from several rounds of editing. You can tell Sarah Chapelle is used to writing captions, not prose.

If you're not a super fan, I say skip it.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, not perfectly planned out, but nevertheless enjoyable for those who are at once both fans of Taylor Swift and critical students of celebrity and fan culture.

The content:
This first half of this book is better than the second. Chapelle did a great job chronicling and interpreting Swift’s style and imaging for her first 7 albums. I really enjoyed learning how Swift and her team cultivated a specific impression of her. Of course, that’s all older history, so it’s easier to overview like that.
The book went downhill with the folklore/evermore era, but mostly just because there aren’t many public appearances or pictures for 2020. But it never managed to pick back up after that.
Some parts of this project felt underdeveloped (the “misses” section, the aesthetics of the re-recordings, to name a few), but overall I did enjoy it. The first 7 albums (which to be fair covers most of the book) is what made this worth it for me. I also just love all the old pictures. But on the whole this is by no means a perfect execution of this project idea.

And lack thereof:
I’m not sure when Chapelle turned this into her publisher, and of course none of us can know Swift’s every next move, but the lack of any Tortured Poets Department coverage in this book was glaring and left it feeling very incomplete. That’s also an album cycle replete with public appearances and hints from Swift, whereas of course folklore/evermore and to a lesser extend Midnights aren’t. Maybe…wait to make your book more complete? (I will note…I’m very much a TTPD lover)

“Profiting off of Taylor Swift’s Name”:
Some reviews of this book claim this book shouldn’t even exist because Swift herself wasn’t involved in its creation. I bet these are some of the same people who claim any celebrity biopic that wasn’t made without that celebrity or his or her estate should be DOA, just because it’s “unauthorized.”
I fear the general public has very little media literacy or rational thinking. Celebrities are at worst lying, unreliable narrators about themselves, and at best, like all of us, incapable of fully stepping back and being impartial. Do people even care about journalism still? Are y’all…dumb????
I am very fine with a woman who has blogged about and analyzed Swift’s style for OVER A DECADE making a book about it. I only regret it is not a better book.

Closing remarks:
💚~this is the 13th book I’ve read this year!~💚
5’11 December 13th ladies rise UP. 2024 is the year I became a Swiftie 🤪🤪

[amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

mandatory reading for die hard and casual fans alike. love sarah’s commentary as she always stays thoughtful and nuanced and i can tell she put so much heart into this book! it’s the perfect homage to taylor and her career highlighting how her style truly helps shape the narrative throughout each era. and so many of my favorite outfits were showcased :)

[Iva · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sarah loves to label herself as a “critically kind” commentator of Taylor’s style but what is not critically kind is commenting on Taylor’s eating disorder, paternity testing her choices of outfits as if this isn’t happening all the time with her music, speculating her sexuality at book events, speculating on a relationship that’s been done for more than a decade now, limiting her comments but leaving hundreds of mean ones, using terms like aping and showing her thinly vailed racism by blocking people who call her out for it and so on. If you want to read a book with actual commentary on Taylor’s fashion that don’t reduce her to an ED or the men she dated throughout her life I recommend Taylor Swift and the clothes she wears by Terry Newman

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taylor Swift Style: Fashion Through the Eras is SO, SO pretty. The cover is stunning and the gold pages are gorgeous. This is a book one should be proud to display on their coffee table.

The writing is good, and the layout of the book is fantastic. All the looks encapsulate the era and flipping through the book is therefore really enjoyable. But there was wayyyyyyy too much text! I now realize the book was written as a semi-biography in tandem with Taylor's fashion, but I wanted more writing about Taylor's favorite brands, the designers, just more fashion content in general. I'm a big Taylor Swift fan and knew most of the baseline information Sarah Chapelle decided to include, which made reading it a little boring. I get why the info was added, for newer fans; but what new fan is going to pick up a book about Taylor Swift's fashion?

I also saw a lot of controversy over the book's criticism of certain outfits of Taylor's, but guys... that's fashion. Sarah's MO is being critically kind, and that's true. Within fashion journalism, critics can be super cruel; Sarah is definitely not that. Most of her remarks are funny, like when she calls one of Taylor's looks "a couture butter stick." I also thought the Bloopers chapter (where she shows her least favorite TS looks ever) was hilarious, except for her including the 2013 VMAs look which did not deserve a place on the list!

Overall, a perfect book for fashion obsessed Swifties and the perfect coffee table book. I really hope Sarah releases more books about Taylor's style, perhaps more niche ones about her red carpet style, street style or even WAG style. ❤️

[Brynne Schweigel-Skeers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely piece of work that was educational and entertaining in all the best ways. Love this writer and her work surrounding my favorite artist. Highly recommend it to people who like Taylor.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this because I've followed Sarah's Instagram account for YEARS, always hoping to get a detailed look into Taylor's fashion (or on the rare occasion, a budget friendly item I can actually purchase). I assumed this would be a gorgeous coffee table book and happily pre-ordered to support. I was shocked to see how much WRITING Sarah put into this - it's truly a book and a story of Taylor's entire career and how her fashion choices have represented each stage of her life. While there are, of course, gorgeous photos included, the depth of research and writing was a delight to read.

[Ursula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed opinions on this book.

First of all, physically its a really beautiful book. I don't think the photo of the cover digitally does it enough justice. Its really nicely produced, the gold edge pages are stunning, there's a good weight to it and it feel expensive and good quality.

My next point is both a pro and a con, depending on what it is you want from the book. I have 101 magazines and books about Taylor that detail the timeline of her life. If you want to get this for someone who doesn't have much of that then it's a great shout because it is SUPER detailed. There's lots of text and its very biographical. However, because I have so many of these types of books I was really excited about having one purley based on fashion and its just lacking that.

Following on from that, I'd really love a book focused more on the positives and I though a fashion book was the easiest way to do that so it was a shame to see K*nye brought up and I think there was 0 reason to mention Taylor's ED.

I never thought I'd ask for a book to have less text and more pictures but there are times where Sarah describes an outfit in details and its not pictured which is a shame. I'd have loved more just about the fashion.

The format of the captions is all over the place and inconsistent which doesn't make for easy reading.

And what seems to be the most common critism, which I agree with, is the commentary on some of the outfits. The author claims (twice) to be "critically kind". I have two issues with this:
1. With these types of books, I'd much prefer an objective comment rather than the author's personal opinion which I appreciate is maybe not entirely fair but I just want to know where the outfit was worn, who its by and maybe even how much it cost.
2. The critical comments (though there aren't loads and I think the 1 star reviews are not fair and have been left by those who haven't even read the book) are not kind. They come off as bitchy and like a mean girl at school and I think the "bloopers" section at the end completely ruins the book to be honest - it comes off very "tabloid" rather than a credible piece of work which is a real shame.

Overall, I did think it was good value for money (though my copy was a gift) and it has some good references and photos in.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted this to be more than it was. As someone who has religiously followed the TSS site, I guess I wanted this book to be an expansion of what he as her readers there had already seen. Which is perhaps not fair, since this book has to be for everyone, for a fresh audience. But it was mostly a vague/brief walk through the timeline of Taylor's career with anecdotes and notes about fashion on a very shallow surface level. I would have loved more depth. Numbers, charts, how often has she worn certain designers, how has that changed over time. I was looking for something that only someone like Sarah who has been following so long could possibly give to us. Instead what I got was a book that I probably could have put together myself as a fan for the past 18 years. It was still, a nice, beautiful book. But it was lacking the depth that I craved.

[Allison Logue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so amazing!! I knew Sarah was not going to disappoint - I truly loved reading every single page. Unfortunately, the 4/5 rating is because the only issue with a book on style is the design of the book. I don’t know if it was a cost issue or what the reasoning was, but there were several times where Sarah beautifully described outfits of Taylor’s and then there was no photo to match the description. She laid out the Blank Space video immaculately but not a single photo was included for reference. I thought this was odd and also a bummer! It would be one thing if it happened once, but it was a repeat occurrence. More photos to match Sarah’s stunning writing next time! ♥️

[Mary]

I was curious after seeing a lot of hate about this book online so I skimmed through it. I don't really get where all the hate is coming from. I do think there was a lot more background information about Taylor Swift's life than I expected. That felt unnecessary considering the book is about her fashion and style through her different eras, not her personal life. Some of the context was fun, but considering most of the people who are going to pick this up are already Swifties, it felt redundant.

[Rosemary Loiacono · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a textbook on Taylor’s style history, it was a super engaging and fast read! I’ve always loved fashion journalism and have enjoyed analyzing Taylor’s fashion choices over the past few years, so this was such a fun read for me.

[Kaitlyn Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Sure, there were some commentaries I winced at, that could definitely be better, but overall, I’m just glad there’s a book that documents so many of Taylor’s iconic looks over the years. Plus, the book itself is just so PRETTY!