In all the excitement over the first Taylor Swift Chiefs game outfit of the football season—a double denim trend and thigh-high boots combo, for inquiring minds—fans might have missed the sweet backstory behind the singer's Versace denim corset. Spoiler: Her shirt is an Easter egg for a pivotal moment in her relationship with Travis Kelce.
Swift arrived to cheer on the Chiefs in Versace's Medusa top. It's a structured bustier with thin, adjustable straps and a cropped silhouette. At first glance, it was a sexy twist on the singer's WAG style from last season, when she mainly wore number 87 jerseys and cozy sweaters in Chiefs tones (with red lipstick to match). Swift being Swift, there was more than meets the eye.
Fashion journalist Sarah Chapelle, who researches every item Swift wears on the Instagram account @taylorswiftstyle, spotted that Swift wore a black version of the same Versace top on another special occasion: October 15, 2023, the night she and Travis Kelce attended a Saturday Night Live after party together in New York City. That time, Swift dressed for her relationship's hard-launch with matching black pants, a drapey checked overcoat by Gant, and Aupen's "Nirvana" bag. (Swift had attended her first Chiefs game weeks before their SNL visit, but she and Travis hadn't been officially photographed together.)
Corsets are a pillar of Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department era fashion, a personal style chapter tied to her latest album that's defined by romantic silhouettes. They've also been a fixture in Swift's Chiefs game day style. Most notably, Swift styled a Dion Lee corset into her 2024 Super Bowl outfit—and joined Kelce on the field following the Chiefs' win.
Attention on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship is at an all-time high, but the pair hasn't been shy about lifting one another up in the press. (In an interview this week, Kelce said he's happy being Swift's "arm candy.") Re-wearing a piece that she debuted for a major milestone in their journey in front of thousands of fans in the stadium—and even more broadcast viewers at home—sure looks like a sign of sweet, yet subtle, support.
It also wasn't the only reference Swift made to their relationship in her outfit. Her denim hot shorts came from a brand called—wait for it—Grlfrnd. Clever!
Long live Taylor Swift's eye for meaningful fashion moments.
