DINH DOONG

If one item can define Taylor Swift’s current outfit era, it’s the corset top.

After wearing corsets and bustiers everywhere from the MTV VMAs (in plaid tartan) to Chiefs games (in even more plaid, with glitter freckles to match), Taylor Swift touched down in New York City on Friday, Oct. 11 for a surprise SoHo date night outfit that even dipped into naked dressing. Her pick of the evening: a lace Gucci corset with a sheer effect created from lace over a skin-tone fabric, matched to a leather mini skirt by RtA.

Between those two pieces and her Louis Vuitton black leather ankle boots, Swift and stylist Joseph Cassell Falconer could have been paying homage to the original Bad Blood music video. But Swift was actually heading to The Corner Store restaurant with her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, for a double-date with her best-couple-friends Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. So, a classic fall camel coat by Ralph Lauren and soft, Old Hollywood curls were more appropriate to complete the spicy-yet-romantic look.

Accessories for her first night back in New York City blended some of the Eras Tour mastermind’s all-time signatures with her newfound favorite trends. Swift’s bright red lipstick made a comeback, as well as a gold manicure paired to a coin necklace by Ben-Amun.

Meanwhile, the arm that wasn’t intertwined with Kelce’s was displaying a fresh Dior saddle bag—a favorite style shared by celebrities from Jennifer Lopez to Sarah Jessica Parker (when she’s in character as Carrie Bradshaw, at least).

Kelce also brought his date night best to the table: a Jacquemus polo with a Matisse-inspired illustration, navy pants, and white sneakers.

Swifties could spend weeks searching for meaning in her fresh gold necklace. The “Fortnight” singer first began wearing chunky chokers at the 2024 Grammy Awards, where she announced the impending arrival of The Tortured Poets Department with a watch choker set to midnight. After wearing it once more on the eve of her London Eras Tour shows, Swift appears to have swapped that statement piece out for a series of gold chain-link necklaces.

It doesn’t take any Easter egg-sleuthing to know that Swift’s current personal style era is her most alluring yet. She’s been embracing more waist-cinching, boudoir-adjacent styles by Vivienne Westwood, Versace, and Dion Lee for almost a year now. One recent top, the denim Versace corset she wore to the Chiefs home-opener game, was even a sweet Travis Kelce reference: It was the exact same piece she wore for one of their first public dates in 2023—just in a different fabric.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As Marie Claire‘s resident Taylor Swift style chronicler, I have to admire her late-night twist on high-low styling. Her Gucci corset is all candlelight and come-hither glances, but her Ralph Lauren camel coat is the definition of classic. Put them together and the juxtaposition is exactly what I want to copy on my next New York City date night. And by the time I do, Swift will probably have unveiled another unexpected way to style one of her beloved corset tops.