The Eras Tour | RED | v4

Red Section, Version 4

Worn On: 5/9/24 // Paris, France

the commentary

During the RED set I wasn’t just confused because it was the first set to have moved from its original spot in the setlist, but Taylor’s new shirt saying took me aback.

Firstly, we haven’t had a new addition costume-wise to this set since the early days of the tour. You might recall that Version 3 of the shirt (featuring “We Are Never Ever” lyrics) was added in March 2023 during the show’s first three-day run in Arlington, Texas.

This phrase also took me aback because it’s our first in the series that isn’t a direct callback to an established moment within the RED era lexicon. In addition to the aforementioned V3’s lyrics, Version 1 (“Not A Lot Going On”) is a direct lift from the “22” music video costuming and Version 2 also features “22” lyrics (“Who’s Taylor Swift Anyway? Ew.”).

So what does this particular phrase mean?

To me one of the key functions of the Eras Tour, especially in the form of its costuming, has been toeing the line between referencing eras of the past while also giving them a slightly refreshed, modern facelift. We saw that in the fringed dresses of Fearless, the dramatic princess ballgowns of Speak Now, and the matching sets of 1989. But as we also saw tonight in Paris, all of those respective outfits got what I suppose we could call a ‘makeunder’. Which is to say, they all took a time machine to more closely resemble their original, canonical tour ensembles and not the refreshed 'Taylor Versions’ we’ve seen thus far on the Eras Tour in 2023/24.

But why is she now beginning to more overtly replicate instead of subtly reference? Something to think about!

the clothes

* Not available for purchase

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Feature Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images