Here it is, our Taylor Swift folklore fashion guide, with outfits inspired by her latest album era.
I think we can all agree this has been a difficult year. But in spite of the bad things happening, there have been some amazing surprises along the way. Case in point, Taylor Swift released her 8th album, folklore, last Friday with the following bombshell Instagram post:
(Psst, with the release of evermore, we have an updated guide to evermore style here.)
This move was both unexpected and incredibly exciting for everyone who’s been following Taylor’s career over the years.
{RELATED POST: I Dressed Like All of Taylor Swift’s Album Eras & Here’s What Happened}
In case you don’t follow her as closely as I do, let me fill you in on how things typically work: Taylor usually takes about two years in between albums and, prior to each album’s release, she drops clues, a couple of singles, and music videos, all strategically spaced out weeks in advance.
This time around, Taylor made the announcement, dropped the first music video, released the merchandise, AND dropped the whole album, all in less than 24 hours.
Almost entirely written in isolation, folklore is very different, visually and musically, from Taylor’s previous albums. This time, she is going for a more indie-rock, instrumental style. The collaborators on this album are Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner (from The National), Bon Iver (who features on the album), and William Bowery (suspected to be a pseudonym for Joe Alwyn, Taylor’s boyfriend).
As described by Swift, this album is:
a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness. Picking up a pen was my way of escaping into fantasy, history, and memory. I’ve told these stories to the best of my ability with all the love, wonder, and whimsy they deserve.
Lyrically, it uses fairytale-esque images, creating fictional stories rather than passages from Taylor’s own life. In general, it has a calm, nostalgic, heart-wrenching sound. Folklore shows Taylor’s range as a singer and a storyteller like nothing else she’s done before.
Style inspo-wise, this album is filled with “late-summer, early-fall” images, perfect for this time of year! Earth tones, flowy dresses, plaid skirts, boots, coats, and relaxed hairstyles abound in the 8 (yes, 8) different album covers.
I listened to this album on repeat all weekend, and I knew I had to feature it for CF. So, this week, we’re getting inspired by folklore, with some folklore outfits, based both on the cover art and the lyrics.
Read on for our folklore fashion guide!
Related reading: I Copied Taylor Swift’s Street Style for a Week & Here’s What Happened
Table of Contents
cardigan
The lead single of the album, cardigan also has its own music video. Full of whimsical imagery, the song is about a long-lost love. Sad as the theme may be, it has some heartwarming lyrics and images — and obviously, it’s literal style inspiration.
Following both the images from the video and the lyrics, I decided to go for a simple, transitional look featuring a cozy cardi.
Products: Skirt, T-Shirt, Cardigan, Sneakers
To channel this song in your outfit, try using a floral midi skirt with a white t-shirt as a base. Then layer it with a crème-colored cardigan.
Taylor is barefoot for the entire video, so go for something comfortable, like a pair of white sneakers. Taylor loves her Keds, after all!
You might also want to check out this article, Fashion Inspiration: Taylor Swift’s “Everything Has Changed” ft. Ed Sheeran.
seven
This song submerges us in a childlike innocence and reminisces about how easy things seem when we are young. The lyric video is filled with gold hues, little wild flowers, trees, and a peaceful vibe.
To create the next look, I took inspiration from one of the covers, since it reminded me of this song. (Go to the last picture, above). This outfit is also a transitional look, but this one has a bit of an edge to it.
To get this folklore fashion look, start with a flowy maxi dress with a floral pattern or in a neutral color. Layer it with a long check coat. The mix of the patterns will give it a folksy, relaxed vibe.
For shoes, wear a pair of black combat boots, like the ones Taylor wears in some of the album covers.
hoax
The last track of the album, hoax is a melancholic take on a relationship. Hopeless, but with a peaceful acceptance, this song is a calm and nostalgic end to the album.
The lyric video is just waves crashing, with a lot of blue tones and brown hues.
For this look, I also took inspiration from one of the album covers (go to the third pic, above) and the oceanic vibes from the lyric video.
To create this look, grab a rugby-style shirt, in white and blue. Pair it with some check slacks in grey or a light brown, whichever you have or find.
Finish it up with a pair if white Oxford shoes, like the ones Taylor is wearing in the photo.
exile ft. Bon Iver
Exile (stylized exiled) is the fourth track in the album and the only one featuring another artist. It is definitely my favorite song from folklore.
This track is a heart-wrenching duet about a broken relationship. Sung through two different perspectives, the song is a master class in parallelisms and lingering feelings.
The inspiration for this look is based on one of the covers (above). On it, Taylor is wearing a gingham skirt, a white blouse, and boots. This look may hard to replicate item-for-item, especially with the skirt, because it’s not fall just yet, but keep your eyes peeled for dupes in the months ahead!
Products: Skirt, Blouse, Boots
For this look, wear a plaid skirt, either short or midi. Tuck-in a white shirt, it should have some subtle but cool details, like a Peter Pan collar or interesting sleeves.
For shoes, wear a pair of black combat boots, like the ones Taylor is wearing in several of the covers.
What do you think of our folklore fashion guide?
For more Taylor Swift style inspo, be sure to see our guide to outfits inspired by “Miss Americana”.
Have you listened to the album? Do you like this new style? Which song is your favorite? Which outfit would you wear? Let us know in the comments below!