Taylor Swift has been rocking her bangs for nearly 14 years, which is surprising considering how happenstance her change of style was. She debuted her bangs during a 2011 photoshoot for Vogue, which then went on to become a style that inspired many young women.
Her choice went on to become a lifelong commitment. Even when she changed her style, makeup, and outfits for the different ‘eras’, her bangs remained a constant. Yes, the bangs also underwent some major styling changes, but she never let go of them. For her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, Swift kept the bangs under the glittery headdress of a showgirl.
It should be noted that Swift’s bangs evolved in a time when the fringe-heavy early 2010s, but she managed to maintain them long past the trend. She has done different things to her bangs to keep up: they’ve been bleached in different colors, gelled back, and side-swept on her forehead.
Now, it doesn’t mean that she never ditched them in the past 14 years. There were rare moments when she styled her hair without the bangs, including her 2020 Golden Globes appearance. Such moments started a trend on social media called ‘Taylor Swift Without Bangs.’ Whether you prefer them or not, you’ve got to respect her efforts to make a fashion trend work for years.
Taylor Swift’s Bangs Through the Different Eras Explained
Like her, Taylor Swift’s bangs also evolved over the years, matching her different styles. Some fans argued that even before she debuted the full-on bangs in 2011, she may have rocked side-swept bangs during her breakout period as a country pop star from Nashville. Her hairstyle from this era is marked by her curly hair, and she debuted her dramatic hair toss during this time.
She debuted a makeover during the AMAs in 2010 with her blonde bangs, which later became her signature style. She ditched the bright blonde tone for a much softer, polished tone when she officially debuted her bangs. When she dropped her album, Red, fans went crazy for her new, stylish look.
Taylor Swift: AMAs Red Carpet 2010 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/jFEf767WU7
Fast forward to 2014, and her album 1989 saw the singer don an above-the-shoulder chopped hairstyle. When she appeared at the Met Gala, she matched the event’s Old Hollywood theme with a wavy, side-swept bang.
taylor swift at the met gala (2014) pic.twitter.com/Ejle26b5PP
When she appeared at the Grammys next year, she slightly changed her style by blowing her side-swept bangs straight. It looked smooth like a feather at the event. She made it more edgy during her appearance at the VMAs that year when she wore it slightly shellacked.
Throwback to the 2015 VMAs when Taylor Swift spoke about the Kanye West incident during the 2009 VMAs. pic.twitter.com/PtUQndekEg
She debuted her peroxide chop and tousled bangs in 2016, which marked a rebellious look. It interestingly came at a time when she was dealing with a lot of unnecessary media attention. However, she soon returned to her blunt, thick bangs look in her post-Reputation era.
She appeared with the bucolic bangs matching the vintage aesthetics of her albums, Folklore and Evermore. However, she was back to the popstar vibes with the shoulder-length hair and longer bangs for her Lover album.
Taylor Swift at the 2019 #VMAs! 🎶🔥 pic.twitter.com/8ytpwQ2XhY
Over the next few years, she constantly kept changing the styles of her bangs. She donned the parted bangs and an ’80s-inspired look in 2022. The premiere of her Eras Tour film saw the singer donning her bangs with a faux bob cut. She appeared at the Golden Globes 2024 ceremony with dark, old-money bangs.
Taylor Swift at the Golden Globes, 2024#TaylorSwift #TSTTPD pic.twitter.com/slmYTOBPEe
When she appeared at the Grammys earlier this year, her bangs hung just down her eyelashes in a subtly round cut in the edges. She also donned a sporty look when she put a beanie over her bangs during her appearance at the Chiefs games.
What Did Taylor Swift Say About Her Signature Bangs?
Taylor Swift spoke about her new hairstyle back in 2011 in a behind-the-scenes video of her Vogue photoshoot. She shared on the video that the stylist with the fashion magazine came up to her and suggested, “We’re thinking we’re gonna do maybe bangs, maybe some extensions.”
She agreed without second thoughts, sharing, “And I’m like ‘You know what? Just cut it. this is Vogue, why not.’ So I have bangs now.” She shared that she wanted a look that was different but still recognizable. Swift shared:
A new hairstyle and new makeup. I love that I got to pose with my instruments. It’s just so exciting to get to make a departure from what people usually see me looking like but still be recognizable and it was a great balance with the two.
In her 2020 documentary, Miss Americana, Swift revealed how female artists had to constantly reinvent their brand. She shared, “The female artists that I know of have reinvented themselves 20 times more than the male artists.” She added, “They have to. Or else you’re out of a job.”
No one else does the reinvention better than Swift, who operates in eras in the music industry. However, one thing that she didn’t change during all the reinvention and pulled off every single time was her bangs. She shared that she feels the need to “reinvent [her]self—but only in a way that we find to be equally comforting but also a challenge.”
The bangs appear to be her comforting factor. Fans are almost convinced that she would carry the bangs on her wedding day as well. She is currently engaged to NFL player Travis Kelce. She has been appearing at the games of the Kansas City Chiefs to support her fiancé, either flaunting her hairstyle and bold red lipstick or covering the bangs in a beanie.
Do you think Taylor Swift should continue with her bangs on? Let us know in the comments below!
