Yet Again, Let's Talk Delusion!

She's only cryptic and machiavellian 'cause she cares

Taylor Swift is always known for her cryptic ability to scheme and plan. She is known for being a mastermind, a little bit a lot insane, and that’s probably why she is so successful.

If there is one thing Taylor loves doing, is giving us clues and hints throughout the outfits she wears outside. And believe me, Taylor has been outside A LOT recently. She didn't forget to give us even more reasons to clown over the outfits she wore.

Today I am going back from my unfortunate ten day break to unpack all of the easter eggs Taylor had been giving us recently throughout her clothing.

12s and Snake Boots

Last night, Taylor went out for dinner in New York City with Gigi Hadid. She wore a black long-sleeved crop top with an orange plaid skirt. She also had a necklace with a “12” on it and snake print boots.

This outfit is extremely triggering for so many reasons. Let’s start with the necklace – it has a 12 on it, not a 13. A 12. As we know, Taylor currently has 11 albums, which means TS12 is the next one coming (not including the rerecordings). So, her wearing a 12 is definitely suspicious, and I think it could be hinting at the 12th album.

We all know Taylor works the most when she's falling in love or falling out of love, so... is a Lover (Travis Kelce’s Version) coming soon?

Another clue that points toward TS12 is the red-orange plaid skirt. Taylor has been wearing a lot of plaid lately (which we’ll dive into later), but orange AND plaid? Orange, the only color aesthetic left for an album, paired with a “12” necklace? That can’t be a coincidence.

But there's one detail that makes me second guess whether Taylor is actually hinting at TS12. If you look closely at her boots, you’ll notice they have a snake print. Could this be a nod to Reputation (Taylor’s Version) instead?

Plaid, Plaid & More Plaid

Taylor has been wearing a lot of plaid in the past month and a half. The first time she wore a plaid item was on August 13th during an outing in London. She had on a green, orange, and pink plaid outfit, which really gives off the vibes of what could be the potential TS12 aesthetic.

The next time she wore plaid was at the 2024 VMAs, where she gagged all of us in a gorgeous yellow plaid corset-dress.

As I mentioned, the last time Taylor wore plaid was just last night in New York. Her orange skirt is absolutely TS12-coded, and I think it might actually be a real hint.

Is Down Bad The Third Single From TTPD?

Let’s refocus on the VMAs. Taylor wore three different outfits during the awards show and the afterparty: the yellow plaid corset-dress, a UFO-themed dress, and a UFO shirt, skirt, and jacket.

When I saw these looks, the first thing that popped into my mind was the Down Bad visuals from the Eras Tour. This got me thinking—what if Down Bad is the third single from The Tortured Poets Department?

It actually makes a lot of sense. Down Bad peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, it’s one of the most popular songs from Tortured Poets, and it just has that pop-song-single-worthy sound. Even though I’d much rather Ms. Swift make But Daddy I Love Him a single and RELEASE ANOTHER MUSIC VIDEO, I think Down Bad has tons of potential.

What I Think/Hope Is Coming Next

I used to be the number-one Reputation (Taylor’s Version) believer, but honestly, I don’t think we’re getting it until at least the beginning of 2025. While I do believe it’s the next album Taylor will release, I have this strange gut feeling about TS12.

Taylor has been building a whole narrative with her autobiographical album releases over the past few years. It all started with Lover (which was originally going to be called Daylight): the happy, free, love-filled album of a woman who’s in love but carries a lot of fear and worry, as shown in songs like "Cornelia Street" and "Death By A Thousand Cuts."

The next autobiographical chapter was Midnights, released three years later. Midnights tells the story from the perspective of a lonely, drunk cat lady who’s in denial that her relationship with what was once the love of her life is falling apart.

Then we got The Tortured Poets Department, which reflects the aftermath of a breakup and the failure of a rebound that left the narrator even more broken. It’s a story about solitude, sadness, and anger. It’s told at witching hour—late at night, when the poet stays awake, thinking, "What could’ve been?"

But now, it’s time for the sunrise. Taylor is no longer the sad, tortured cat lady writing songs alone in her apartment, crying over her piano, and drinking wine. She’s happy; she’s found someone else. I believe TS12 is going to tell the story of that sunrise—that feeling of finally being happy again after so much suffering. And honestly, I want this album more than anything else (including Reputation).

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I’m back posting! School has been really trying to torture me recently and now that there are no regular Eras Tour updates I’m running out of ideas :’)

If you have anything you want me to write about, please comment and tell me because I NEED IDEAS. Also, I want to thank you all for still reading this blog. I mean, 5 whole months and this thing is still going?? If it weren’t for you I would’ve probably given up after a week, so thank you for caring about what I have to say about Taylor. I love you all so much 🫶