I Don't Blame Taylor Swift for Styling This Zimmermann Dress Over a Met Gala Gown

The singer had a London date instead of a New York night at the museum.

Taylor Swift wearing a white Zimmermann dress in New york City
(Image credit: Backgrid)

Another Met Gala red carpet without Taylor Swift was like any event—the Oscars, the Grammys, the iHeartRadio Music Awards—when the pop star doesn't show: disappointing on the style front. There was a solid excuse for Swift's Met Gala dress going MIA for the tenth year running, though. She had a Zimmermann dress to style across the pond instead.

While stars from Rihanna to Amanda Seyfried were packing up their Met Gala garment bags in New York City, Taylor Swift was out in London with her fiancé, Travis Kelce. The duo was unmissable outside of the Indian restaurant Gymkhana: partially because they layered in matching oversize gray blazers, and partially because Swift stacked hers over a corseted Zimmermann dress painted in watercolor roses. While photos weren't available for publication at press time, trust me when I say this midi's print could have been inspired by a still life in the Met. (I'll update this post with images as soon as they're available.)

Swift showed off her MFA (Masters of Fine Accessorizing) by building the rest of her outfit around the tones in her dress's print. Her earring stack was grounded by 14-carat gold Larkspur & Hawk earrings, featuring pink tourmalines faceted to resemble poseys from an 18th-century botanical print. Under her arm, she carried a minty green JW Anderson loafer bag—her third piece from designer Jonathan Anderson in a month. (On her last two outings, she carried handbags from Anderson's tenure at Dior: first a black Montaigne bag with her CBK-inspired silk skirt, then a bright-yellow Lady bag with her striped Staud dress.) And before you ask, yes: Her diamond engagement ring was the bejeweled finishing touch.

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Zimmermann dresses aren't as prevalent in Taylor Swift's wardrobe as her Dior bags, so this second sighting was a long time coming. The last time she slipped into one of the Australian brand's event midis, she and Kelce were attending a friend's 2024 wedding at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. She'd chosen a pale peach base set with bouquets of multicolor flowers along the skirt, plus some fun scalloped cut-outs at her waist, for the occasion.

Taylor Swift wearing a Zimmermann dress in 2024

Taylor Swift previously wore a Zimmermann dress for a friend's 2024 wedding at Electric Lady Studios/

(Image credit: Backgrid)

Taylor Swift's latest Zimmermann dress is bound to spawn all sorts of theories, from fresh speculation over her wedding dress designer to hidden hints at her thirteenth album within the print. Here's my real takeaway as a fashion editor: Between the breezy linen fabric and the painterly flowers, I'm glad this is the dress I saw Swift wear this week: It's wedding guest and dinner date inspiration rolled into one. Bottom line? I know what I'd rather wear on a nice night in May.

Halie LeSavage
Senior Fashion News Editor

Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion news editor at Marie Claire, leading coverage of runway trends, emerging brands, style-meets-culture analysis, and celebrity style (especially Taylor Swift's). Her reporting ranges from profiles of beloved stylists, to exclusive red carpet interviews in her column, The Close-Up, to The A-List Edit, a newsletter where she tests celeb-approved trends IRL.

Halie has reported on style for eight years. Previously, she held fashion editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion expert in The Cut, CNN, Puck, Reuters, and more. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence in journalism. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Harvard College. For more, check out her Substack, Reliable Narrator.