Taylor Swift's Versace Denim Corset Is Actually a Sweet Travis Kelce Reference

a collage of Taylor Swift wearing the same Versace corset top on two separate occasions

(Image credit: Getty Images)

last updated 6 September 2024

In all the excitement over the first Taylor Swift Chiefs game outfit of the football season—a double denim trend and thigh-high boots combo, for inquiring minds—fans might have missed the sweet backstory behind the singer's Versace denim corset. Spoiler: Her shirt is an Easter egg for a pivotal moment in her relationship with Travis Kelce.

Swift arrived to cheer on the Chiefs in Versace's Medusa top. It's a structured bustier with thin, adjustable straps and a cropped silhouette. At first glance, it was a sexy twist on the singer's WAG style from last season, when she mainly wore number 87 jerseys and cozy sweaters in Chiefs tones (with red lipstick to match). Swift being Swift, there was more than meets the eye.

Taylor Swift attends the Chiefs Ravens game wearing a denim versace corset and jean shorts — Taylor Swift's outfit for the first Chiefs game of the season highlighted a denim corset by Versace.

Versace Medusa Denim Corset Top

Fashion journalist Sarah Chapelle, who researches every item Swift wears on the Instagram account @taylorswiftstyle, spotted that Swift wore a black version of the same Versace top on another special occasion: October 15, 2023, the night she and Travis Kelce attended a Saturday Night Live after party together in New York City. That time, Swift dressed for her relationship's hard-launch with matching black pants, a drapey checked overcoat by Gant, and Aupen's "Nirvana" bag. (Swift had attended her first Chiefs game weeks before their SNL visit, but she and Travis hadn't been officially photographed together.)

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce on their first public date where Taylor Swift wears a black Versace corset — When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce went public with their relationship in 2023, she wore a Versace corset top.

Versace Medusa '95 Satin Corset Top

Corsets are a pillar of Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department era fashion, a personal style chapter tied to her latest album that's defined by romantic silhouettes. They've also been a fixture in Swift's Chiefs game day style. Most notably, Swift styled a Dion Lee corset into her 2024 Super Bowl outfit—and joined Kelce on the field following the Chiefs' win.

Taylor swift at the super bowl wearing a corset top — At the Super Bowl, Taylor Swift also showed her support while wearing a corset top (albeit by a different designer).

Attention on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship is at an all-time high, but the pair hasn't been shy about lifting one another up in the press. (In an interview this week, Kelce said he's happy being Swift's "arm candy.") Re-wearing a piece that she debuted for a major milestone in their journey in front of thousands of fans in the stadium—and even more broadcast viewers at home—sure looks like a sign of sweet, yet subtle, support.

It also wasn't the only reference Swift made to their relationship in her outfit. Her denim hot shorts came from a brand called—wait for it—Grlfrnd. Clever!

Taylor Swift at the Chiefs Game — The brand behind Taylor Swift's shorts was yet another clever nod to her relationship.

Grlfrnd Kyla High Rise Hot Short

Long live Taylor Swift's eye for meaningful fashion moments.

Shop Corset Tops Inspired by Taylor Swift

Bardot Linen Corset

Vs Archives Burnout Satin Corset Set

Abercrombie & Fitch Strapless Denim Set Top

Good American Sculpt Bustier

TOPICS

Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty product launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what style trends—like the rise of emotional support accessories or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. She also justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”

Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.