As one of the biggest pop stars of this generation, Taylor Swift is quite literally everywhere — both in the real world and on the internet. Though the discourse around Swift had long been reserved for music, easter eggs, and gossip, her fashion has also become as hot a topic as the former, thanks to world tours and NFL games — which is what drew content creator Samyra to explore the superstar’s style as the center of CTRL+C's comeback.
If you’re a regular reader of this series, you would have already noticed that I, Aiyana Ishmael, am not in front of the camera this time. After two years of writing this column, I’ve decided to step away from the limelight. Between receiving nods from Bella Hadid and Zendaya and being featured on NPR, CTRL+C has grown in ways I never imagined. It's even reached a slew of lovely supporters in Brazil, something I could’ve never fathomed, which is why I wanted this column to evolve.
So, welcome to CTRL+C 2.0, where we’re all in control. Each month, I’ll be tapping different content creators and culture influencers so they can try out their favorite celebrities’ looks in their bodies. From plus-size to mid-size, non-binary folk and modest dressers, we will be seeing the different ways fashion can be recreated for any and all marginalized bodies. This column is a space to show the triumphs and failures of following the trends our favorite celebrities are wearing. That is what CTRL+C is all about. It’s a reminder that you’re allowed to be stylish, on-trend, and not sample size. You’re allowed to try new things in hopes of getting that much closer to finding your personal style. You’re allowed to exist out loud because fashion is for everybody — and every body.
There was no one else I wanted to start this relaunch with than Samyra. Whether you’ve come across her page because of her musical performances or her unabashed advocacy for plus-size shopping, she’s all over our timelines. Her sartorial journey with Taylor Swift started last year when she attended the Grammys wearing an almost identical look as the 35-year-old. And now she put some of Swift’s most notable looks to the test.
“I really focused on places that I want and will be at myself,” Samyra tells Teen Vogue about how she made her sartorial selections to channel Taylor Swift for the column. “I like to be on carpets, so I said, 'Let's do a carpet.' I like to be on stage. Let's do a stage. And I like to be at football games, so let's do a football game. Those were also some of her most iconic looks of the year. Everyone was like, ‘What's she going to wear to the game?’ And the Eras Tour, too. She had the girls boots down.”
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“Everything about Taylor Swift is very accessible,” Samyra continues. “She is relatable; that’s part of her brand. And even in her fashion, you can easily find things if you're her size or smaller. You can find those things in stores.” Relatability is a pillar of Swift’s ethos. It’s the reason her street-style looks can sell out in minutes. And while that shopability is there, it isn’t as accessible for plus-size bodies.
“I feel like a lot of the relatability of Taylor Swift has to do a lot more with society seeing certain people more than they see others,” Samyra says. “When it comes to me, I'm Lizzo. I'm not seen as somebody. I'm just another big Black girl. I'm not granted the same individuality that Taylor Swift is granted — and that’s not her fault; it’s a societal issue. She can be wearing the same outfit as somebody else side by side, and they will still recognize each of their individualities — recognize each of their different talents and offerings. But people that look like me, look like us, we just get slapped with one label. There can only be one of us, whereas there can always be many thin people.”
For the first installment of this revamped version of CTRL+C, Samyra tried to recreate a few of her favorite Taylor Swift looks as closely as she could as a plus-size woman. While the boots were her biggest opp, she felt great in every look, so it’s a success in our books. Whether you’re a plus-sized Swiftie looking for inspiration or just here for the rise, here are some plus-size-approved options to channel your inner Taylor Swift:
Outfit 1: Look What You Made Me Do
“As much plaid as they give us in a button-down flannel, finding a plus-size corseted zip-up top was very hard. I wear anything from a 3X to a 4X on top, depending on how the sizing is. Even in Good American, I had to wear the 5XL. In Macy's, I can wear a 2X or 3X. It all varies so much. With this first outfit, I had to get creative. When it comes to plus-size friendly pieces, oftentimes you have to make them or order them. The green skirt for the carpet look, I literally made it. I ordered four skirts from Hot Topic that matched the little top that they had and literally glued them together with fabric glue, cutting and pinning, trying to make it right. I also didn't try anything on until the day I had to take the pictures, because that is a part of the plus-size experience. If that package comes at 10:00 in the morning and that event is at 5:00, that's what you got.
The boots, that was what was most difficult to find, not just for the first outfit, but really for all the outfits. because [Taylor] likes those thigh-high boots. Her boots are pants, so it was so difficult to find them in-store or online. When I tell you none, none, none of the boots fit. I purchased these boots from Naturalizer, which were marketed as wide calf boots. And I know the foot can be a little narrow, so I sized up to an 11 instead of a 10. My sister was trying to help me put it on me — they barely went up. Overall, it was fun for me to sit with my body and be like, ‘Okay, how can I take this and feel as confident as she felt on that carpet? What does that look like? What does that feel like?’"
Outfit 2: Best Believe I’m Still Bejeweled
“The blazer and the boots here are both Amazon. The top is from The Drop. I have a few pieces from the brand. They increased from a 3X to 5X recently, which I appreciate. I love The Drop. It has some really cute, stylish plus-size pieces. I figured I would have a tough time finding a plus-size, crystal-y, sequined blazer. So I was like, once again, ‘I'ma just get it how I live.’ I knew that whatever blazer I got probably wasn't going to fit properly enough to cover me, so I got a dress, too.
The sparkly boots…. I just decided, ‘Oh, hell… I'm going to do the best I can with what I got because it's what it is, and it’s still going to give.' It’s giving unzipped. Again, these were also advertised as wide calf boots and they did not pull up. It didn't even make it across half of my thigh, and that's just the reality for so many plus-size shoppers. Your stuff isn't available in store, and you're expected to have enough money to get multiple sizes hoping that something will fit — and then also have enough money to sometimes pay to return it.
I really loved this look because I love to perform, so I really wanted to do one of her tour outfits, and this seemed the most accessible. When those boots didn’t fit, it was disappointing, especially when you want to be on trend with everyone else. I saw a few videos of people making outfits, I loved seeing the plus-size girls get dressed for the Eras Tour because I would see how creative they were being. I would see how they used skirts as tops and altered the boots to fit. I really felt in that moment, ‘If I was going to the concert and I had ordered this last minute, how would I feel if my outfit was torn up from the floor up?’"
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Outfit 3: So High School
“I would say that it was difficult to find a similar denim corset that would fit someone that's my size. Target typically has some that stop at an XXL, like many brands, and I’m a proponent of ‘If it looks like you could fit it, then you better go and get it.’ But for these more structured pieces, I definitely knew that I had to get something much larger, and that was actually made with plus-size bodies in mind. A brand I know does denim well for plus-size is Good American. It always has cute corset tops in larger sizes, so I was excited to see this one available. Both the top and the bottom are from Good American. They're slightly different washes because they didn't have the same wash in the bottoms.
The most difficult thing to find was the boots. I feel like the boots really brought the outfit to life, together with the red lip. And even with the red wall, I think that's why it was such a great look. She's like the All-American girl, and it was like an All-American outfit. Even though it's a Canadian tuxedo, it's giving American.
Whenever I have a performance — I've sung in the Caesars Superdome twice now — or I walk a red carpet, I'm always like, ‘How can I show up in a way that represents people?’ You might not think I'm relatable. You might not think that I deserve clothes or that I deserve to be able to fly comfortably on a plane. You could say all that, but you can't say that I don't look good in these outfits."
Samyra's quotes have been edited and condensed for clarity.
