Taylor Swift has managed to achieve that rarest of beauty transformations: the seamless kind. Despite coming of age in HD, the singer has kept her look clean, sophisticated, all-American, and refined. She may not experiment as much as the next pop star, but Swift elaborates on the elements that work for her, such as rebooting that red lip classic thing that you like over and over again (if it ain't broke...). As a teenage country star, Swift favored ringlet curls and a peaches-and-cream complexion, brightened with subtle touches — say, a hint of blue shadow or a diffused coral lipstick. As a powerhouse pop star, she’s jacked the amperage with smoky eyes and, of course, that famous scarlet pout.
What’s more, like with most aspects of Swift’s image, there’s a continuity in her beauty choices that radiates authenticity. Today's smoky eyes are often blended with the same hints of lapis she wore as a teen; whether straightened and skimming the eyes or pushed to the side, her bangs are still ever-present. She'll really never go out of style.
Ahead, the subtle, and pitch-perfect, progression.
Like many teens, a young Taylor Swift favored colorful makeup: Blue-lined eyes, glossy lips, and bronzer were her makeup mainstays in 2006.
By 2007, Swift played up her curly hair, styling it in volumized ringlets; a more grown-up smoky eye sealed the country star’s red carpet look.
Her soft, artfully rumpled updo and satin-finish complexion were as sophisticated as they were sweet.
Today, Taylor is famous for her bright-red lips. But before she wore the look 20 different ways, the singer sported this matte version at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
The crossover artist left her soft, country-inspired look in the dust at the 2010 American Music Awards, thanks to flat-ironed hair, face-framing layers, and dramatic eyeliner.
Mile-long lashes, the faintest of waves, and nude lips completed one of our favorite mod looks ever.
Just the classics: Swift combined red lips, winged eyes, and Marianne Faithfull-inspired hair for a winning look at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards.
We love how the addition of a halo braid echoed the lines in Swift's Grecian-inspired dress, creating an ethereal look.
This 2013 American Music Awards look was part rocker, part Heather Locklear, and all good.
What better look to wear to the 2013 premiere of Romeo & Juliet than candy-apple-red lips and brushed-out curls? Someone, get this girl a balcony.
Blue-tinged cat-eyes, ruby-red lips, and choppy tresses made for a fierce — but still chic — new vibe.
This super-sleek look had us doing a double take at the Elle Style Awards in 2015. Slicked-back hair, hazy cat-eyes, and naked lips (a red carpet rarity) added up to a fresh, refined vibe.
High-gloss hair, bonded at the nape, put Taylor’s graphic cat-eyes front-and-center (and gave her sequin ensemble a run for its money) at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards.
This chin-length bob had many fans wondering whether the star went for the chop at the 2016 Grammy Awards, or simply pulled a Gigi. The verdict? The cut is real — and a complete keeper.
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