What’s An Almost-40 Woman Supposed To Wear To A Taylor Swift Concert?

Many parents fought tooth and nail for tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour for their kids. Well, I’m almost 40, and I fought for them for myself. A little desperate and kind of weird, possibly — but oh so worth it. So here I am, prepping for the big night, and while I originally thought securing the tickets would be the most stressful part, it’s now outfit time. And holy sh*t, at 38 years old I feel way in over my head.

In case you aren’t aware, Swifties don’t play when it comes to concert fashion. I mean, there are highly followed TikTok hashtags like #erastouroutfits, dedicated entirely to tour outfits and accessories alone, with tons of adorable twenty-somethings all over the platform, strutting around to album sound bites in the most incredibly curated looks. And for somebody who is very aware that her body is aging, even though all bodies do, it’s pretty intimidating!

But, whatever — it’s okay. I will #shakeitoff, be #fearless, and make it work with what Tiktok has shown me are a few different options.

The first and most obvious is what I will call the “hot gurl” look. At first glance, my search indicated that this is the direction most attendees are going (or trying to go). And wowza! Picture Dyson Air Wraps and bedazzled boots galore. With shimmer, glam and lots of exposed skin, it didn’t take long to rule this one out. Sadly, I am just a decade or two too old for this vibe.

A closely related look (often overlapping with #hotgurl) is what I’ll call “extra.” This look is loud, bright, and sometimes obnoxious. Tassels, feathers, jewels, and sequins, even all at once. And some require a battery pack! Now initially, I felt a little drawn to some of this. The colorful sparkles and fun of it all had me googling things like “womans pink sequined blazer” and “rainbow floral mesh.” But ultimately, I think I’m leaning away from this idea — just feels better left to the kids without crows feet, and may they have a good time with it.

Then there are the attendees going with a specific album theme. Some are tackling all of them, while others are going with one in particular. The Folklore and 1989 peeps are showing off more subtle looks, filled with cardigans and florals, while those repping Lover are working in the reds and pinks. Our Midnights girlies are leaning kinda vampy and dark with hints of #shimmer. Now, while I usually love a good theme, I’m not sure this is right for me either. The pressure to fully commit and get it right feels like too much to take on, given my perfectionist nature and currently chaotic life. But I would like to go on record that a mildly angry, dark version of Midnights would be my choice if I went in this direction.

Then we have the crafty bunch. Hats off to you people who have been working for God knows how long on these outfits, which would take me a decade. They have homemade painted and bedazzled jackets, freshly sewn sequin dresses, and insanely intricate and detailed floral designs. Sadly, going this route is not even a possibility for me, as I can barely repair a rip in my son’s pants. But kudos to all you attendees rocking these custom-made pieces.

Finally, there are the casual sporty-spices on my feed. These girls are pairing sneakers with a comfortable — but still fun! — look. And this is where I think I have landed. These are my people. I am too old for my feet to hurt all night.

So picture this: sneakers, a nice straight leg faux leather pant, and some version of a cool-but-statement top that is still giving Taylor. Add some fun, sparkly accessories and I *think* I have found a respectable version of my 38-year-old self at the Eras tour. But god, it would be kinda fun to be a 24 year old with a closet full of tiny flashy sparkly sh*t for this thing. Maybe in my next life.

Samm is an ex-lawyer and mom of four who swears a lot. Find her on Instagram @sammbdavidson.