One Of Taylor Swift's Grammy's 'Fits Is A Fashion Miss That Will Always Haunt Her

For Taylor Swift, the Grammys are an opportunity to blend fashion and music. Swift's best red carpet looks tend to make a fashion statement infused with the motifs and themes of her albums, from the maximalist black and white look she wore to announce "The Tortured Poet's Department" to the glittering, diamond-forward designs she wore to celebrate "Midnights." But there's one look that was an odd misstep from the stylist pop star: an intricate gold Zuhair Murad gown she wore in 2012.

The overly detailed, sequined dress with its awkwardly shaped cutouts overwhelms Swift's delicate features so that the dress almost seems to be wearing her. It's a little too busy for a singer who has focused on dramatic silhouettes and vintage styles. Plus, you'd never know that she wore this gown as part of the "Speak Now" album cycle since it's generally sparkly rather than reflective of that album's romantic, theatrical feel. Thankfully, she went on to redeem the outfit years later when she took home the trophy for Album of The Year in 2021.

Taylor Swift doesn't skimp on the style points just so she can force a thematic connection to her current album cycle. Nonetheless, she's the queen of using fashion to build the aesthetic branding of an album and to drop Easter eggs for fans.

Though Swift has had a few award show looks that totally missed the mark (including the aforementioned gold dress), she gets it right far more often than she gets it wrong. As Taylor Swift has undergone a full transformation from country singer to Chiefs WAG, with plenty of stylistic stops in between, she's only gotten more skilled at weaving her music into her ensembles.

Unlike that 2012 gown, Taylor Swift's best red carpet looks have flattered her and celebrated the essence of her songwriting. Few of those looks can top the floral Oscar de la Renta gown she wore for the 2021 Grammys, where she accepted a statuette for the earthy, acoustic album "folklore." It perfectly reflected the feel of album — romantic, soft, and feminine. She also knocked the ball out of the park with the modern, sculptural pink and orange Versace gown she wore in 2016. The modern look with its bold colors and high waist was perfectly suited to the elegant, youthful feel of the "1989" era, making it one of the most powerful fashion statements of her career.