Taylor Swift's Gown At The 2011 Nashville Symphony Ball Is One Of Her Most Underrated Looks

With her ever-evolving style and countless appearances, whether on stage or on the red carpet, Taylor Swift's fashion is pretty hard to keep up with. With haute couture labels at her feet and personal stylist Joseph Cassell by her side, Taylor Swift has worn some eye-wateringly expensive red carpet outfits over the years, while compiling an almost endless portfolio of glamorous looks. Yet, despite all the attention she receives for her style, many of her best looks have gotten lost in the shadows.

One such look was Swift's princess-style gown at the Nashville Symphony Ball back in 2011. Picking up the symphony's prestigious Harmony Award that night, the then 21-year-old country singer wore a Reem Acra-made design featuring a silver-sequined embellished sweetheart bodice and a sweeping floor-length tulle skirt. The nude lining underneath created a flattering silhouette on the singer's slender frame. Swift kept the rest of her styling intentional, adding understated House of Lavande jewels and Jimmy Choo shoes, while styling her hair in a chic updo with face-framing bangs, allowing the gown to take center stage.

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With hit songs like "Today Was a Fairytale," "Speak Now," and "Mine," hitting the airwaves at the time, the gown captured the feminine fairytale-inspired style she was known for back then. On Reddit, fans found the look to be one of her best yet. "I love this dress, she looks lovely. Simple elegance," one person wrote. Another said in 2025, "I like this more than the things she's worn lately," while a third added, "I liked this style on her. She suits the princess like dresses really well."

The early 2010s were a defining period in Taylor Swift's style evolution. Upon releasing her third studio album "Speak Now," the singer-songwriter traded what had become her signature look of adorable sundresses and bedazzled cowboy boots for fairytale-inspired fashion and stilettoes. On the red carpet, Swift stunned in sparkly-embellished tulle skirt designs, floaty ethereal dresses, and ballgowns by the likes of Elie Saab, Reem Acra, Kaufmanfranco, and Zuhair Murad.

Working closely with Joseph Cassell since 2008, the stylist understood how to grow with the then-up-and-coming artist while bringing her music's narratives and creative storytelling to life. "Going through different phases is one of my favorite things about fashion," Swift said in a 2016 Vogue cover story. "I love how it can mark the passage of time. It's similar to my songs in that way — it all helps identify where I was at in different points of my life."

Swift has a great deal of trust in Cassell, who has also spearheaded costumes for her album artwork, music videos, and tours. "He's always two steps ahead of me with whatever I need, whether it's a lint roller, sunglasses, shoes," the singer said, per The Hollywood Reporter. "And he has a backup option and extra panels of material just to be safe!"