Welcome to Same Same But Different. As Gen Z and millennial ELLE editors, we know a thing or two about shopping—for all ages, and especially our demographics. As we find the best products for you, we can’t help but do a little shopping for ourselves and build our personal (age-appropriate) wish lists. And now, we’re sharing them with you. Ahead, check out what’s in our hearts and in our carts lately.
Madison Feller: It feels like a faux pas to write this on the internet—thanks to The Great War we all went through earlier this year—but Sam and I, ELLE.com’s resident and repeatedly proven Swifties, have scored tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. (I say scored, but it’s more like, spent our entire salaries and made several blood sacrifices.) And now that we’ve recovered, we’ve been more or less panicking about what we’re going to wear to our respective shows. So, we asked Meg and Dale—your usual Same Same But Different authors—if we could take over this column to talk it out. Also, if you couldn’t already tell, I am unfortunately the millennial in this equation.
Samuel Maude: It’s been quite the struggle, and as the Gen Z representative in question, I have felt an immense pressure to not only slay the day with an iconic reference and look but also serve an outfit that could wind up on SwiftTok. There have been some great moments already—I was obsessed with this take on the classic T.S. cardigan—and as your attention-seeking youngster, I wanted to ensure that I had a true moment on Taylor night.
MF: I truly respect your ambition and have to admit…it’s giving Taylor Alison Swift. SwiftTok has proven to me that a lot of fans are taking “Eras,” the theme of the tour, as an invitation to dress up as representations from any of Taylor’s 10 albums, but personally, I’ve never considered rewinding past 2022. I will definitely be channeling Midnights, her latest record and the one we’ve had the least amount of time to play with. Part of me wants to lean into the title and go all-out with stars, sparkles, and velvets—with a hint of the ’70s aesthetic Swift (tbh, confusingly) sported in the marketing for this album.
SM: I literally just purchased a shimmering, sparkling pair of pants as an option actually, so I support this vision wholeheartedly. I have a pair of celestial earrings I’m happy to loan; let me know. Ultimately, I went with a slithering plan of attack, ready to enter—as is Gigi Hadid, apparently—my Reputation era. I decided it would be fun to pay homage to my first all-in Swiftie era and embrace an edgy (something I am often not), ready-for-a-rave (somewhere I am often not) energy. If Taylor can put on a character for an era, I can too. I’m thinking: risky tank tops, severe makeup, jewelry that nods to the snake motif without hitting it on the slimy nose, and lavender cargo pants to honor Taylor’s upcoming record Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).
MF: Speaking (hehe) of, I’ve also contemplated dedicating my outfit to that particular hue and honoring one of Swift’s best opening album tracks: “Lavender Haze.” I’m still not over the fashion and beauty picks from that music video (the slip dress; the moody lipstick), which so far have only been surpassed by her tour look when performing that song (the sparkly T-shirt dress; the video-lookalike furry coat). A combo of the two might be my sweet spot.
SM: I love how you went for current Taylor through and through, but I had to throw it back even more for my second look. I’ve recently been jamming out to “Change (Taylor’s Version)” and, as a proud Midwesterner, figured I could also saddle-up to a more western-inspired Fearless (Taylor’s Version) look. When I think of that album, I think of shimmering gold, denim, and a whole lot of country. I also loved how this denim vest feels like a nod to “Bejeweled” but instead of gems, it’s ravishing rivets. And of course, any country queen look isn’t complete without a cowboy hat.
MF: I look at this and immediately want to dance in a storm in my best dress, so I would call it a success. Though I’m still debating my outfit, I do know it will be paired with a venue-acceptable bag and comfortable shoes for the untold number of hours we’ll be standing on our feet. For the uninitiated: Swift’s set alone is over three hours, and she has two openers. (Which reminds me, I also need to buy some Band-Aids…) Shopping aside, I have to ask, Sam: What are your two dream secret songs?
SM: This is so tough, but two Taylor songs have specifically meant a lot to me: “Call It What You Want” and “King of My Heart.” I promise you, I’m not in love, but I am a hopeless romantic, and they sing to my Reputation-loving, wistful soul. I also must give an honorable mention to “Cornelia Street,” which she simply has to play at a New York show! How about you?
MF: I’ve thought about this a lot, and I’d also love to hear some newer songs she hasn’t performed yet, so I’m going with “Ivy” on guitar and “Sweet Nothing” on piano. Though I’m sure that will change by tomorrow.
SM: Well, we are just days away from our show (yes, we are going to the same one), so fingers crossed we both get our Wildest Dreams for our surprise songs. See you at the stadium, and best believe we’ll make the whole place shimmer.
Madison is a senior writer/editor at ELLE.com, covering news, politics, and culture. When she’s not on the internet, you can most likely find her taking a nap or eating banana bread.
Samuel is the Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief at ELLE Magazine. His interests include music, theater, books, video games, and anything to do with Taylor Swift. He famously broke both his arms at the same time in fourth grade.