Since the days of David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, the relationship between athletes and female musicians has not been as highly esteemed by the public. While both Posh and Becks were once renowned for their highly coordinated outfits, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce presented a stark contrast at last night’s Super Bowl game — marking their most public moment in their relationship to date.
The 14-time Grammy winner and the 3-time Super Bowl champion arrived at the Loyalty Stadium on Sunday, each aiming for different fashion goals. Despite her best efforts, Swift couldn’t stay away from the cultural conversation for long, opting for a low-key all-black ensemble on Sunday — perhaps hoping to set aside her superstar status for the night.
Accompanied by the likes of Blake Lively, Lana del Rey, Miles Teller, and Ice Spice, Swift wore a black Dion Lee tank top and matching black Area jeans, with the most eye-catching detail being the two crystal-adorned diagonal lines at her thighs. Thanks to some jewelry from Stephanie Gottlieb and Retrouwai, she sported gold and sparkling spots; including a necklace commemorating Kelce’s jersey number “87,” and a “TNT” (Taylor ‘N’ Travis) tennis bracelet he gave her.
On the other hand, Kelce embraced the moment. While this marked his fourth Super Bowl appearance in four years, he surely felt more eyes — primarily from Swifties and fashion media — on him. On Sunday night, he strutted through the tunnels of Allegiant Stadium wearing a sparkling sequin suit custom-made by Los Angeles-based brand Amiri, black sunglasses, a chunky silver chain, and a matching Amiri weekend bag.
“Travis definitely loves a performance,” brand founder and creative director Mike Amiri told British Vogue. “We thought, this is the first Super Bowl in Las Vegas, so why not really make it represent the entertainment feel that Las Vegas is known for and let him shine.” Perhaps more importantly, this was also his first Super Bowl appearance as the boyfriend of a global superstar.
While some may still be skeptical of these high-intensity outfits, Kelce isn’t the first to don a flashy ensemble, and he certainly won’t be the last.
At the 2021 GQ Men of the Year Awards, Lil Nas X made a statement in a black-and-white gradient sequin suit jacket and bell-bottom pants; just last week at the Sanremo Music Festival, singer Ghali took the stage in head-to-toe light blue rhinestones, topped with a Loewe polo shirt, cashmere cardigan, high-waisted jeans, and Chelsea boots.
However, sparkling is a staple of Swift’s red carpet looks. At last year’s MTV Video Music Awards, she wore an Oscar de la Renta crystal mini dress paired with dangling crystal necklaces, beaming with joy. Later that same year, at the European Music Awards, Swift swapped the traditional gown for a sparkling handcrafted silver and green crystal mesh (said to be inspired by the late Queen Elizabeth II’s emerald collection).
While this time around, the singer-songwriter seemed more than happy to dim her own sparkle to support Kelce, this couple might need a long-term solution — to avoid being blinded by the spotlight from their adoring fans. Can we suggest a rotation of rhinestones?