How Taylor Swift's Natural Hair Has Transformed Over The Years

When Taylor Swift first rose to fame as a teenager, her long, blonde curls were without question her signature hair look. But over the years, Swift has experimented with different hairstyles and lengths — and apparently, all of this experimentation altered her hair type altogether. In a 2019 interview with Elle, the "Love Story" singer reflected on her hair journey and her newfound appreciation for her natural curls. "I learned that your hair can completely change texture," Swift said. "From birth, I had the curliest hair and now it is STRAIGHT. It's the straight hair I wished for every day in junior high. But just as I was coming to terms with loving my curls, they've left me. Please pray for their safe return."

Now Swift has learned to admire her curly tresses, even if it doesn't mean looking picture perfect at all times. In 2024, for example, she had an unplanned hair moment during a concert in Singapore that was documented in a clip shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. The singer began the night with straight locks, but it didn't last due to the humid temperature. And Swift couldn't hold back her excitement, jokingly telling the crowd, "As you can see, my hair has returned to its factory settings thanks to the humidity here. I'm not complaining, I like it."

Taylor Swift's flowing curls were on full display on the cover of her self-titled debut album, which was released in 2006. Her hair type was a perfect fit for the rustic and natural sounds of the country album. This curly look would also be prominently featured on the covers of her next two albums, "Fearless" and "Speak Now."

In 2011, Swift evidently decided she was ready for a different 'do. The "You Belong With Me" singer not only started straightening her hair, but got bangs. In 2014, she went with arguably her biggest hair change yet when she had several inches chopped off. Two years later she showed up to the 2016 Grammys with a pin-straight, chin-length bob. That same year, Taylor Swift's look transformed yet again when she bleached her locks.

The record-breaking artist returned to her curly, natural blonde roots during the "Reputation" era. In that album, she explored and offered commentary on her tumultuous relationship with the media and the public's misconceptions about her.  Taking back the narrative, Swift brought back her curly hair to give the public an authentic look at who she really was. Her hair was noticeably curly on the album's cover and throughout her "Reputation" stadium tour; this has become a go-to look for the superstar ever since.

Many of Taylor Swift's fans have theories about her hair journey. After all, the singer has been known to frequently leave cryptic clues, or Easter eggs, for supporters to unpack; her hair could be part of the fun. As of this writing, Swift is in the process of re-recording her first six albums, and many Swifties believe she uses her hairstyles to hint at what her next release will be. 

In 2020, Swift released her album "folklore" where she can be seen on the cover with a cardigan and her natural curly tresses. But when Swift accepted the Apple Music Songwriter of the Year Award a few months later, she was seen with a sleek straight hairstyle complete with bangs. Swifties were quick to notice how much this look resembled the style of her album "Red" and took the singer's look as a sign that "Red (Taylor's Version)" would be the next re-recorded album to be released. The next album Swift released was actually "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" in April 2021, but fans rejoiced when "Red (Taylor's Version)" was released in November 2021.

The theory gained steam once again after the October 2023 premiere of the Eras Tour concert movie, where Swift sported a shorter curly do with curly bangs. Swifties noticed the resemblance to Swift's whole look from 2014, following the release of her album "1989." And just two weeks after the movie premiere, Swift released "1989 (Taylor's Version)" where she was seen with a similar shorter version of her curly hair on the album's cover. It was time to shear it off, shear it off.