In the generational battle between Gen Z and millennials, one eyeliner technique remains extremely controversial: the cat-eye. But you know who will never give up her beloved winged liner, no matter what the younger generation may say about it? Taylor Swift! Her dark, perfectly swoopy black liner is as classically “Taylor Swift” as her bangs and red lipstick; she’s simply not herself without it!
But for a recent visit to Broadway to take in the Tony Award-winning play Oh Mary! alongside her fiancé Travis Kelce, Swift swapped her usual precise wings for a softer, more delicate (reference!) take on the beloved liner shape. The musician covered her lids with a shimmery golden shadow, then defined her lashline with smudgy, almost-grungy dark gray liner versus her go-to inky black. But don’t worry, the cat-eye was still present and accounted for, just a much lighter version! The wing extended all the way to the tip of Swift’s brow, but it looked as though she’d smudged it with her finger to fade the color and give it a more faded and lived-in, indie sleaze kinda vibe. Swift wore a similar tone on her lower lashline, plus a few swipes of mascara. Fresh, pretty peach-toned makeup served as an anchor for the grungier eye makeup.
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The lighter gray cat-eye liner wasn’t the only thing that felt different about Swift’s Oh Mary! makeup. The red lip was also missing, replaced by the muted matte orange tone she’s also a big fan of. (Rumor has it it’s NARS Original Lipstick in Morocco.) The lip picked up the peach color in her blush and provided an unexpected contrast to her plum velvet slipdress.
Of course, the real lesson here is that makeup trends come and go, but if you love a certain technique or product even though it’s not “popular,” you should go ahead and wear it! There are no rules when it comes to makeup, and honestly, cat-eye liner is forever. Will Swift be wearing flicked-out black liner wings when she walks down the aisle? You better believe it. Then again, she does love a good surprise, so you never know…
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