MAKE IT CUTE

Speak Now (Taylor's Version) is *finally* releasing this Friday, and whether you have fond memories of the original album or were too young to fully experience this era, it's a perfect opportunity for all Swifties to experience the album anew. Some prefer to listen to the long-awaited vault tracks as soon as possible, while some want to listen right away to their all-time fave song for the first time again.

No matter your midnight listening methodology, it begs a proper celebration. We have the comprehensive guide to ensuring that your listening party is *the* party of the summer. And who says you can't have a Speak Now (Taylor's Version) summer? After all, as Taylor once said, "The story starts when it was hot and it was summer." 

The outfit

Generally speaking, a Speak Now (Taylor's Version) party calls for fairytale-like fashion. Anything with romantic detailing like lace, corsets or chiffon is sure to be enchantingly on-theme. Dresses (especially purple ones) are an obvious choice. Plus, we all know "Last Kiss (Taylor's Version)" will leave us all a little wistful (especially if she keeps *that* shaky inhale), so you'll get to be a little like Taylor—"the girl in the dress that cried the whole way home" from the party. 

If you want to implement something super trendy but still sooo Speak Now (Taylor's Version) into your outfit, reach for a pair of ballet flats. They fit the romantic vibe so well, and Taylor even sported a pair when she shared her album tracklist. If you're a fashion girly, you would also know that ballet flats have been the shoe of the moment for the decidedly stylish. True to theme and trendy? Sign us up. 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by MATILDA DJERF (@matildadjerf)

While ballet flats won't really wear you out comfort-wise, a dress just might. Since you'll be staying up until midnight to listen, stylish pajamas may be more practical. You can even opt for a set of lilac pajamas (bonus points if they're embellished with lace or made of silk). Basically, you don't have to sacrifice comfort for this party. Take Taylor's advice, and "don't lose the way that you dance around in your PJs" while rocking out to "Haunted (Taylor's Version)." 

You can't forget about the hair! One of the best places for hairstyle inspo is in Taylor's "The Story Of Us" music video, where she sported a side braid with a dainty pink ribbon. It'll bring the whole look together combining all the traits that really *make* the listening party outfit—romantic, on-theme and ideal for dancing. 

The decor

It wouldn't be a T-Swift listening party if it weren't themed, and tbh, you can do *so* much more than a couple purple balloons. To set up a photo booth, hang up a sparkly purple backdrop (check out the Purple Tinsel Curtain, $10, amazon.com), and get some candid photos with gold confetti poppers—because sparks really do fly when "confetti falls to the ground" (Confetti Popper Cannons, $11, amazon.com). 

@the_confetti_project

But wait! Remember the iconic "Mine" music video? Recreate it with your Swiftie besties by hanging up photos to the ceiling and taking some enchanting flicks because let's be real, we all watch our lives in pictures. Once you have a speaker set up to blast the album and lyrics ready on a big screen, you're ready to (impatiently) count down to midnight!

The food

And ofc, we can't forget about the snacks. to make your listening party *even more* Taylor-coded, make a jar of Last Kisses with purple Hershey's Kisses! You can also add some edible purple glitter (we LOVE the Purple Edible Glitter, $10, amazon.com) to any drink of your choice, because who doesn't wanna drink something that looks like Taylor's Wonderstruck perfume? Lastly, we *cannot* forget about the iconic "gown shaped like a pastry" line in "Speak Now". Get an array of the cutest purple pastries and you're all ready to munch!

@purplepotatolv

Read these while counting the seconds until Speak Now (Taylor's Version) is finally Taylor's (and "Ours"):
☔️ How to copy Taylor Swift's NYC street style
☔️ The signs as Taylor Swift songs
☔️ The movie you should watch next, based on your favorite Taylor Swift music video

Tag us @girlslifemag in your listening party pics for a chance to get featured!

Top image: @taylorswift
Slider image: @elliethumann
All GIFs via GIPHY

by Anne Chen and Kayla Conroy | 7/6/2023