Although the Grammy-winning singer wasn’t in attendance for Sunday’s Chiefs vs. Panthers game—due to her Eras Tour show in Toronto on Saturday night—it seems her influence was still felt. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end arrived at North Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium sporting an outfit that got plenty of people talking, with fans suspecting he might be giving a subtle nod to Swift.
Kelce’s game-day look included corduroy pants by Barena ($360), a Jacquemus bucket hat ($335), and a large Louis Vuitton duffle bag. However, the real conversation starter was his We11done blue and red half-zip shirt ($1,461), which featured a distinctive plaid pattern—a style that has recently become synonymous with Taylor Swift.
Naturally, fans of the pop icon, known as Swifties, quickly picked up on the possible connection, speculating that the plaid shirt was a reference to Taylor’s recent series of outfits featuring the festive print. It seems Kelce’s choice of attire was more than just a fashion statement; it might have been a subtle way of showing solidarity with Swift’s recent style choices.
“Double digit dubs!!” Kelce captioned his pre-game outfit post on Instagram, celebrating the Chiefs’ impressive 10-1 record after their narrow 30-27 win against the Panthers. Fans wasted no time flooding the comment section with theories about his outfit.
“Did Taylor tell you to wear plaid?” one commenter wrote, while another chimed in, “Did Tay pick your outfit? Plaid?!” Fans on X (formerly Twitter) were also quick to draw connections between Kelce’s plaid shirt and Swift’s recent outfits.
One fan tweeted, “Travis ain’t slick. The plaid and then 2 every other frame… and his caption ? i see u killa,” accompanied by snaps from Kelce’s Instagram post. Another fan shared side-by-side comparisons of Kelce’s shirt with four of Swift’s recent plaid ensembles, writing, “So does Travis’ outfit have something to do with all the plaid recently? ?”
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Taylor Swift, known for her love of the checkered motif, has indeed been incorporating plaid into her looks more frequently lately. The classic fall print has become a staple in her game-day outfits while attending Chiefs games this season.
Earlier this month, on November 10, Swift was spotted entering the Chiefs’ game against the Denver Broncos wearing a red checkered blazer skirt set by Versace. On October 7, she attended Kelce’s game against the New Orleans Saints in a plaid corset and skirt two-piece by Vivienne Westwood.
And it’s not just at the games—Swift has also been rocking plaid outside of the arena. She recently wore a black-and-white plaid coat and skirt by Carolina Herrera for a girl’s night out in New York City. She even celebrated the end of the European leg of her Eras Tour in a festive Vivienne Westwood red and green plaid skirt set.
The plaid theme continued to make an appearance at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards in September, where Swift turned heads in an uncharacteristically punk look—sporting a yellow plaid bustier with a matching train over hot pants.
Fans are having a field day trying to decipher the meaning behind the plaid craze. Is it a subtle fashion statement, a cute nod to each other’s influence, or just a coincidence?
Only time will tell what the plaid patterns signify for the couple, if anything at all.
Regardless of whether the plaid connection holds any deeper meaning, one thing is clear—Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift continue to captivate fans both on and off the field.
With each public appearance and fashion choice, the couple keeps their supporters guessing, and the playful speculation only adds to the excitement of their blossoming relationship.
