The secret meaning behind Taylor Swift's ripped shirt

After a bizarre social media blackout, Taylor Swift is here with a new album — Reputation, released November 10 — and a shirt that’s spawning weird conspiracy theories.

The drama began on Friday when Swift’s social media accounts — Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter — suddenly and inexplicably disappeared, making fans question whether the event was a tech error or a publicity stunt.

A few days later, Swift began posting strange silent videos of a slithering snake, which many attributed to her clash with Kim Kardashian last July. For those unaware, Swift had objected to Kanye West calling her out in a track called “Famous” without her approval and in response, Kardashian released a recording of the two singers agreeing on the lyric, then tweeted a reference to “National Snake Day,” which many interpreted as a dig at Swift.

Finally, on Friday, Swift posted a message to her channels that read “First single out tomorrow night,” along with a black-and-white album cover for Reputation, featuring a vampy-looking Swift wearing black lipstick, slicked-back hair, a chain choker, and an off-the-shoulder top that’s been ripped and patched over. The backdrop is a collage of newspaper clippings with headlines bearing the singer’s name.

Now, the shirt: Fans are pointing to it as a metaphor for her high-profile romances, her curated image, and her public spats with fellow celebs, including West.

The shirt could also be symbolic of her ongoing style evolution from a curly-haired country singer with iridescent lipstick to a mega pop star with a signature red lip and platinum blonde hair. Her latest look — especially on the heels of her victorious court trial — may be a sign that Swift is here to slay the future.

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