Taylor Swift Goes High Fashion for 'Blank Space' Music Video

It’s been two weeks since 1989, Taylor Swift’s new album, was released, and with it, she has begun to establish a new persona, both musically and sartorially. For her first video, “Shake It Off,” she took a lighthearted approach to love and life — so what would she reveal with her next video?

“Blank Space” which was sorta-but-sorta-not leaked a day early, finds Swift in one of those magical palazzos with sweeping staircases and grandiose gardens that you can get lost in. Another pop star recently explored the palazzo as a setting for her multi-video fantasy — I’m talking Beyoncé, of course — and through her visions it was a setting for a high class S-E-X hotel and a jilted lover’s breakdown. While Swift was definitely influenced by Queen Bey’s visions, I imagine the 24 year-old singer was more inspired by Mario Testino’s photographs, specifically an image of Jennifer Lopez wearing a gown, walking four Dobermans on a leash around the grand estate. It seems like Swift is auditioning for a more high-fashion moment. True, Swift has been on the cover of all the major fashion magazines, but usually shot in a studio or wearing a slightly more glam version of herself. She has yet to be given the ultimate experience, where she can play a character and truly become someone else.

Bringing a sense of humor into her work is one of her visual trademarks, and we can hardly blame Swift for it, but it seems like the video had so much potential to be a truly decadent, romantic fantasy that turns into a horror movie (or “a nightmare dressed like a daydream,” like she sings in the song). As the video progresses, Swift’s theatrics, combined with the extravagant visuals, turn the video into a really amazing soap opera. Swift and her partner dance (played by top and super hot model Sean O’Pry) and glamorously fight — he in a tuxedo while she changes into various couture looks.

At one point, Swift breaks through the fourth wall and winks at the camera — a shared moment of knowing between Swift and the viewer. If this were a Mexican telenovela, wit would have a name like “La Viuda Negra,” or “The Black Widow.” Except I guess she’s not really marrying these guys, just painting their portraits and hanging them in her hallway before losing it on them for being on social media.