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At this point, nothing Taylor Swift does is without some symbolism. In the past, fans have dissected her clothing choices and seemingly mundane photos to uncover details about, say, the theme of an upcoming album or its potential release date, and it's become a well-known game between Taylor and her Swifties. So, why would her virtual appearance at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards be any different — even if it was just a little over a minute long?
The evening earned Taylor the award for best direction, which she accepted from home while wearing a striped shirt dress from Derek Lam's contemporary diffusion line, 10 Crosby. While some fans on Twitter romantically theorized the button-up may have been borrowed from her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, it's more likely the shirt dress was a subtle nod to the very music video that earned her the award: "The Man."
Released earlier this year, the video had Taylor (dressed as a man) present the many ways men are glorified and receive unearned praise in society in an effort to illustrate the double standards women face. Her shirt dress then, which fuses together both masculine and feminine silhouettes, falls right in line with that juxtaposition. Plus, it makes for a really chic house dress.
Watch Taylor's speech, as well as "The Man" video, ahead, before browsing Taylor's exact shirt dress and similar options.