Well, False Fall came and went. Second False Fall will be along in a few weeks, I’m sure. It won’t be true Fall for several more weeks. It would have been funny if we were doing “Ironic” by Alanis Morrisette. We put in an irrigation system and then get lots and lots of rain. That’s OK. I can easily turn off the system, but I can’t do the same with Mother Nature. Anyway, welcome to the last Monday in August (can you believe it) and another edition of Songful Style! Suzy and Shelbee decided to riff (see what I did there) on Style Imitating Art only with music! Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Suzy of Suzy Turner, and I make up the bloggers in this group. You can find all of us on our blogs and Instagram. Our ensembles (pun intended) may be inspired by the lyrics of a song, the artwork of the album cover, maybe the MTV video, or even a memory the song evokes. Suzy chose this month’s song. Last time, Shelbee selected “Mondnacht” by Robert Schumann, and there’s a link party, too! Next month, I am choosing the musical, “Phantom of the Opera” with your choice of any song from it!
The artist…
Oh, I needed this! I don’t have to do all this research on Taylor Swift because we’ve already done one song by her. So, I’m going to refer you to that post if you want to know more about her. I’ll add a few things below. Actually, it’s quite a few things! A lot has changed in four years for Taylor Swift!
Since then…
As of April 2026, Swift is the most-streamed artist of all time on Spotify as well as being the most-streamed female artist of all time on Apple Music (as of June 2026). Swift’s shows are the highest grossing tour act of all time…the cumulative revenue (as of December 2024) is $3.12 billion! She has charted the most number one albums in the UK and Ireland for a female artist in the 21st century. In addition, she’s the first artist to “occupy the top five of the Australian albums chart,” doing that twice. She also made the top 10 positions on the Australian singles chart with the “most entries, most simultaneous entries, and most number one entries for a soloist on the Billboard Global 200!”
Accomplishments and awards…
In the United States, Taylor Swift has sold 116.7 million album units as of May 2025. She is also the solo artist with the most Billboard 200 number one albums though she’s tied with Drake on that one. Other highs include the most weeks at number one on the chart, the female artist with the most Billboard Hot 100 number one debuts, the most number one songs on Adult Pop Airplay and Pop Airplay. She is the “first living artist to chart five albums in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 and the first artist to spend one hundred weeks atop the Billboard Artist 100.” In addition, she is the first woman to “have both an album and a song receive diamond certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and also to have 100 million RIAA-certified album units. Billboard ranked Swift at number eight on its list “Greatest of All Time Artists” (2019), number three on “Top Country Artists of the 21st Century” (2025), number two on “Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century (2024), and number one on “Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century” and “Top Artists of the 21st Century” (both 2025).
Still more…
Time has listed Swift on its annual list of the 100 most influential people in 2010, 2015, and 2019. In 2024, she was the first solo artist to top Billboard’s annual Power 100 ranking of the top industry executives. Swift was also ”the first individual from the arts to be named Time Person of the Year and the first woman to appear on a Person of the Year cover more than once.” After speaking up about sexual assault (as one of the “Silence Breakers”), she was spotlighted as Person of the Year in 2017. On May 18, 2022, Swift received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from New York University. She also served as the commencement speaker.
Wedding bells…
In August 2023, she began dating Travis Kelce, a football player. The two were engaged two years later, and married in a much anticipated, highly publicized private ceremony at Madison Square Garden, New York City. The couple, who let’s face it can buy anything, asked wedding guest to donate to charities rather than buying them gifts. In addition, the couple donated an estimated $26 million to various charities. I’m telling you…that girl definitely puts her money where her mouth is!
The lyrics…
Oh, Carolina creeks
Running through my veins
Lost I was born, lonesome I came
Lonesome I’ll always stay
Carolina knows
Why for years I roam
Free as these birds, light as whispers
Carolina knows
And you didn’t see me here
No, they never did see me here
And she’s in my dreams
Into the mist, into the clouds
Don’t leave
I make a fist, I’ll make it count
And there are places I will never ever go
And things that only Carolina will ever know
Carolina stains
On the dress she left
Indelible scars, pivotal marks
Blue as the life she fled
Carolina pines
Won’t you cover me?
Hide me like robes down the back road
Muddy these webs we weave
And you didn’t see me here
No, they never did see me
And she’s in my dreams
Into the mist, into the clouds
Don’t leave
I’ll make a fist, I’ll make it count
And there are places I will never ever go
And things that only Carolina will ever know
Oh
Oh
Oh
And you didn’t see me here
They never did see me here
No, you didn’t see me here
They never saw me
Oh, Carolina knows
Why for years they’ve said
That I was guilty as sin
And sleep in a liar’s bed
But the sleep comes fast
And I’ll meet no ghosts
It’s between me, the sand, and the sea
Carolina knows
What does it mean…
I’ll be honest. It’s been years since I read the book. When I watched the video, I remembered the movie. So, when in doubt, see what the artist has to say, right? Ms. Swift posted the following:
“About a year & half ago I wrote a song about the story of a girl who always lived on the outside, looking in. Figuratively & literally,” Swift wrote. “The juxtaposition of her loneliness & independence. Her curiosity & fear all tangled up,” she continued. “Her persisting gentleness & the world’s betrayal of it. Swift wrote the song from the perspective of the film’s protagonist Kya (Daisy Edgar Jones), a woman from the deep South who had to raise herself. The singer added: “I wrote this one alone in the middle of the night and then Aaron Dessner and I meticulously worked on a sound that we felt would be authentic to the moment when this story takes place.”
The video…
Interesting covers…
I really like her voice and think she does a nice job.
I really liked this at the beginning. Then, she started the talking kinda singing, and now I’m not sure. I do like her voice, though.
Oh, my gosh! This video is very short, but when they begin singing harmony…it will take your breath away! And, the video is just beautiful, too!
Another beautiful voice with just a bit of instrumental music…so good!
Here’s an instrumental version which is just as evocative as the original, I think.
Sources…
My interpretation…
I watched the video over and over again. There were so many different ways I could have gone with this. Ultimately, I decided to go with a dress similar to the one Kya wears only hers was more aqua than the lilac mine is. I considered just jeans and a top as well as bibs with a tank. But, I decided to stay true to myself and wore this lilac Ambrosia dress from April Cornell. I thought the loose, flowy silhouette matched the ethereal qualities of the video. Nigel took these photos! I have misplaced my daggone little clicker! I think Jack may have thought it was a toy and took it under the bed in his room. I have this sneaky suspicion that, as soon as I buy another one, I’ll find the other one!
The Lewk!
The Lewk was fairly easy for this one! I just felt like Kya would go barefoot a lot. I don’t have any beat up old sneakers, and the ones I have didn’t feel right for this song and video. But, I leaned heavily into the illustrations she made…primarily foliage. My fern necklace, earrings, and cuff are from Michael Michaud and are, surprise, part of the Fern collection! I bought the scarab necklace (which is the only thing I have that is even remotely insect related) at the art museum in Dayton, Ohio earlier this year.
Wrap it up, Marsha!
I admit I am not necessarily a Swiftie, but I can appreciate her accomplishments. Taylor Swift is definitely a force, and I think that’s a good thing for other women to see just what talent and ambition can do. So, can we talk? Which did you like better, the book or the movie? How do you feel about the way the song works for the movie? Are you a Swiftie? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.
Thank you!
Thank you so very much for reading today’s post. I hope you enjoyed it. I also very much appreciate those of you who comment, email and/or subscribe. It’s what keeps me going! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.
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Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, Is this Mutton, and Shelbee on the Edge. I also link up with I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop and Slices of Life. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month as well as the Global Writing Challenge on the second Thursday. I now co-host Fashion Files with Amy at Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa every Tuesday. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, Cat, and Rena. I also host 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!
And, now, it’s your turn!
Please link up your favorite posts, DIY, baking, gardening, fashion…you name it…as long as it’s family friendly! Link up with me, visit a couple of others, and leave a comment or two! No worries if you don’t have a blog, just look around! You may find a new blog just waiting for you!
I don’t know the book, the movie or the song (in fact I only know a parody of one Swift song), but from what I just read about it, the outfit looks like a good interpretation!