How Taylor Swift turns her Love Stories into iconic pop culture moments: From bringing Travis Kelce on stage to Joe Alwyn’s song credits and THAT Tom Hiddleston T-shirt, and All her Previous Exes

Taylor Swift is no stranger to dating in the public eye and throughout her 18-year career, the pop star has performed hundreds of songs inspired by falling in – and out – of love.

From co-writing music with ‘London Boy’ Joe Alwyn to her former lover Tom Hiddleston donning a tank top that read ‘I Heart T.S,’ the songstress knows how to turn every Love Story into an iconic pop culture moment.

In April last year, it was confirmed that Swift and Alwyn had officially gone their separate ways after dating for six years and the songstress has since moved on with Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce.

Taylor’s newest beau was the latest to orchestrate an unforgettable viral moment when he swapped his American football jersey for a tailcoat and top hat and joined her on stage.

As the world becomes besotted with their very public relationship, MailOnline looks back at how the hitmaker has created iconic pop culture moments off the back of her romances…

Tom Hiddleston’s ‘I heart T.S’ T-shirt
Arguably one of the most iconic of Taylor Swift’s pop culture moments that feature one of her past boyfriends was with British actor Tom Hiddleston in July 2016.
The pair shocked fans around the world after they were spotted locking lips on a beach in June 2016 – marking the beginning of their romance.

But the most famous moment occurred during their July 4th weekend break in Rhode Island, where Tom, now 43, was photographed frolicking in the surf with his lover while wearing a vest that was emblazoned with the message ‘I Heart T.S.’

Just in case that was too subtle, he also had his arm branded with a temporary tattoo of a love heart bearing Taylor’s initials.

The infatuated duo could not seem to keep their hands off each other as they embraced and kissed in the water.

The iconic moment went viral at the time and has since cemented itself in pop culture leaving fans wondering to this day what the story behind it was.

Co-writing songs with Joe Alwyn
Travis Kelce’s involvement in the Eras Tour is not the first time a partner of Taylor’s has got his hands dirty and got involved with her career.

In November 2020, the Anti Hero hitmaker shocked fans by revealing that her boyfriend at the time, Joe Alwyn, co-wrote some songs on her album Folklore.

While discussing the song Exile in her film dedicated to creating the album, the singer casually admitted Joe, 33, was the person behind the pseudonym William Bowery.

‘So, William Bowery is Joe, as we know,’ she said, ‘Joe plays piano beautifully.

‘He’s always just playing and making things up and kind of creating things. Joe had written that entire piano part.’

Taylor has long been a fan of nicknames and famously wrote as Nils Sjöberg on then-boyfriend Calvin Harris’ song This Is What You Came For.

Joe helped to create the songs Betty and Exile from Folklore and Champagne Problems and Coney Island from Evermore, before going on to co-write Sweet Nothing on her 2022 album Midnights.

Mouthing messages to Matty Healy on stage
Taylor made headlines after being romantically linked to The 1975 frontman Matty Healy in May 2023.

As dating rumours swirled, the pair fuelled the speculation by seemingly mouthing cryptic messages to each other while on stage.

During an Eras Tour show in Nashville on May 5 last year, the singer oddly said the words: ‘This is about you, you know who you are. I love you’ while on stage, leaving fans puzzled.

But footage of the moment sent fans into a tailspin after realizing that Matty, 35, had used the exact same words at a concert in the Philippines on May 3.

The 1975 singer was also spotted in the crowd at the Nashville performance, cutting a casual figure as he watched from a gated area with her close friends.

Video emerged of Matty pointing into the camera saying ‘I love you’ before swigging from a wine bottle while performing in the Philippines.

The singer grinned when he heard Taylor say the same words before she performed Cardigan.

Bringing back ex Taylor Lautner for a music video
In July 2023, Taylor created yet another pop culture moment that sent fans wild when she brought back one of her ex-lovers to feature in her music video.

She and Taylor Lautner dated back in 2009, having first met while filming the upcoming ensemble romantic comedy Valentine’s Day, where they shared an on-screen kiss.

It has long been rumoured that the Mean hitmaker wrote Back To December about her 2009 relationship with Lautner, 32.

Their romance was brief and only lasted a mere two months, but the pair have remained good friends.

Last year, the singer delighted fans by dropping a surprise new music video for the track, I Can See You (From The Vault), which starred none other than her ex-lover.

She made the audience go wild as she premiered the music video at her Kansas City concert and even got her former boyfriend up on stage.

When Lautner walked onto the stage, he did a backflip, prompting the audience to roar with approval in what went on to become a long-talked-about moment.

Lautner and his wife Taylor Dome also met up with the songstress backstage and they recreated the viral Spiderman meme from the 1967 animated series where two Spider-Man characters point at each other as they both claim to be the ‘real’ Spider-Man.

The photo shows the three Taylors standing in a triangle pointing at each other.

The Twilight actor shared the photo to his official Instagram and captioned it: ‘Secret’s out! Tonight was wild.’

Travis Kelce making his Eras Tour debut
In her latest Love Story moment, Taylor ignited a frenzy among her Swifties by bringing her boyfriend Travis Kelce onstage at her Eras Tour concert last Sunday.

This is a new territory that no past partner has entered before, with Travis being the first boyfriend to ever grace the stage with her.

Travis and Taylor have been dating for the best part of a year, with the pop sensation’s first appearance at Arrowhead for one of his NFL games last September publicly confirming the relationship.

Decked out in a tuxedo and top hat, the Kansas City Chiefs player, 34, joined Taylor during her I Can Do It With a Broken Heart outfit change.

The tight end beamed as he carried his girlfriend, gently placing her on a red couch at the centre of the stage.

This followed the official announcement of their relationship on Instagram Friday evening.

The reactions from Taylor’s fans lit up social media, many in awe that Travis handled the performance like a professional, even showing off some of his signature dance moves.

‘If you would’ve told me a year ago that Travis Kelce would be on stage with Taylor Swift, I wouldn’t have believed you…’ wrote one follower.

Another posted, ‘Did I just hallucinate or did Travis Kelce just go on stage in costume and carry Taylor and help her get changed into ICDIWABH.’

‘TRAVIS KELCE DRESSING UP AS ONE OF TAYLOR’S DANCERS ON STAGE WAS NOT ON MY 2024 BINGO CARD HOLY F***,’ yet another chimed in.

Still more shared their excitement, as one wrote, ‘You guys realize Travis coming out on stage with Taylor in London is literally the most masterful, insane, symbolic thing ever right?’