Taylor Swift Revives the Viral "Butt Leggings" Trend in New Music Video

The sporty bottoms were a 2020 internet phenomenon—and now in 2024, too.

taylor swift wears a bodysuit on stage with red lipstick
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Now that the 2024 Summer Olympics are over, the fitness-and-fashion crowd is thirsting for some athleisure inspiration. Thankfully, Taylor Swift has just supplied fans with dozens of workout looks, courtesy of her new music video for sad girl anthem, "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart."

Released on Tuesday, August 20, the hit song is illustrated through behind-the-scenes footage of Eras Tour dress rehearsals and performances. Throughout the video, Swift wears a myriad of workout looks, largely consisting of sports bras, pleated skirts, and sweats. The one look that caught my eye, however, was one of the most simplistic.

Halfway through the video, Swift goes from her iconic Tortured Poets Department lyric dress to a black sports bra and leggings. Though they look like your run-of-the-mill leggings, this specific style from Booty by Brabants will likely give flashbacks to anyone who was Very Online during 2020. Please join me in welcoming, "butt leggings" back to center stage.

taylor swift wears black butt leggings with red lipstick in her "i can do it with a broken heart" music video

Taylor Swift wears textured leggings with red lipstick in her "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart" music video.

(Image credit: YouTube)

In case you were focussed on other things during 2020 (like a global pandemic, for example), allow me to refresh your memory. "Butt leggings" are a category of workout pants that feature a textured fabric and a ruched seam on the backside. Together, the design details create an optical illusion of a larger bum, causing them to go viral on TikTok and Instagram.

Swift's style—the $90 Chrome Leggings Beijo—fall directly into that category. Her classic black colorway is, of course, sold out, but the label offers the same design in 14 other stylish colors.

Tapping into her "cabin in the woods" folklore style, Swift styled hers with her signature red lip and a pair of brown combat boots from the brand Faye. The styling choice gave her leggings outfit a grounded and earthy feel that felt true to the era.

taylor swift wears black butt leggings with red lipstick in her "i can do it with a broken heart" music video

(Image credit: YouTube)

I never thought I'd type the words "Taylor Swift" and "butt leggings" in the same sentence, but here we are.

Shop "Butt Leggings" Similar to Swift's

Kelsey Stiegman
Contributor

Kelsey (she/her) is a freelance fashion editor and writer, specializing in e-commerce and celebrity style content. With more than nine years of experience in digital media, Kelsey has a knack for turning top-performing content into top-selling content. Before taking her talents to Marie Claire, Kelsey was the Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, where she oversaw the site’s fashion coverage and launched a successful luxury handbag series called Secure The Bag. Prior to Bustle, she came from a six-year stint at Seventeen, during which she managed the team’s fashion and beauty verticals and led e-commerce strategy. In addition to writing and editing, Kelsey also offers freelance creative consulting services, as well as content creation. Follow @klstieg on Instagram for 'fit pics and travel recommendations.