Ugh, Taylor Swift Stole My Engagement Photos Dress!

We’ve all been there: You’re saving an outfit for a special occasion, and then, BAM, someone else beats you to the punch.

Shortly after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement on Tuesday, the pop superstar’s black and white striped Ralph Lauren halter dress flew off the shelves. Content creator (and 2026 bride) Natasha Lisle, however, already owned the dress—and was planning to wear it for an engagement photoshoot with her own fiancé, John. Here’s her story:

We got engaged in Vermont last year, in October. My fiancé, John, took me to a cabin for a week and had a bunch of things planned. I had a feeling that it was going to happen. He booked a golden retriever farm experience, dinner on a steam train, and a trail ride around the lakes. Beforehand, he turned to me and he asked, “Should I do my hair for the trail ride?” And I was like, Oh, I think it’s going to be then.

We went on a private trail. Then, he hopped off the horse, turned around, and got on one knee and gave this big speech that I have no recollection of. He’d actually never ridden a horse before. Bold of him to do that at the same time as proposing.

I knew I wanted to wear one element of white that day, as a nod to my thinking that it was going to happen. Because I was going to be on a horse, I couldn’t really invest in a true outfit, so I wore a white off-the-shoulder sweater with leggings and boots. I did wear this plaid trench coat that I had, though, which I thought could look good in pictures, because who knows? He ended up working with the farm and got someone to hide in the middle of the woods to take pictures.

Natasha and John

Photo: Courtesy of Natasha Lisle

We are definitely fall people, so we’ve got the wedding date booked for next November—cooler weather, more intimate. And we pretty much knew exactly what we wanted out of a more formal engagement photo shoot, because we are right in the heart of SoHo: Half of it would be in SoHo, early in the morning, with the lovely architecture of the buildings. Then, a dreamy garden experience—more floral and whimsical. We’re right next to Elizabeth Street Garden, and we have a lilac tree planted there, so it meant a lot that we did a little shoot there. We’ll be dressed up for the SoHo part. I’ll have a structured satin dress, and he’ll be in a suit. In the garden, we’ll go for something flowy and silky and lineny.

It’s actually so much harder than you think, trying to capture a moment in time. I love fashion and what you can show with it, but I was shopping like a madwoman. So many people get engaged and they look ready for it. They know they’re getting engaged; they’re in the white dress. It’s nice when people are wearing something that’s bride-ish but not full bridal.

We have the shoot next month. Finding the outfits was tough, but finally the first dress came: a gorgeous, structured, satin cap-sleeved dress. This garden dress was so hard. How do you look effortless but also whimsical?

Eventually, I spotted this striped dress from Ralph Lauren. I thought it looked so effortless, and it’s vaguely bridal because it is neutral. It’s a lovely dress. I really like the way it looks on me. So, I made a decision in my head. It looked the best, and because it’s not fully white, it doesn’t scream, This is an engagement outfit. It just felt right and nice. Literally the next day, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got engaged.

I thought I was a huge Swiftie, then I met John. He blew past me with the love. He creates playlists that tell stories, and he has specific ones for different adventures that are all Taylor. I was so excited when I saw her engagement announcement on Instagram. The first thing I did was screenshot the ring and the picture of them and send it to John. The dress wasn’t the first thing I saw, because I was mostly just excited by the notion of it.

I send it to him and say, “Oh my gosh, she’s engaged!” And then I go, “Wait, wait, wait,” because I realize what she’s wearing in real time. He asks, “What?” And I was like, “She’s wearing the dress!” One of the two options that I had really settled on was that one. I feel validated in some way, but also, has this thwarted me?

I don’t want to look like I’m copying Taylor. Engagement photographs are so interesting because they’re not supposed to be timeless. They’re specifically capturing a time and a place. But what do I want my time and place to be?

Honestly, I think that I shouldn’t wear it. I have a couple of friends who are getting married around the same time as me, and I am really trying not to fall into this competitive mindset in bridal fashion. We all want our unique, special moment, and there are only so many dresses out there. At the same time, I want something that is uniquely me, and if I actually see someone in the same dress, that’s not me anymore. I see that as someone else—especially someone as iconic as Taylor.

Still, seeing something I thought was really cool being worn in a very iconic moment, it feels like, okay, I think I have pretty good taste.