Taylor Swift wants you to know that she still has friends. So many friends. She even has new friends! The squad is expanding and evolving! Taylor Swift and the squad went out last night in NYC and this dinner had more A-listers than most awards shows these days. Who went out with Tay-Tay? Cara Delevingne (still bruised from her St. Vincent split), Dakota Johnson (she’s new to the squad), Karlie Kloss, Zoe Kravitz (she’s new to the squad as well) and… Serena Williams!!! Oh, Serena, what are you doing???? I had no idea that Serena and Swifty were friendly at all. I didn’t even know Serena had any friendships within the squad? And you know that Serena is also friendly with Kim Kardashian. And Beyonce and Jay-Z. Hm. I have to admit, finding out that Serena is cool with Taylor Swift makes me like Taylor a little bit more. Is that how squads are supposed to work?
This Thursday night outing wasn’t the only time we saw Taylor this week, even if I didn’t cover it (we didn’t have the photos!). On Wednesday night, Tay and some of the squad hit up the Kings of Leon private concert, then the Bowery Hotel for drinks with Aziz Ansari (wtf?) then they went to the Cabin Down Below. On Wednesday, Taylor was with Sienna Miller, Lily Donaldson and Zoe Kravitz. Lorde was there too, for the concert at least.
Meanwhile, In Touch Weekly tried to claim this week that Taylor Swift was rebounding from the Tiddlebanging with none other than Ben Affleck. Sources claimed that Ben found Tay-Tay enchanting and she has dreams of another Hollywood romance. Obviously, Gossip Cop’s sources denied it completely. Let’s be realistic here – Taylor is not Ben’s type and Ben is not Taylor’s type. Give her some credit! She’s not going to be interested in Sad Batfleck (who is still married!).
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
Serena has gorgeous skin damn!
I have SUCH skin-envy.
Those shoes are bad though.
Wait you mean bad as in good, right? <3 those shoes
I like TS’s hair, the color, the length…very flattering.
What if she is in THEIR squad. We make it sound like she can own and collect people like accessories! Half of her “squad” are more impressive or talented than her. Maybe they deign themselves to hang out with her? Maybe she is the accessory?
That’s true. Also, the whole squad thing is a little odd to me. However, I’m more introverted, so I’ve always preferred a smaller group of friends.
You mean you don’t travel around with an entourage of supermodels and celebs? 😉
I’m like you–I prefer one-on-one and if I go out with *the girls* it’s usually only 3 or 4 of us.
Same here. Maybe I’m wrong for making this judgment, but I’ve always found that huge groups of friends are pretty fake. I prefer a smaller one. Things get extremely phony when you’re calling 20 people your “BFF.”
I think there’s a lot of ‘being seen to be popular’ about the whole thing rather than that which most of us would consider real friendship.
Also, many of Taylor’s squad didn’t come out in support during the Snapchat reveal. Also, if KK is to be believed she received calls from some.
Perhaps some of the least supportive, I didn’t keep track of names, are on the outs and she’s rebooting her ‘squad’ with new members.
Did you see that Kristen Stewart and St. Vincent were there too? Like.. WTF? Lol
that’s crazy…i saw pics of Dakota and Cara (Cara being St. Vincent’s ex) holding hands at the Kings of Leon gig…and they’re together again in these pics…I can see something here…or maybe I just want to 😉
Am I being very skeptical or even racist (very sorry if that’s the case) to believe that the only reason she added Serena to her squad cause she’s black and there were criticism over the fact Taylor only surround herself with people who look like her? Cause she is the star of her squad and Serena is also a huge star, someone who could top her and Taylor isn’t interested in being topped by anyone.
I’m black and I agree, I posted pretty much the same below.
Please. You don’t add Serena to your squad. Serena adds you.
she also friend with us aduba so she has 2 black friends
WHAT. TWO black friends?!?!? Damn. Girl is inclusive!!! /sarcasm
Not all Taylor’s friends look like her. Everyone in the world wants friends they fit in with, that they have things in common with. Trying to make this a bad thing is wrong. Why is Taylor the only one singled out. You think other stars, don’t have friends similar to them.
Taylor has many black friends. Trying to make her look racist just so wrong. If you really knew anything about her, you would see how wrong you are.
Taylor is pretty much the biggest star in the world, she doesn’t care how big a star anyone is. Just being seen with Taylor usually is good PR for that person, making their star rise. If Taylor likes someone, she might invite them out. This isn’t the first time Serena has hung out with Taylor, and I’m sure not the last.
I don’t think Taylor’s racist but she can be very problematic, blind, and insensitive when it comes to issues of race. There was the Nikki Minaj mess. She’s not afraid to revel in the scary black man/fragile white woman victim narrative for her own PR benefit. I thought she was really insensitive and problematic when she arranged for Serayah to appear in a PR face-saving See-I’m-not-racist-I-have-a-black-friend picture with Camilla from 5th Harmony the day after all of Camilla’s social media accounts were hacked and it came out that she was openly calling her women of color bandmates the n-word and laughing about it.
Taylor? Is that you?
Or maybe , just maybe… Taylor likes Serena and Serena likes her. Wow, I know what crazy a concept. Maybe regardless of what we have read in the gossip blogs Taylor is a actually a nice person and people like to be around her. All of this has really made me reevaluate Taylor because a lot of this h@te is nonsense. And trying to claim someone is racist and now adding black friends to be cool and cover their tracks is insulting and ridiculous. It really is.
Oh my god someone isn’t racist just because they’re blonde
there can always be only one black squad member.
hahaha, you’re right. tokenism!
Serena is beautiful… I want legs like hers!
I feel like Serena is doing this for her own ego. Remember she thinks of herself as being cool.
I don’t get what this would do for Serena’s ego though. Hanging with Taylor Swift isn’t the equivalent of winning Wimbledon for someone in her line of work.
If I remember well Serena also walked the runway with the squad at a show of Taylor during Wimbledon. I’m sure that they enjoy each other and that they are friendly. Still, nothing Taylor does is genuine to me. The paps at the dinner are maybe the result of Taylor’s PR reading about the backlash against the racist framing of Taylor as the blonde victima and Kanye as O.J.
It’s like when the squad was criticized for being made of only white blonde model and then Uzo magically appeared.
Serena Williams would NOT allow herself to be used as an accessory. She is the greatest woman’s tennis pro of all time. Agree with above commenter, I think some (not all) of these squad members are more into using Taylor, than allowing her to use them, as stated above many are well more impressive than Taylor, and I am a TS fan. Not saying Setena is doing that here, just that I bet some do. She gets attention, end of story. Serena and Taylor and freaking holding hands, thinking TS may actually be a fun person!
Serena wouldn’t view it as her being an accessory but vice versa. Plus Serena is the type to brag and see herself as holier than thou.
I’m really sad that Zoe Kravitz and Serena Williams are hanging out with Taylor. Like, you go from being on stage with Beyoncé last week to going to drinks with tay tay? And also, Taylor hanging out with her “squad” wouldn’t annoy me as much if she didn’t call the damn paparazzi every single time. I’m sick of these thirsty celebs. You are not as interesting as you think you are.
Disclaimer -I really like Taylor and her music –
I love her business insight and how “real” she is with her fans. I do not like how she handled her PR this year nor the fact she constantly plays the victim. There are whispers that she is dropping a “secret” album in a couple of weeks and all I can think of is the fact I wish she had stayed underground all this year to give us the chance to miss her and be pumped for this album.
I’m not even a fan of her music but I genuinely don’t get the hate for her. So, because she’s seen with people they’re “part of her squad” and she’s “collecting them”?
She doesn’t do anything harmful that I’ve seen, and I admire her for managing to be hugely successful without resorting the typical pop-star cheap tricks of trying to “shock” people or writhe around naked like it hasn’t been done a billion times.
agree.
Everyone does remember that Beyonce and Jay Z were at Taylor’s last birthday party, right? So it’s not that surprising that Zoe and Serena would deign to spend time with her.
outfit would have been killer with a nude/brown lip instead of the red. switch it up, tay!
I have similar colouring to Tay (pale blonde with grey eyes) and nude lipsticks/brown lipsticks completely wash us out. Red lips forever!
Thank you, red lipstick does not go with everything. Sheesh.
The orange top and red lips are clashing so hard.
I am really disappointed in Serena for hanging out with Swifty. I thought she was better than that.. but maybe every woman needs some female validation at some point?
I just see people who hang out with Swift as people who want to be seen to raise their profile and in this case Serena is lowering it.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz what a way to insult Serena and anyone who hangs out with Taylor Swift. All of her friends are successful people in their fields. Some outstandingly so. Give it a rest with the belittling!
ALL THIS BAD HAIR IN ONE PIC ( And Yes Today I’m Including Serena In it… This Leave out.. sis..)
OR these people along with Taylor Swift just like to hang out with one another. Just because you go out to dinner with someone doesn’t mean you’re automatically besties. Taylor and Serena have been friendly in the past. They’re in the same city so why not go out, have a few drinks and chit chat? As for Dakota Johnson….she’s been hanging around Cara and I’m assuming that’s why she’s there. Just because someone is spotted out with Taylor Swift doesn’t mean they’re a part of the “squad” or are best friends with Taylor/her group of friends. Also I’d like to add that let’s not forget Jay Z and Beyoncé were both at Taylor’s 25th birthday. I feel like everyone has suddenly had their brain removed and the only thing they remember Taylor for is the narrative that Kim and Kanye painted her to be. Could she have been a snake in that moment? Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean she’s a snake all the time. I don’t think Jay Z, Beyonce, Serena, Zoe Kravitz etc would be willing to hang out with her, if she acted the way people assumes she does. Just throwing it out there.
The only reason Beyoncé and Jay were at Taylor’s birthday party was because Tidal was just about to come out and Jay was trying to get her involved. I’m not saying they hate her, but they’re not going to be grabbing drinks with her anytime soon. Let’s not pretend they’re friends.
Who is pretending that their friends? My point remains that if they’re willing to be seen in public with her, then I highly doubt that she’s this snake that everyone on here makes her out to be. Business deal or not. Jay Z and Beyoncé are a brand. Taylor Swift is a brand. They associated their brand with her. Serena Williams is a brand….the greatest women’s tennis player ever and one of the greatest to ever play the game. She’s associating her brand with Taylor Swift. People on here act like these people need to be seen out with Taylor Swift. They don’t. Point blank. They’re out with her, because they want to be. Are there some of her “friends” that need to lift their profile…sure but if you ask me the majority of her friends or people she hangs out with are well established and respected in their fields. Whether it’s the models, other singers, actors/actresses. But them hanging out with her willingly doesn’t fit into the narrative of Taylor being a snake so everyone has their conspiracy theories.
Of course they’re going to associate with her, she’s probably the biggest pop star in the world. Jay and Beyoncé weren’t hanging out with her for personal reasons, he literally wanted her music, because of money. He could care less if she is “a snake” or not. This was when he was hustling the most for this site. I don’t know what her personality is like (I can guess), but I’m going to assume since they’re hanging out constantly in public. In front of the paparazzi (which they called). That all of them, Taylor included, wanted a little press. They’re all using each other. It doesn’t matter that Serena is one of the greatest athletes of all time. She gets more contracts and deals by being seen with popular stars, rather than not. You’re very naive if you think celebrities just hang out because they genuinely enjoy each other’s company. They might, but everyone needs the press to stay popular.
Like I said before…I’m not saying they’re friends. But all the people we’ve been talking about have a brand. Why would Serena Williams associate her brand with Taylor’s when according to everyone on here Taylor is a snake who can’t be trusted? Especially when Serena is supposedly good friends with Kim and Kanye. Taylor Swift isn’t the only pop star in the world. So the fact that Serena is willing to be seen out with Taylor after everything that’s happened is very telling to me and tells me that Taylor may not be the snake that everyone thinks she is.
I didn’t mention that they were friends. I’m saying regardless of actually being a snake or not, Taylor is still incredibly popular and powerful in the industry. Being seen with Taylor gives you headlines, like this, and gives Serena a bigger platform for a lot of things. Taylor gets benefits from hanging out with people like Serena too. Being a snake or not has nothing to do with hanging out.
So, she’s a snake and Jay-Z is an opportunistic user?
I’m probably being a butthead, but this exchange is making me laugh. I totally respect the fact that folks can’t stand Taylor Swift, but to go to the extent to claim that the absolute only reason anyone would hang out with her is for attention, that essentially no one could enjoy her company? Are we really going to say that she doesn’t have pleasant aquaintences who would at least enjoy getting a drink/dinner with her?
And lest we not forget, it’s not like Jay Z (or as Nas would say, Tae Bo Hoe) would have a ton of friends of his own were he not where he is professionally.
Isn’t Serena one of Kim K. Best friends? Correct me if I’m wrong.
Isn’t she Beyonce’s bff?
Can we please stop with the whole “Look Taylor decided to add a token black/minority person to her squad!” narrative? It bothers me for multiple reasons.
First — it’s just not true. It would be one thing if she’s only had white friends for years, and then she had randomly started hanging out with Serena. But that’s simply not the case. I’m not saying Taylor is “woke” by any means. She’s done some messy stuff regarding racial issues (e.g. the Shake it Off video; twitter “feud” with Nicki Minaj), but most of that seems to be from a point of blindness, not true racism. I’m not saying it’s not an issue — it definitely is. It’s the main concern with “white feminism.” But, IMO, she (nor the many others like her) are not lost causes. But the point is that Taylor has multiple POC friends for years. Selena Gomez and Gigi Hadid are probably her “closest,” but she’s been friendly with Serayah from Empire (as well as a friend of Serayah’s who Taylor has invited to her July 4th bash repeatedly), Uzo Adubo, and Zoe Kravitz.
Second — It’s not like she just met Serena. Serena walked in one of Taylor’s 1989 runways. They’re friendly. Why is it a big deal that two people who are either friends, or at least friendly acquaintances are having dinner together?
Third — And IMO the most insulting part of this narrative. It underestimates the WOC in Taylor’s “squad.” Why do we think that they would be friend with her if she was treating them like “token minority” friends? Sure, there’s an argument that someone who is young and trying to fit in, or someone who may not be as famous but wants the connections, may put up with it. But, Serena?!? Serena Williams does not need to be friends with Taylor. Are we really trying to say that Serena, SERENA WILLIAMS, would either a) not realize she’s a “token” friend or b) somehow not care? Really? Serena Williams who has been dealing with racism, in every form, for decades? Maybe I’m being too sensitive about this, but I just think it’s insulting to Serena to even suggest that she’s a “token” anything. It victimizes her and questions her agency.
Sorry for the rant, but this narrative regarding Taylor and her friends has been a pet peeve of mine for a while.
Thank you for finally saying it. As if POC would lower themselves to the point of being the token black friend in Taylor’s squad.
Also I think people forget that Selena and Gigi aren’t white. Gigi is half-Palestinian and makes it clear and Selena is Hispanic.
Could not agree with you more.
Word. Totally agree.
All of this!
*Claps*
Plus, Serena and Taylor have been friendly for a few years now. This is nothing new.
Well said.
I have mixed feeling on Swift’s squad. It’s nice that there are strong female friendships and they do things together and all, but it’s kind of weird that it’s only famous women now, it’s all so public (the ridiculous photoshoots for social media) and the use of the word squad (junior high).
I agree. At the age of 26 her social media post seem like she’s trying VERY hard to make it look like she’s having a great time and fun to hang out with, which is odd to do at her age, at least that’s my experience. I see lots of social media post of my nieces who are in college so even younger than Taylor, but their social media posts are much more mature.
They aren’t strong female friendships though. Some of the former squad members like Hailee and Zendaya have admitted they don’t really know Taylor that well, and other people have talked about being recruited without even meeting her. Even the people she’s meant to actually be really close with, she abandons when they’re having issues. Lena Dunham goes into bat for Swifty whenever she does something problematic, and Taylor’s happy to ride on her coattails when Lena’s doing well. As soon as she’s getting dragged though, Taylor’s nowhere to be seen. When Selena was having issues with her health and drugs, Taylor ditched her, and didn’t let her back in the ‘squad’ until she was doing well again. Karlie Kloss went from being attached to her hip to being nowhere to be seen once she got with Calvin. The HAIM girls and whaterhername from Fifth Harmony were in all her social media posts until she found more famous friends.
Not to mention, when she’s with a guy, the squad is almost non-existent.
I honestly dont see the big deal.
Having drinks, going to concerts etc and hanging out with other rich celebs is not weird to me. You dont have to be bffs to do that. Rich people tend to hang out with other rich people, same with celebs. Its easier because there is an understanding there. Both taylor and serena are millionaires, lets not forget that.
No Aziz! NO!
Still a TS fan…can she be petty and immature, sure. But she’s always maintained a good group of female friends, and they always look like they are having fun! Take the good with the bad, I’d toss back some drinks and dance with her 😉 PS love Serena’s legs and shoes – he skin looks so fantastic!!!
How does this squad thing work? Are contracts and NDAs signed?
I think Taylor’s best friends (part of the squad) and the people who consider Taylor a best friend are those who get birthday shout outs from her on Instagram. Like Selena, Gigi, Cara, Karlie Kloss, Abigail Anderson, Blake Lively, Martha Hunt etc and then everyone else are just people she’s friendly with and decides to go out and get a few drinks or have a good time with when they’re in the same city.
I would say karlie, abigail and selena for closest and real friendships.
The rest are not as close as you think.
You know Kim is seething that everyone is embracing Taylor again. Now I want her to hang out with Beyoncé and Jayz again
I don’t think there’s a need to dissect so much. She can be best friends, close friends or friends with anyone. She can go to popular hotspots if she wants. And she doesn’t have to evade cameras if she doesn’t want to. Immature? Yes. Harmless? Yes.
I need Taylor’s shoes!!!
She’s putting on some weight – is she having a Tiddlesbaby???
I was thinking the same thing!
Serena came out on stage during Taylor’s 1989 tour last year. She’s been a “friend” for a while.
Noooo, Serena, you’re better than this!!
They’re all celebrities and from what I’ve gathered, celebrities love few things more than hanging out and being seen with other celebrities. All of these wealthy celebs, mostly women, like Swift, Kate Hudson, Nicole Ritchie,Zoe Kravitz, Cara D, Gigi hadid, and Kardashians, all love to party and be photographed going out places. Rich people who aren’t famous Love to hang out and “be seen,” too. Apparently Serena is not immune to this either :-/
Nevermind the squad, she is hooking up with Cara Delevingne and she will out her…
Hmm…
@reg
Yep. You’re right on the money.
Sorry, this does not change my opinion of her. Just makes her look like she uses us as props after we’ve been complaining for how long that her squad was all-white?
Taylor’s entire life seems orchestrated by her PR team. Very strange and disingenuous.