Taylor Swift's music video for "Love Story" portrays her as the main character who is transported back in time to the 1800s. In the modern setting, she wears casual clothes and holds books in a school setting, but when she goes back in time she is dressed in an elegant dress and corset appropriate for the 1800s era. The video draws parallels between Swift's love story and Romeo and Juliet with the family preventing them from being together. Various symbols like a bronze necklace, white horse, and angel statue reflect the religious and romantic themes of the time period.

1. Taylor Swift- Love Story
In TaylorSwift’smusicvideoforLove Story,
Swiftacts as the maincharacter. Atthe start of
the videoshe issimplywearing‘casual’clothes,
and isin an educationsettingholdingbooks,
suggestingnormalityandrepresentationof a
modernteenof thisera ratherthan a past era.
However,whenthe videorevertsbackintime
intowhat appearstobe the 1800s. Swift’s
character’sbodylanguage iselegantreminiscentof thatof a princess,whichwouldfitintothe
narrative of the musicvideoandactual song.She isdressedina dresswithclearevidence of anold
fashionedcorsetunderneath relatingtothe
periodandera whichthe videoisset,as
womenof that time wouldhave wore thissort
of corset.The era whenthe videoset (1800s
style) reflects the songlyricsinhowitis a
‘RomeoandJuliet’love story,inwhichswift
referencesmultiple times. Swiftmatchesthe
conventionsof hergenre of pop,asshe isa
younggirl shown to be inlove and waitingona
boyand thenwhenhe comesto visither,she immediatelylightsup,thisisaverystereotypical
conventionof apop musicvideo,asmostpopsongs are about love.The male representationinthis
videoisalsovery stereotypical;he isayoungattractive male withbrownhairin a contemporary
hairstyle inbotherasof the video,showinghimtoconform
to societyinbothpiecesrelatinghimtobotheras
stereotypesof male.Inthe 1800s versionof the videohe is
wearingclothesthatwouldhave beenfashionable atthe
time andthe same forthe modernversioninhow he wears
jeansanda t shirt.
The narrative eventsinthe musicvideoconformtothe conventionsof popmusic,asthe videois
basedupona ‘Romeoand Juliet’lovestory where the familymembersare preventingthemof being
togetherasstatedin the song.In termsof iconographySwiftisfashioningabronze necklace,made
to lookantique torelate tothe era of the video.Her
hairstyle alsorelatesasitissimilar tothat of a 1800s
woman.The white horse usedinthe videopossibly
alludestohowthe boyis her‘knightandshining armour’
againgivingthe ideathatthe guyis verymuchinvolvedin
makingherhappy.Finallythe angel statue isreflective of
religion whichwasanimportantaspect inthistime alsoa
symbol of love in religion,asguardian angelsare seenas
comfortingandofferconnotationsof love.