For this entry I will be analyzing the “Style” music video by Taylor Swift. This video features Taylor Swift and a man. It is widely decided that this man is meant to represent Harry Styles, but I would argue the man and Taylor represent the two sides of herself: what everyone else sees and how she sees herself. This is how I am going to be analyzing this video.
Masculine stereotypes: Throughout the video a dark color scheme is maintained with some brief moments of light. The man throughout this video is dressed in ways to show off his muscular body. There are also times when Taylor and the man are seen doing the same things (facial expression, movements, positioning).
Feminine stereotypes: Taylor is seen wearing dresses, tank tops, or clothing more revealing than what the man is wearing. She often is seen holding her arms over her front in a way that makes her take up as little space as possible. This could in part be due to society stereotypically wanting women to take up as little space as possible. She also demonstrates licensed withdrawal and feminine touch throughout the entire video. whether she is looking over her shoulder or just not looking at the camera she is rarely singing to the camera. She also spends a great deal of time touching her own body. There are disembodied projections of either Taylor or the man on the others body throughout the second half of the video. When this happens only one of them can see while the other is able to talk and vice versa. This silencing and blinding is not something you would expect to be happening to the man in the video, while being silenced by a man would be something you would expect to be happening to a woman.
Gaze theory: While this video did contain aspects of gaze theory, some sexualization, I don’t think it would necessary reach the extremes that is typically expected for gaze theory to apply.
Shared by: Margaret Shiverick
Image Credit: https://www.bustle.com/articles/64180-taylor-swifts-style-music-video-is-her-sexiest-most-mature-work-yet-because-she-is