Taylor Swift frequently draws inspiration from other musical artists and actors from previous generations when it comes to her music, fashion, of course, her music videos. Swift’s tracklist for her upcoming project, The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD), set to be released on April 19, looks like it could be one of her most interesting projects yet, especially because of her song “Clara Bow.”
Clara Bow was a famous actress from the 1920s, who quickly became known as “The It Girl.” No like, literally, after starring in the 1927 film It, Bow was often referred to as “The It Girl,” following its release. Born in 1905 in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, Bow had a difficult upbringing. Her mother reportedly struggled with her mental health and was later institutionalized, but despite this, Bow persisted and pursued a career in film in her late teens.
Bow was often in the headlines for her personal life, romantic history, and her upbringing. Sound familiar? Swift is often coined as the “It Girl” for Gen Zers and beyond, so it’s no surprise that she’s taking inspiration from Bow in her upcoming project.
While Swift did not release the tracklist for TTPD until Feb. 5, it’s looking like she’s been hinting at her admiration for Clara Bow, or maybe a song about her, for over a year now. Fans on TikTok recently began speculating that there’s a Clara Bow easter egg in the “Bejeweled” music video, released on Oct. 25, 2022. And y’all, this makes so much sense.
Swift frequently hides easter eggs in her music videos, and the “Bejeweled” music video was one that included many of them (Swift said there were so many, she had to keep them in a file.)
However, one that fans didn’t notice, or pay much attention to, was the potential Clara Bow easter egg. Of course, TTPD was not on any Swiftie’s minds when the video was released, but it was surely on Taylor’s!
Around the 3:30 minute mark of the music video, Swift is seen dressed in 1920s fashion with another character who fans now think is supposed to be Clara Bow. During the bridge of the song, Swift and Bow (played by burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese) are seen sitting in cocktail glasses, holding massive olives for their dirty martinis. It was iconic, and very Gatsby-esque.
Now, it makes a lot more sense why a song on TTPD is about Bow, and it’s clear this has been in the works for a while.
If you’re really invested, you can take a look at somebody’s thesis about Swift and Bow, because it looks like the connection started way before “Bejeweled.” Some people think Swift has been referencing Bow since Reputation with her song “Gorgeous.” One user commented, “Clara Bow’s star on the Walk of Fame is located at 1500 Vine AKA the corner of Sunset and Vine,” which is a reference to the lyric “Whiskey on ice, Sunset and Vine,” from “Gorgeous.”
Swifties work hard, but Blondie works harder. If you need me, I’ll be looking for more easter eggs in the “Bejeweled” music video I must’ve missed.