Muted style choices can be strategic relatability rather than absence of taste.

Evidence

Swift’s muted sartorial choices were part of her broader business strategy: “She isn’t entirely comfortable with high fashion, and maybe that’s something she shares with her young fans and why they instinctively relate to her.” — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 635

Categorization

• XREF: Challenges the ‘blankness’ thesis — Swift’s averageness is itself a deliberate signal, so blankness may be performative.