Taylor Swift’s latest getaway with boyfriend Travis Kelce and their surprise guest is sparking even more questions about where she stands with her once-cherished girl squad. The couple recently spent some time skiing in Montana, alongside Erin Andrews. Given that Swift is dating an NFL star, it makes sense how Andrews, a veteran Fox Sports NFL reporter, has become tight with the couple. But to truly understand why the fact that Swift is cozying up to Andrews is something of a pattern, we have to rewind to the 1989 era, when “Taylor’s Girl Squad” dominated headlines.
Back in 2015, Swift debuted her 1989 World Tour, and with it, her star-studded girl squad. Members included A-listers like Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Cara Delevingne, and even Kendall Jenner (briefly). From Instagram-worthy Fourth of July parties at her Rhode Island mansion to stacked public appearances, Swift’s squad was celebrated as a powerful, glamorous clique of women supporting each other. It was “friendship goals” on steroids.
But the girl squad wasn’t without its critics. Fans loved the idea of women uplifting women, but a closer look revealed cracks. The exclusivity of the group didn’t sit well with everyone — or how all the women in her squad were thin, affluent, white women. Was it all just a PR move? Some even questioned whether every member truly liked each other. Critics aside, the squad remained a spectacle until it started to fade.
Fast forward to today, and those tight bonds seem like a distant memory. Her once-close relationship with Kloss fizzled out after Kloss was photographed hanging out with Kim Kardashian in 2016. (Yes, the Kim Kardashian of infamous “Taylor is over party” fame). Gomez and Swift appear to still be in good graces, yet the super-public squad gatherings have been replaced with more private, selective get-togethers — like when one of her besties, Blake Lively, was going through it during the It Ends With Us promotional tour last August.
Cue Erin Andrews. The NFL reporter seems like an unlikely addition to Swift’s inner circle, but her recent Montana trip with Swift and Kelce suggests she’s earned her spot on Swift’s exclusive friend roster. It’s not hard to see why; she has been a vocal cheerleader for the pop star for years. Not to mention, Andrews has been tight with Kelce, even joking that she and co-host Charissa Thompson deserve credit for getting the NFL star and Grammy winner together. “[Kelce] was very sweet and commented and was like, ‘I owe you guys big time,’” Andrews quipped on Jimmy Fallon last year, taking full pride in her matchmaking success.
Andrews’s spot in Swift’s inner circle comes as the singer continues to distance herself from some longtime friends, like Lively amid her legal feud with Justin Baldoni. Critics see this as part of a pattern in Swift’s friendships — namely that they tend to fizzle once said friend lands in hot water that could clash with Swift’s brand — but others might call it “choosing battles.”
The Montana ski trip with Andrews feels like another calculated shift in Swift’s social strategy. At 35, Swift’s honed the art of curating friendships that sync with her image. Andrews fits the bill now, but given Swift’s track record of high-profile friendships fizzling when they don’t serve her narrative, it’s hard not to wonder how long this one will last.
Before you go, click to see all of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s cutest PDA moments.
