Taylor Swift Wears Jelly Sandals on New '1989 (Taylor’s Version)' Cover

Aug 15, 2023

The 'Style' singer wore the retro sandals on the Aquamarine Green Edition of her upcoming album

Kevin Winter/TAS23/Getty

Jelly shoes never go out of style — at least according to Taylor Swift.

For the Aquamarine Green Edition of 1989 (Taylor's Version), Swift, 33, decided to throw it back with a 2014 Tumblr-inspired staple: the jelly shoe.

On the alternative album cover, the “Love Story” singer smiles softly at the camera wearing her signature red lip, a striped crewneck sweatshirt, blue jeans — and a pair of pink jelly sandals.

The Midnights songstress’ choice to swap her go-to shoes — ballet flats and simple white sneakers — for the fisherman-style sandals seems far from intentional.

First popularized in the 1980s and ‘90s, the funky footwear are a fitting choice for the cover of an album named after the year that bridged the two decades.

The singer seems to be channeling her youth (the album is named after her birth year, after all) with the chunky, childhood-staple shoe — but some fans are asking her to leave them on the playground.

“Taylor i love u but the only acceptable time to wear jelly shoes is if ur 7 and under or 60+ years old😭,” one fan said on Twitter, and another urged her to “save the jelly shoes for the little 6 yr olds.”

The nostalgic sandals, which grace only a sliver of the new cover art, may be polarizing Swiftie circles, but they are also inspiring some of the singer’s fans to buy them.

“Never thought i’d see taylor swift wearing jelly sandals in an album cover,” one fan tweeted. “Im purchasing immediately!”

Another fan echoed this sentiment, writing: “Taylor Swift wore pink jelly sandals so I’m buying pink jelly sandals.”

Still others warned their fellow Swifties about the comfort — or, more accurately, lack thereof — that comes with wearing the retro kicks.

“A PSA from a 90s kid: JELLY SANDALS ARE A TERRIBLE IDEA,” a self-identified Swift enthusiast wrote on Twitter. “Do not get a pair thinking they’re going to be a fun lil tour outfit piece. Unless you like to slip and enjoy pain.”

The resurgence of the staple has been helped along by several stars, including Swift’s longtime friend Lorde, who has worn them during several recent performances, and “Snow on the Beach” collaborator Lana Del Rey, who wore a more modern jelly shoe — platform slides — to the singers’ friend Jack Antonoff’s wedding.

Scott Eisen/TAS23/Getty

And while the jellies may seem like a departure for Swift — who is known for her vintage-inspired, effortlessly chic style — they are actually a more youthful iteration of leather fisherman sandals, a summer staple for the pop star.

Celebrities like Hilary Duff and Mindy Kaling have also helped make the sandals an “it” summer shoe.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

1989 (Taylor's Version), which will feature five new vault tracks, is set to release on Oct. 27 — the same day the original album first hit shelves in 2014.

Swift announced its release as she wrapped the U.S. leg of her Eras Tour earlier this month in Los Angeles.

“There's something that I've been planning for a really, really, really ridiculously, embarrassingly long time, and instead of telling you about it, I think I'll just sort of show you," she told the audience, unveiling the cover art and release date for the record on the big screen.