Background and Release

“Style” was originally written by producer Ali Payami and guitarist Niklas Ljungfelt for themselves. The two finished the instrumental – a guitar-driven track inspired by what Ljungfelt called “funky electronic music” artists such as Daft Punk. Payami played the instrumental for Martin at the latter’s studio; Taylor became fond of the track after overhearing it and decided to record it for her album.

The song debuted as a snippet in a Target commercial for the album on October 22, 2014. On December 28, 2014, Scott Borchetta, CEO of Taylor’s former record label Big Machine held an impromptu Q&A via Twitter. When asked by a fan about 1989‘s upcoming single following “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space“, Borchetta responded that he was in favor of “Style”. On February 9, 2015, Republic Records, in partnership with Big Machine, serviced the track to US hot adult contemporary radio as the third single.

«I loved comparing these timeless visuals with a feeling that never goes out of style. It's basically one of those relationships that's always a bit off. The two people are trying to forget each other. So, it's like, 'All right, I heard you went off with her, and well, I've done that, too.' My previous albums have also been sort of like, 'I was right, you were wrong, you did this, it made me feel like this' – a righteous sense of right and wrong in a relationship. What happens when you grow up is you realize the rules in a relationship are very blurred and that it gets very complicated very quickly, and there's not a case of who was right or who was wrong.»

Taylor Swift

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Midnight
You come and pick me up
No headlights
A long drive
Could end in burning flames
Or paradise
Fade into view – oh
It’s been a while since I have even heard from you (Heard from you)

[Pre-chorus 1]
I should just tell you to leave ’cause I
Know exactly where it leads
But I watch us go ’round and ’round each time

[Chorus]
You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down
We come back every time
‘Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style
You got that long hair slicked back, white t-shirt
And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt
And when we go crashing down
We come back every time
‘Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style

[Verse 2]
So it goes
He can’t keep his wild eyes on the road
Takes me home
Lights are off, he’s taking off his coat (Mmm, yeah)
I say, “I heard – oh
You’ve been out and about, with some other girl” (Some other girl)

[Pre-chorus 2]
He says, “What you’ve heard is true, but I
Can’t stop thinking about you and I”
I said, “I’ve been there too a few times”

[Chorus]
‘Cause you got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down
We come back every time
‘Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style
You got that long hair slicked back, white t-shirt
And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt (A tight little skirt)
And when we go crashing down
We come back every time
‘Cause we never go out of style (We never go, we never go)
We never go out of style

[Bridge]
Take me home
Just take me home
Yeah, just take me home (Out of style)

[Chorus]
You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down (And when we go)
We come back every time
‘Cause we never go out of style
We never go out of style