Taylor Swift Put a Fresh Spin on ’60s Eyeliner at the 2026 VMAs

Few stars command an awards show quite like Taylor Swift, and the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards were no exception. The singer, who’s up for nine awards at the 43rd annual ceremony, hit the red carpet at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 27, wearing a fresh take on ’60s eyeliner, featuring her signature black wing and bright white liner underneath.

But look closer and you’ll see there’s a third layer, too: a soft, brownish wing just beneath the white liner that adds depth without going full smoky eye. The combination channels retro icon Twiggy, whose bold black liner and painted-on lower lashes defined the ’60s eye. White liner along the lower lash line was a go-to trick of the era for making eyes look bigger and brighter, and Swift’s version trades the drawn-on lashes for a subtler, more wearable finish.

As for the rest of her glam, she kept it simple yet elegant with a dewy complexion, a soft peachy-coral lip and a hint of rosy blush. Her hair looked natural, falling just below her shoulders with piecey full bangs and slightly tousled, honey-toned strands, which complemented her Tamara Ralph Fall/Winter 2026 Couture gown perfectly.

If Swift’s look seems familiar—and we mean more recently than the ’60s—you might be thinking of Sabrina Carpenter’s dimensional smoky eye at the 2025 Met Gala. Carpenter leaned harder into the retro vibe, but both looks follow the same formula: a deep, defined upper lash line, white liner on the waterline to open up the eyes and darker liner just below it for depth.