okay so i’m very new to the tily stuff and it’s a bit overwhelming. do you have a post or would you be willing to make a post compiling the most compelling evidence?
SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION TO THE MOST COMPELLING EVIDENCE OF TAYLOR/LILY
I would read the Tily Masterpost with Further Context series, if you have not already done so. It’s pinned at the top and can be found here.
As far as most compelling evidence, this is going to be long-winded because with a same-sex relationship and Taylor Swift in the same sentence, we have no definitive photographic “proof” like her straight relationships (whether you believe them or not) nor what her PR wants to show us (Kaylor, whether you believe it was a relationship, friendship or something in between). I would consider these things all part of the picture:
* While Tily knew each other as acquaintances or casual friends from 2013, things publicly started to heat up in the Autumn of 2016 (with a lead up happening from Spring/Summer 2016). I think Tily had some sort of connection since the night of the Fund Fair in February 2015 (Taylor followed Lily on Twitter and subsequently invited her to walk the stage at the 1989 tour stop in Chicago). I don’t think the Tily Autumn of 2016 came out of nowhere, rather it most likely had been building up and moved to the forefront when Cara moved into the Cornelia Street townhouse in September 2016 because that brought Lily around a lot and, as other anons have mentioned, Lily made the conscious decision to spend a lot of time with Taylor (apart from Cara) starting this autumn.
* Lily’s snake necklaces and jewelry. Lily started wearing very expensive Bvlgari snake necklaces and jewelry starting in December 2016 when she was on the red carpet or photographed for fashion shows and public events for the following 3-4 months. Snakes had been associated with Taylor since her “canceling” in the summer and would become a big part of Taylor’s Reputation era promo in 2017/2018. Most probably the snake jewelry was either bought by Lily herself to show support for Taylor and have a personal connection with her at public events or bought by Taylor as a gift for Lily. No one else would have any reason to deck Lily out in expensive snake jewelry for 3-4 months. The jewelry wasn’t given to her as a gift by Bvlgari or as part of a modeling deal. Taylor used the “Burton to This Taylor” motif throughout the Rep era, Burton being a Brit and Elizabeth Taylor being the American star. The couple was known for giving each other expensive Bvlgari snake jewelry. By Lover era, the two snakes mate and turn into butterflies in “You Need to Calm Down” promo.
* Given that it seems like Lily knows the song “Gorgeous” is about her (Taylor did three posts about the song and Lily liked them all, without liking Taylor’s posts about other songs) and the lyrics seem to match her (speaks with an accent, ocean blue eyes, the time stamp reference to dating Calvin, “you’re so cool,” gorgeous, etc.) coupled with the “Hollywood” reference in the song (“Sunset & Vine”), I think there’s a good chance the song is about the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in February 2016, the epitome of a “Hollywood” party, that both Taylor and Lily attended. Joe and Karlie did not attend this party. The official lyric video for the song is in black and white, with only the word “Gorgeous” written in pink. Pink was also the color used in other promo for the song. To me this can show the subject of the song is female. Taylor and Lily’s connection from February 2016 may have laid the groundwork for Lily wanting to get closer to Taylor after Taylor was “canceled” that summer. The Tily situation/relationship/getting closer seemed to be in place by the Bowery nights out in October 2016.
* Taylor wrote two breakup albums (Folklore and Evermore) and really three if you consider that Lover also has breakup songs on it. The “Cornelia Street” song especially seems to be about the Tily relationship given the timing of when Taylor was renting the Cornelia Street townhouse in 2016-early 2017. Considering that Taylor has always written personal songs or at least must relate somewhat to the “fictional” songs she writes, she most likely went through a breakup at some point in 2019 or thereabout. Taylor has not broken up with Joe and Karlie has been with Josh (regardless of whether you believe Kaylor happened at some point in time), so the breakup and heartbreak songs which are very evident on Lover/Folklore/Evermore most likely stem from the Tily breakup.
* Taylor has released music on Lily’s birthday (January 27). Taylor released the “I Don’t Want to Live Forever” music video (shot in London) on Lily’s birthday in 2017, “The Man” single on Lily’s birthday in 2020 (with a specific Lily reference in the song regarding Leo and St. Tropez as well as bragging about getting “bitches and models”) and the “Forever is the Sweetest Con” chapter on Lily’s birthday/the day after in 2021. The Tokyo title card comes on at 1:27 in the “End Game” music video. Tokyo being a special city for Tily with Lily going to Tokyo when the music video was filmed. Also, in the “Renegade” song, the sirens start at 1:27.
* The Victoria’s Secret angel ring means something to Taylor. It first appeared in early November 2016 (VS gave out the rings at the end of October) and Taylor wore it throughout Thanksgiving weekend when she was with Lily. Taylor wore it consistently on special occasions (Christmas, Super Saturday Night concert, Cats wrap party, etc.) and in videos (“Delicate” vertical video, UPS commercial, DirectTV Now commercial, AT&T commercial, most every Making of a Song video for Rep, etc.) through December 2019. It most likely was a gift from Lily, a long time VS model who walked in the 2016 show where the ring was given out. The only other potential option is Taylor was given the ring from VS directly, which seems unlikely considering other past performers didn’t get one (neither did Lady Gaga who performed in 2016) and why would Taylor wear it so often if it was just a random gift from a company she was no longer involved with. Joe is not affiliated with VS in any way and Karlie by her own words ended her contract with VS in early 2015. She did not participate in the 2016 VS show. Even if the ring was from VS, for Taylor to wear it so often and for so many important occasions, it meant something special to her and likely reminded her of someone. Given the time period she wore the ring consistently, late 2016-mid 2018, the person is most likely Lily, the longtime VS model who was very present in Taylor’s life during that time.
* Tily ran away together to London at the end of 2016. This matches the “Call It What You Want” lyrics (“I remember late November holding my breath . . . you don’t have to save me but would you run away with me”). This matches Taylor’s Lover diary entry from January 2017 and places the start of the relationship squarely in October 2016, the Tily Autumn (“we’ve been together in secret for three months”). This running away together to London is also confirmed in the Reputation magazine which came out in November 2017 when the album was released. Joe already lived in London. He wouldn’t be “running away” to there. Karlie didn’t move to London. The only person who did was Lily, who was living in New York before relocating to London at the exact same time as Taylor in November/December 2016. Lily’s move back to London at that time is very well-documented and this is a strong piece of Tily evidence.
* “You left your mark on me, a golden tattoo” from “Dress,” which is a bookend for the song. Lily has the word “golden” tattooed on her wrist in Latin. Taylor and Lily also wore matching golden heart tattoos around their necks in October 2016, the beginning of Taylor’s relationship with her London lover per Taylor’s January 2017 Lover diary entry. Taylor’s golden tattoo can be seen in the Making of a Song video for “Delicate,” her birthday post for Lily, and was worn during one of the Bowery nights.
* The blue butterfly emoji/symbol - this is a Tily symbol for each other in social media posts as well as during Lover era promo. Lily used it to reference Taylor in social media posts and made it the title of her Instagram highlights featuring Taylor for several months in 2017/2018. Taylor used the symbol in several Lover era posts and in other Lover era promo (“You Need to Calm Down” tattoo, her shoes at the iHeartRadio Awards where “Delicate” won best music video, and promo in China).
* A friend of the @whatiwillsay podcast and blog who works in the industry said that someone who worked on Rep tour confirmed that Taylor had a blonde British model girlfriend on Rep tour. Lily also flew to Tokyo to be there for the end of the tour.
* The Burberry Shearling jacket aesthetic. Both Tily girls started wearing the jacket in late 2016/early 2017. Taylor gives a nod to the jacket and the angel ring in the “Delicate” vertical video released in 2018. Taylor also wore a diamond eye ring consistently in 2017/2018 that she often paired with the Victoria’s Secret angel ring (see the “Delicate” vertical video, Abigail’s wedding, making of “Getaway Car” video, etc.). Lily wore the same or similar ring in 2016/2017. While some people might say clothes or jewelry should not be used as “proof” of anything, if Taylor and her team can heavily promote the “J” necklace as symbolizing Joe and his relationship with Taylor, we gaylors should be allowed to use other jewelry as proof too, especially when the gaylor jewelry noticeably is in the same music videos, commercials, and other promo as the “J” necklace.
* Could Tily have happened in 2016 - 2018/2019 while Taylor has publicly stated she was dating Joe during this time period? Whether you believe in Taylor/Joe or not, the answer is yes Tily could have happened. If you believe in Taylor/Joe, they could have had an open relationship or not been that serious. If you don’t believe in Taylor/Joe, Joe could have been/could be Taylor’s beard (he wouldn’t be the first) and she had every reason to stop media speculation about who she is dating, hide the Tily (and possibly other wlw) relationship, and give the public her “fairytale ending” of meeting Mr. Right.
* Could Tily have happened considering Kaylor? Regardless of whether you believe in Kaylor, the answer is yes Tily could have happened. If you believe in Kaylor, the Tily timeline does not interfere with the realistic Kaylor timeline. Kaylor would have been over by the autumn of 2016 when Tily started to get going in earnest.
