Taylor Swift shows off VERY tiny waist in sexy black gown with silver skirt as she hits 2026 MTV VMAs red carpet without Travis Kelce... ahead of her big award
- Follow the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards LIVE - Get exclusive reporting, celebrity gossip, sensational photos and more every Tuesday morning in our new Spotlight US newsletter HERE - Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com Taylor Swift made her hotly anticipated arrival at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night - but her new husband Travis Kelce was nowhere to be found. Despite riding solo, the 36-year-old Grammy winner, who went on to receive a special, first-ever honor and Video Of The Year, confidently hit the red carpet in a sexy two-toned gown. Swift's dress consisted of a black sleeveless bodice with a mesh back to highlight her enviably trim waist and a sparkly silver skirt that hung off her hips. The already statuesque pop star added inches to her 5foot10 inch frame with sky-high heels decked out with rhinestones. Swift appeared to debut shorter, wispier bangs, which she styled with sleek shoulder-length strands. As for accessories, Swift wore dangly earrings, her wedding band and her $550,000 engagement ring from Kelce, whom she wed in July after nearly three years of dating. Fans notably chanted 'Mrs. Kelce' once Swift was spotted making her way to the red carpet following the likes of Charli XCX, Tyla and Lisa Rinna. Taylor Swift made her hotly anticipated arrival at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night - but her new husband Travis Kelce was nowhere to be found Despite riding solo, the 36-year-old Grammy winner - who is set to receive a special, first-ever honor - confidently hit the red carpet in a sexy two-toned gown While Swift was working her angles on the red carpet, her husband was spotted across the country with his NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami, Florida, where they played a football game against the Miami Dolphins earlier in the day. Swift's appearance at this year's VMAs came just days after the release of The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore, a surprise deluxe version of her 2025 album. The new record includes four new songs from Swift, including a love anthem to Kelce titled Cleveland - a nod to his Ohio hometown - that critics dubbed a 'dud' despite the sentimental lyrics. The other three tracks - Pink Clouding, Babylon and Patient Zero - also failed to impress the critics, as well as many of Swift's diehard fans. Currently The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore has an abysmal score of 39 on Metacritic, which means it has received 'generally unfavorable reviews.' Swift had announced the album just days before its release, telling fans that she wrote the songs 'out of pure gratitude' for her fans' exuberance for and celebration of' The Life Of A Showgirl, which was released on Kelce's birthday on October 3, 2025. 'About a year ago, you guys did a truly unfathomable thing. Something that completely blew my mind… You gave The Life of a Showgirl the biggest first week for an album in history,' she wrote of it success in a Tuesday Instagram post. 'I took a trip to Sweden to celebrate with Max and Shellback, my two collaborators on this album. Really we just wanted to reflect and take in how grateful we were for the moment we were in, but there was a studio there and we did what we do when we feel anything at all: We wrote more songs. 'I hope you love them, because they were born out of pure gratitude for your exuberance for and celebration of the album we made. The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore including four new songs is out on Friday and available to pre-order and save now,' concluded Swift, who has since made the Encore song Patient Zero her latest single. Swift's dress had a black sleeveless bodice with a mesh back to highlight her enviably trim waist The lower half of Swift's gown had a sparkly silver skirt that hung off her hips She showed off her VMAs look from all angles during her red carpet stint As for accessories, Swift wore dangly earrings, her wedding band and her $550,000 engagement ring from Kelce, whom she wed in July after nearly three years of dating The Life Of A Showgirl singer debuted shorter, wispier bangs, which she styled with sleek shoulder-length strands The already statuesque pop star's tall rhinestone heels were hidden beneath her gown's skirt Swift opted for a natural glam makeup look - drifting away from her signature red lip Fans notably chanted 'Mrs. Kelce' once Swift was spotted making her way to the red carpet following the likes of Charli XCX, Tyla and Lisa Rinna After the red carpet, Swift headed into the venue to party with her A-list pals While Swift was working her angles on the red carpet, her husband was spotted across the country with his NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami, Florida, where they played a football game against the Miami Dolphins earlier in the day The music video for the track premiered at Sunday night's VMAs after Swift accepted the inaugural Artist Director Honors. With the crowning achievement, Swift broke her tie with Beyonce, 44, as the most decorated artists of the VMAs, as they each came into Sunday's event with 30 gongs to their name. The MTV VMA Artist Director Honors celebrates a sustained and influential body of work from artists who have pushed creative boundaries and developed a clear directorial voice. Swift has utilized music videos as an extension of her songwriting as she has directed the visuals for her tracks: The Fate of Ophelia, Opalite, The Man, cardigan, willow, All Too Well: The Short Film, Anti-Hero, Bejeweled, Fortnight (feat. Post Malone), I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault), Karma (feat. Ice Spice) and Lavender Haze. 'I've gotten to be a part of making 60 music videos roughly,' Swift said of her 20-year career while accepting her gold Moonperson on Sunday night. She noted that she directed and wrote 18 out of the 60 music videos she's created, noting that she loves 'writing and directing music videos so much is because you the fans make it so much fun.' Swift directed and penned the script for the Patient Zero video, which stars her close pal Dakota Johnson and acclaimed actor Colin Farrell. Swift received the inaugural Artist Director Honors, which was presented to her by Dakota Johnson She also won the night's top prize - Video Of The Year - for her 2025 hit The Fate of Ophelia (pictured) 'I've gotten to be a part of making 60 music videos roughly,' Swift said of her 20-year career while accepting her gold Moonperson Swift's appearance at this year's VMAs came just days after the release of The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore, a surprise deluxe version of her 2025 album The music video features a slew of dramatic scenes, including countless hot and heavy moments between Johnson and Farrell, who play a couple in a rocky romance, as well as a forbidden kiss between Farrell and model Cara Delevingne, who plays his mistress. Along with her award for Artist Director Honors, Swift also took home the night's top prize - Video of the Year - beating out the likes of Madonna and Ariana Grande. She won the honor for her the Fate Of Ophelia video, which was released last year and featured on her latest full-length album The Life Of A Showgirl. Taking to the VMAs stage for a second time, Swift dedicated her win to the late Dolly Parton, who passed away in August at age 80 following a private cancer battle. 'I want to dedicate this award to one person, and without whom this wouldn't be happening, and that person is the ultimate showgirl Dolly Parton,' she told the crowd.