Inspired by Poetry: TTPD-Inspired Nails

Happy mani-Monday! So, have you also been listening to Taylor Swift’s latest album (correction: double album) “The Tortured Poets Department,” otherwise known as TTPD? It’s been on a constant loop since I woke Friday morning.

Per usual, I have my favorite songs that I overplay wayyy more than others, so for today’s mani-Monday post, I am drawing all inspiration from my favorite TTPD songs (so far!).

The album — an absolute poetic masterpiece — weaves stories of love, loss, and introspection. Today I’ve picked nail colors to mirror these deep, poetic themes–nail colors that are as emotionally charged as the TTPD lyrics themselves!

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Guilty as Sin?

Taylor Swift’s ‘Guilty as Sin?’—it’s beyond stuck in my head. It’s currently my favorite song from the new album (thus it’s first on the list!). It’s not just insanely catchy—it’s packed with deep themes like forbidden desires, inner battles, and dreamy fantasies.

The lyrics really dive into complex feelings that are so intense but never actually said out loud. A feeling I think we can all relate to at one point in our lives.

Dark purple nails would be perfect to represent this song—it captures the richness and mystery of those secret desires and the kind of wistful longing that comes with them.

This song is a beautiful exploration of desire and guilt, blurring the lines between what we think and what we actually do.

There’s no such thing as bad thoughts
Only your actions talk

Without ever touching his skin
How can I be guilty as sin?

‘Guilty as Sin?’ Taylor Swift

Fortnight

“Fortnight” by Taylor Swift is overflowing with emotional intensity and has some seriously deep, dark undertones. The music video is perfection — Taylor and Post: the unknowing duo we didn’t know we would fall hard in love with.

The song dives into a passionate yet tumultuous relationship that makes it clear we’re dealing with some heavy feelings. That’s why I think a deep burgundy would be the perfect pick for this song. It’s a color that represents deep passion and those all-consuming emotions that occur in a deep love affair. It’s a rich and dramatic shade that matches the fervent (albeit toxic) love depicted.

I love you, it’s ruining my life

‘Fortnight’ Taylor Swift ft. Post MAlone

Down Bad

Emotional turmoil, cosmic imagery, and ultimately, deep despair– the song “Down Bad” by Taylor Swift certainly paints a vivid and devastating picture. You aren’t sure whether to cry or dance (or both) while listening.

Blue is perfect for this song, but more specifically a sparking midnight blue.

I see this color in both the vastness of the cosmos depicted and the depth of her emotional lows. The sparkling element of midnight blue mirrors the celestial imagery in the lyrics, like being ‘beamed up in a cloud of sparkling dust’. Meanwhile, the dark tone of the blue captures the deep sorrow expressed in lines like ‘I might just die, it would make no difference.’

The Tortured Poets Department

With sarcasm, emotional complexity, and a sort of gritty, raw introspection, the song “The Tortured Poets Department,” showcases a complicated and chaotic relationship.

Smoky Gray is the ideal nail color to represent this track—it perfectly captures the dark, unclear emotions and the raw realism of the relationships portrayed. Not to mention there is literal smoke mentioned, and I can’t help but think the typewriter he left had to be constantly engulfed in smoke.

You told Lucy you’d kill yourself if I ever leave

And I had said that to Jack about you so I felt seen

‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Taylor Swift

But Daddy I Love Him

Taylor Swift’s ‘But Daddy I Love Him’ is an electrifying rollercoaster of rebellion, love defiance, and the sheer thrill of young love. Yellow keeps coming to mind, especially as she sings ‘Now I’m running with my dress unbuttoned.’ I always picture Taylor running in a sunlit field.

I think yellow is the perfect color to capture the essence of this song. It’s all about sunny passion, fearless defiance (Fearless, the album we all associate with a golden yellow), and that bold, unapologetic love we all crave. There’s a vibrant and energetic vibe, perfectly highlighting the unruly yet joyful undertones of the entire love affair.

Now I’m running with my dress unbuttoned
Screaming “But Daddy I love him!”
I’m having his baby
No, I’m not, but you should see your faces

“But Daddy I love him’ Taylor Swift

So Long, London

We all saw this song title and cried a little, right? Under the backdrop of London’s iconic misty and rainy atmosphere lies what we all (unfortunately) assumed it would be: heartbreak, departure, and a farewell to a city that holds such deep personal significance to Taylor.

A blue-grey matte really nails the whole vibe of the song. It’s not just the somber mood and the deep sorrow of saying goodbye, but also that uneasy farewell feeling. This color is perfect—it combines the sadness (blue) with the iconic overcast, gloomy (grey) skies of London. It’s like the color was made for the emotional and physical atmosphere of the song.

I saw in my mind fairy lights through the mist
I kept calm and carried the weight of the rift

‘So Long, Lodon’ Taylor Swift

Peter

Connecting ‘Peter’ to ‘Cardigan’ was absolutely heartbreaking– though exhilarating to put all those “folklore songs are just fictional” ideas to rest. ‘Peter’ represents an enduring innocence and immaturity of never growing up. “Peter losing Wendy.”

Peter is the very essence of being ‘green’ in terms of naivety and youthfulness. He thinks he can grow up and return to his love, painting an image of a soft green to embody vitality and growth — often seen for Spring. However, in this context, it also highlights a certain lack of maturation or progression, ultimately fitting the narrative of Peter’s character perfectly.

And you said you’d come and get me, but you were twenty-five
And the shelf life of those fantasies has expired

‘Peter’ Taylor Swift

So High School

Teenage romance filled with playful exchanges is the epitome of ‘So High School.’ For me, these themes align perfectly with the fun and flirtatious connotations of the color bubblegum pink. This color reflects the innocent and sweet nature of high school crushes yet remains vivid enough to express the vibrant energy and nostalgia of the song.

Is it just me or do those opening guitar strings literally pull at your heartstrings? It uncovers a nostalgia in me that I feel throughout.

The recurring mention of “Cheeks pink in the twinkling lights” simply reinforces that bubblegum pink is not only suitable but also directly tied to the song’s imagery, making it an ideal choice to symbolize the song’s mood and narrative.

Plus (I might be a bit biased) bubblegum pink was always my go-to color all through high school!

Been a sweet 16 suddenly

I’m watching American Pie with you on a Saturday night
Your friends are around, so be quiet
I’m trying to stifle my sighs

‘So High School’ Taylor Swift

That’s all for now — more to come as my favorites change on a daily basis!