Taylor Swift says red scarf in All Too Well is a metaphor

Taylor Swift says the red scarf in All Too Well is a “metaphor.”

The 32-year-old pop star released the track and its accompanying 10-minute short film towards the end of 2021 and sparked rumours that the “red scarf” she sings about was still in the possession of ex-boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal but has now admitted that the garment was simply a storytelling device, with the colour chosen after its parent album’s title.

Speaking on stage at the Toronto International Film Festival, she said: “Basically, the scarf is a metaphor and we turned it red because red is a very important colour in this album, which is called Red. And, I think when I say it’s a metaphor… I’m just going to stop!”

The Shake It Off hitmaker alleges in the lyrics that she left a scarf at the house of a sister to a man she was dating and fans believe that she is alluding to the Brokeback Mountain actor – whom she dated from October 2010 until January 2011 – and his sister Maggie.

On the track, Taylor sings: “I walked through the door with you, the air was cold. But something about it felt like home somehow. And I left my scarf there at your sister’s house. And you’ve still got it in your drawer even now.”

However, at the time, Maggie admitted that she “never understood” what the scarf was about and why she was repeatedly asked about it.

She said: “I never understood why everybody asked me about this scarf. I am in the dark about the scarf. It’s totally possible. I don’t know. I have been asked this before!”