The One Where Taylor Swift Morphs into Rachel Green! How the songstress is channelling Jennifer Aniston in her wardrobe, work and friendships (and the pair even share an ex-boyfriend)
- Fans went wild this week when the singer stepped out in Friends-inspired outfit
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They may be two of the most famous women on planet – but Taylor Swift and Jennifer Aniston have more in common than just being at the very top of their professional games.
Earlier this week, the songstress, 33, was pictured leaving a New York restaurant with some of her best girlfriends – including model Gigi Hadid, actress Sophie Turner and singer Selena Gomez.
In her chic black top, gingham mini skirt and thigh-high boots, eagle-eyed fans couldn’t help but notice that Taylor’s outfit was nearly identical to the one worn by Rachel Green in the final episode of Friends back in 2004.
‘This was so Rachel inspired,’ one gushed on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Referencing the Taylor Swift song ‘Ivy’, another added: ‘Coming back stronger than a 90s trend!’
Taylor Swift, 33, pictured on the streets of New York with actress Sophie Turner, 27, earlier this week
Jennifer Aniston pictured playing Rachel Green in one of the final episodes of Friends, which aired in 2004
‘Taylor Swift IS Rachel Green,’ a third asserted.
But fashion isn’t the only thing the two stars have in common – with there being a surprising amount of overlap in their personal and professional lives too.
Here FEMAIL reveals the similarities between Taylor and Jennifer – from famous exes to working relationships.
Mutual ex-boyfriend
Three years after her divorce from Brad Pitt was finalised, Jennifer Aniston began dating singer-songwriter John Mayer.
The couple – who had a nine-year age difference – reportedly met at an Oscars party in February 2008.
Speaking to Vogue later that year, the Friends actress said she ‘barely knew his music’ when they first crossed paths.
She added: ‘And then we ran into each other a week later, and that was that.’
Pictured: John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston seen leaving a New York restaurant together in 2008
Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer pictured on the red carpet for the 2009 Vanity Fair Oscars Party
That summer, the actress flew to the UK to join him on the Europe leg of his Continuum World Tour.
However, the pair – who were on-and-off for a year – split in August, with John telling paparazzi that he was the ‘a******’ in the situation.
Discussing his relationship with Jennifer outside his New York gym, the singer said: ‘I burned the American flag. I basically murdered an ideal.’
Sharing her side of the story with Vogue, Jennifer said: ‘He had to put that out there that he broke up with me.
‘And especially because it’s me. It’s not just some girl he’s dating. I get it. We’re human.’
That said, the star then went on to describe John as a ‘wonderful guy’ and said she still ‘deeply deeply cared about him’.
The pair later rekindled their romance for the 2009 Oscars before then splitting again the following month.
John later told Rolling Stone that he ‘never really [got] over it’ and deemed the aftermath ‘one of the worst times in [his] life’.
John Mayer and Taylor Swift seen attending the launch of VEVO in December 2009 after collaborating on the song ‘Half of my Heart’
Musicians John Mayer and Taylor Swift seen performing at the Jingle Ball in New York in December 2009
Following his split from Jennifer, John Mayer collaborated with Taylor Swift, then 19, on the song ‘Half of my Heart’ – which featured on his 2009 album Battle Studies.
During this period, Taylor – whose star was rising after the 2008 release of Fearless – told Elle that she was ‘really excited’ to be working with John on the album.
She said: ‘I have been such a big fan of John for such a long time.’
During his appearance on The Ellen Show in 2009, John also said he was a ‘huge fan’ of Taylor’s and complimented her ‘really great voice’.
He gushed: ‘It turned out that she is one of the smartest, most talented people around right now and very humble.’
After Ellen said she hoped Taylor would remain as ‘genuine’ in future, John then quipped: ‘I’ll make sure she doesn’t.’
Although Taylor has never acknowledged if she had a romantic relationship with the singer, she did include a song called ‘Dear John’ in her 2010 album Speak now – which fans speculate is about the ‘Daughters’ singer.
‘Don’t you think I was too young to be messed with?’ Taylor sang in Dear John. ‘The girl in the dress, cried the whole way home – I should’ve known.’
She goes on: ‘Well, maybe it’s me and my blind optimism to blame – or maybe it’s you and your sick need to give love then take it away.’
Taylor blisteringly continues: ‘And you’ll add my name to your long list of traitors who don’t understand, and I’ll look back and regret how I ignored when they said: “Run as fast as you can”.’
Dear John, as well as referencing John’s name, also recalls her age (19) at the time of their romance, further adding to fans suspicions that that track is about her ex.
The track was also released in October 2010 – just eight months after their reported split.
Taylor Swift seen hugging John Mayer onstage at the 41st Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Ceremony in New York in June 2010
In 2012, John told Rolling Stone that he felt ‘really humiliated’ about the song, which ‘made’ him ‘feel terrible’.
He said to the outlet: ‘I’m pretty good at taking accountability now, and I never did anything to deserve that. It was a really lousy thing for her to do.’
In 2013, John Mayer released the song Paper Doll – which is widely believed to be a rebuttal to ‘Dear John’.
The track’s subject a girl who is ‘like 22 dolls in one’, which fans have speculated is in reference to Taylor’s hit single ’22’.
Close friends with Selena Gomez
Jennifer Aniston seen hugging Selena Gomez at the InStyle Awards in Beverly Hills in January 2015
Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez pose together at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in New Jersey
However, John Mayer isn’t the only person who has made an impression on both Taylor and Jennifer.
The actress and singer also count Selena Gomez among their close friends.
In February 2021, the Friends star shared a rare selfie of herself with Selena and their shared manager Aleen Keshishian.
‘Happy birthday @aleenkesishian. We love you,’ she captioned the picture, while also tagging Selena.
Selena and Jennifer gave their fans a glimpse into their friendship back in January 2020, when the Morning Show star filled in as the host of The Ellen DeGeneres Show while Selena was a guest.
Jennifer gushed about her younger friend during a portion of the interview.
It was fate: Selena revealed that she first met Jennifer in a bathroom at a Vanity Fair event. ‘You were just like so nice,’ she gushed; still from The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Jennifer Aniston, 54, confirmed her friendship with Selena Gomez, 31, on when she shared a never-before-seen selfie of the two on Instagram
‘You’ve always been so sweet,’ she said. ‘You really are a genuine [Friends] fan. It’s amazing. We’ve known each other for years. You’ve been to my house. We’ve had pizza. Girl after my own heart, do we love a pizza or what? We love a pizza.’
‘Yes, we do,’ Selena chimed in.
The duo explained on television that they first got acquainted during a bathroom run-in at a Vanity Fair event.
The actress later had a more official introduction via their manager Keshishian.
In 2015, Jennifer raved about her friend to E! News at the premiere of her film Cake, which Selena had helped promote.
Singers Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Katy Perry at the 2011 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre
Taylor Swift (R) and Selena Gomez perform onstage during the 1989 World Tour Live in August 2015
‘She’s just like a little cherub that I feel like I wanna take care of. And we’ve just met through our manager. She’s been extremely supportive and wonderful,’ she gushed.
Meanwhile, Taylor and Selena first became friends in 2008, while they were both dating Jonas Brothers: Taylor dated Joe, while Selena was with Nick.
Selena previously remarked that her friendship with Swift was ‘the best thing we got out of those relationships’ during a KIIS FM UK interview in 2017.
It seems the two struck up a fast friendship as Selena told Seventeen magazine in 2009 that ‘every single problem [she] ever has is healable by Taylor Swift!’
She said at the time: ‘If I ever I have an issue, Taylor has gone through it, because she’s older than me, and she gives the most thought-out answers.
‘And what I love about Taylor is that she does believe in the whole love story and Prince Charming and soul mates. Because of her, I haven’t lost faith. We literally talk every day.’
Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift arrives at the The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center in February 2016
Taylor Swift seen with an arm around Selena Gomez as they left a restaurant in New York City this week
In 2013, Taylor marked Selena’s 21st birthday with a gushing Instagram post – where she labelled the Wizards of Waverley Place actress the ‘closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister’.
Two years later, the singer also invited Selena to join her on stage at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles for her 1989 concert.
In 2020, Selena told WSJ. magazine that she wasn’t sure if she could ever forgive someone who hurt her close friend.
She gushed: ‘She has showed up for me in ways that I would have never expected. Flown in because I was hurt and was going through something. Stuff that was going on with my family.
‘It’s been proven year after year and in every moment of my life that she is one of my best friends in the world. We don’t agree on everything, but we respect each other with everything.’
Last year, Selena famously referred to Taylor as her ‘only friend in the industry’ during her appl TV+ documentary My Mind and Me.
She explained: ”I never fit in with a cool group of girls that were celebrities.
‘My only friend in the industry really is Taylor [Swift], so I remember feeling like I didn’t belong.’
Rachel Green-inspired Style
Left: Jennifer Aniston in season one of Friends. Right: Taylor Swift arrives at LAX airport in 2015
Left: Jennifer Aniston promoting Friends in the mid-1990s. Right: Taylor Swift in New York City in June 2022
Left: Jennifer Aniston pictured filming Friends in 1994. Right: Taylor Swift dresses in gingham in 2014
This week’s New York outing wasn’t the first time Taylor Swift seems to have turned to Jennifer Aniston’s Friends wardrobe for inspiration.
In August 2014, the star – who was months away from releasing 1989 – was pictured walking around Manhattan wearing a black-and-white gingham mini dress similar to one worn by Rachel in ‘The One with the Thumb’.
The following year, Taylor looked to Jennifer for wardrobe inspiration again when she was seen wearing a plaid mini skirt and jumper combo – just like the ensemble Jennifer wore in season one of Friends.
In June 2022, Taylor evoked Jennifer’s 90s style again while stepping out in the Big Apple in a navy pinstripe waistcoat and trousers – which was a modern take on one of Rachel Green’s most famous season two outfits.
Taking control of careers
Jennifer Aniston seen promoting The Morning Show, the hugely successful series she executive produces for Apple TV+
Pictured: the cover art for Taylor Swift’s recording of her 2014 album 1989, which was released last month
Jennifer Aniston may have been catapulted to fame in Friends – but she has since blazed her own path in Hollywood.
The actress – who is estimated to have an net worth of $320m – took the reigns over her career in 2019 when she signed onto The Morning Show as an executive producer.
Speaking to Forbes about her role in August, Jennifer explained: ‘I think being able to get behind the curtain and behind the scenes of development, whether it’s film and television and producing.
‘It’s been so satisfying and I love it so much and I miss it so much. Being able to branch out into this entrepreneurship has been very exciting and keeps your mind going and keeps you excited and all the possibilities that are out there.’
Similarly, Taylor Swift has taken a more hands-on approach to her career in recent years by re-recording her earlier albums.
In 2019, it was revealed that Scooter Braun had purchased Taylor’s original label Big Machine Label Group from then-owner Scott Borchetta, 60, for a $330 million sum – thus owning her music and meaning she hardly profits from her own tracks.
Massive: Taylor Swift has finally re-released her 2014 hit album 1989 (Taylor’s Version) which has led to Apple Music users experiencing widespread disruption
‘It’s been waiting for you’: To commemorate the major re-release, Taylor shared a series of promotional snaps of herself on the beach along with a handwritten note addressed to her loyal Swifties
To commemorate the major re-release of 1989 last month, Taylor shared a series of promotional snaps of herself on the beach along with a handwritten note addressed to loyal Swifties.
She penned: ‘I was born in 1989, reinvented for the first time in 2014, and a part of me was reclaimed in 2023 with the re-release of this album I love so dearly. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the magic you would sprinkle in my life for so long.’
The star, who is dating sportsman Travis Kelce, continued by reflecting on what the work has meant to she and her fan base since its initial release nearly a decade ago.
Taylor explained: ‘This moment is a reflection of the woods we’ve wandered through and all this love between us still glowing in the darkest dark. I present to you, with gratitude and wild wonder, my version of 1989. It’s been waiting for you. Taylor.’
Rumoured words of wisdom
Pictured: Taylor Swift seen with actor Jake Gyllenhaal in Brooklyn, New York in November 2010
Left: Taylor Swift at the American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity opening in New York in 2010. Right: Jennifer Aniston attends photocall at the launch of her debut fragrance in 2010
In November 2021, Taylor Swift released the 10 minute version of her 2012 song All Too Well – which fans have long speculated to be about actor Jake Gyllenhaal.
In the extended cut, the singer references an ‘actress’ who comforted her in the midst of the break-up.
The lyrics read: ‘Not weeping in a party bathroom / Some actress asking me what happened, you / That’s what happened, you.’
Following the release of the song, fans went wild thinking that Jennifer Aniston was the one who offered Taylor some wise words – referencing a Daily News article from January 2011.
The original article read: ‘The notoriously unlucky-in-love Aniston, 41, approached Swift, 21, inside the Nokia Theatre to tell her to “hang in there” in the face of relentless press about her love life.
“We hear the two had previously met, but Aniston “wanted Taylor to know everything will be okay.”‘
The source then claimed Jennifer told Taylor to ‘go out there and have fun’.
However, A-List jeweller Jennifer Meyer later claimed that Aniston was not the actress referenced in the song – but didn’t deny if the exchange at the Nokia Theatre happened.
Although Taylor has never confirmed that the song is about the Donnie Darko star, she delved into her tortured mental state when she wrote it during a Tonight Show appearance in 2021.
‘I showed up for rehearsals and I just was really upset, and sad, and everybody could tell, it was really, like, not fun to be around me that day,’ Taylor explained to host Jimmy Fallon.
‘So I started playing guitar and just kind of playing the same four chords over and over again.
‘And I just started, kind of, the band sort of joined in, and I started ad-libbing what I was going through, and what I was feeling, and it went on, and the song kept building and building and building in intensity, and the song just went on for about, you know, 10 to 15 minutes of us doing this,’ she said.
The longer version includes lines suggesting that the couple split due to their age difference.
‘You said if we had been closer in age maybe it would have been fine / And that made me want to die,’ she sings.
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