drop everything, now. Taylor Swift, who is reported to have split from Joe Alwyn, was photographed in New York City on Thursday in an instantly recognizable formation to anyone familiar with her lore: She’s, once again, flanked by her squad.

Swift was spotted flaunting on the sidewalk alongside an enviable sample of her gorgeous and famous friends: the Haim sisters (Danielle, Estée, and Alana), model Gigi Hadid, and actress Blake Lively.

In other words, these are not just acquaintances. These are the confidants. This is the girl squad. No big deal, right? mistake.

Throughout the pandemic and the entirety of her very private six-year relationship with reclusive Alwyn, Swift can be counted on being photographed by the paparazzi maybe once a year. Usually masked or gloved, her pouting boyfriend is next to her, the two of them He wears matching Hunter boots or Casual hiking wear.

But in the two weeks since the news of her split from Alwyn, Swift has been hitting the town hard — always in style, always surrounded by fellow celebrities. And always, fittingly, in front of the paparazzi. First there were Dinner time with producer Jack Antonoff and his fiancée, Margaret Qualley; Then there it was Another outing with Lively and Ryan Reynolds; And now we have a mini fashion show down the sidewalk featuring six gorgeously dressed stars, with Swift leading in the middle.

Swift hasn’t been seen like this in public — single, camera-ready, surrounded by famous friends — since her pre-Alwyn heyday 1989 An era, an iconic yet divisive time. To her critics, Girl Squad Taylor may have been Swift’s pinnacle of letdown. Photos of the pop star accompanied by herds of tall models are almost inspired A million pieces of thought Discuss whether the band is feminist, anti-feminist, both, both, or all of the above.

For another beautiful illustration of this era, consider Swift’s saga (and also polarization) Fourth of July parties, hosted every year at her sprawling Rhode Island home from 2013 to 2018. For each summer party, Swift invited members of her touring company, longtime best friends like Lively and the Haim girls, and a hand-picked group of additional celebrity friends: Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield And Nick and Joe Jonas and Karlie Kloss and Cara Delevingne and St. Vincent and Josh Kushner…you get the idea. Almost everyone agreed The band was annoyingthe parties were overwhelming, and that Swift itself It was unbearable.

All evidence of those patriotic outbursts was deleted from Swift’s Instagram to pave the way for her retaliation reputation The year is 2017. But after several years and a Grammy, a cultural reappraisal of Swift’s work, and one major breakup, it looks like her squad days are back. Will the return of the Fourth of July party follow? It is a registered release 1989 (Taylor version) Also in the way? We hope to find out in the next few months.

For now, the team’s return seems to mark a shift in Swift’s world. This is a megastar known for planning everything and crafting her image with care — a force or an annoyance, depending on who you ask — and who wouldn’t allow herself to be captured with paparazzi lenses too much if it weren’t for some greater purpose. By taking photos of herself surrounded by her friends on Thursday, she’s visually referring to a time when the general public couldn’t have been more upset by her. The whole thing. In doing so, she conveys to her public opinion, irrelevant at this point.

It is in the middle of the road which is shaping up to be one of it The highest-grossing concert tours in history, 33 years. If this isn’t feminism, then what is? (Don’t answer that).