Five on Friday - Taylor Swift Prints, The Perfect Walking Shoe, My New Favorite Athletic Socks, and The Life of a Showgirl Review

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Happy Friday, y’all!  I have some really good faves for you today, so let’s jump right in!

O N E – New Print

Elle from Heartbreak Prints reached out to me to ask if she could send a print to me from her shop, and since it is Taylor Swift art, of course, I said YES!  All her digital prints are her own interpretations of some of Taylor Swift best lyrics.  Each one is an original linocut-style giclee print and they are printed with archival ink on 100% cotton paper making them absolute top-notch quality. 

I was torn between the I Look in People’s Windows print and the All Too Well print as those are two my favorite TS songs, but ultimately, I went with the I Look in People’s Windows print because it’s one of Olivia’s favorite songs, too.  Plus, if you look closely, there’s a nod to All Too Well in this print, too.  IYKYK.  <3

I purchased this simple black frame to hold my print, I put it in a very special spot in my office (on my new acrylic shelves) and it looks absolutely perfect.  (Although, part of me wants to spray paint the frame gold!!  I think I might!)  I love it so much and it’s a piece that I’ll treasure forever. 

Elle has so many different pieces in her shop, including some new The Life of a Showgirl pieces and this floral piece of Taylor and Travis’s engagement (truly swoon worthy), so there’s something for every fan.  The holidays are coming, and these would make the perfect keepsake piece for any Swiftie.  P.S. One day I'll remember to share my whole acrylic shelf setup because it's finally done!

 

T W O – I Finally Found the Perfect Tennis Shoes!

Nike has been my go-to shoe my whole life, but recently they changed their line, and they are just no longer comfortable to me… maybe I’m just getting old??  Haha.  I have been trying various other brands since I’m an avid walker, and I just haven’t liked anything that I have tried.  I finally bit the bullet and decided to try On Clouds, and they are just so good, y’all.  They are pricey, but they are worth it when you walk/jog 50+ miles each month like I do.

When I went to try them on, the salesperson at the store told me that the Cloudtilt model was the best for avid walkers, and sure enough, they are perfection.  They’re super lightweight, they’re ULTRA cushioned, and they literally give the illusion that you’re walking on a cloud.  They. Are. Amazing.  And I’m so glad I found them. 

This particular model comes in several different colors, and I went with “arctic” as I wanted something neutral that I could wear for everyday use in addition to exercise.  I would suggest sizing up a half to a whole size from your regular shoe size because they do run small in my opinion, just like Nikes.

 

T H R E E – Shoelace Substitute

The only thing I didn’t love about the On Clouds was that they had fixed laces, meaning that they can’t be loosened or untied… you just slip the shoe on.  Well, I occasionally have swelling issues, especially on my left foot since it broke and healed wrong years ago, so I like to be able to adjust my laces as some days my feet are larger if they’re swelling. 

I came across these laces on Amazon and everyone in the reviews stated that they’re perfect for On Clouds because they have the same flat, thin, stretchy design.  They come in different colors and lengths, and sure enough, the 47-inch white laces look perfect on my new shoes and it’s so nice to be able to adjust them as needed depending on how my feet are feeling that day.  These laces are high quality, affordable, and I highly recommend them!

 

F O U R – Amazing Athletic Socks

When I bought my On Clouds, the salesperson warned me that they do come up a little higher on the back of the ankle than most athletic shoes, so he recommended getting ankle socks with a heel tab, so my no-show socks don’t creep down while I’m walking.  He recommended Bombas or Feetures, but after a quick glance online, I saw that those are both $18-$20 PER PAIR – WHAT?! 

I immediately turned to Amazon to find some dupes, and sure enough, I found these – and you get SIX pairs for just slightly more than the price of ONE pair of Bombas or Feetures.  While I would love to support a small business, I cannot afford to spend $150 on SOCKS.

These socks are ahhhhmazing, though, y’all.  They have slight compression, so they provide great arch support (which is great for me since I have deep arches), and the targeted compression zones promote blood circulation and relieve foot fatigue.  They have a cushioned sole, but they’re not too thick, and the heel tab prevents slippage and protects the Achillies tendon.  They are breathable and comfortable and just overall fantastic, and I’m officially throwing out all my old running socks after finding these.  I needed some new ones anyway!

 

F I V E – TLOAS!!!!

If you didn’t think this would be in my favorites this week then you would be crazy!!  Haha.  I have been listening to Taylor’s newest album, The Life of a Showgirl, NONSTOP all week, and it is just fabulous, y’all!  Seriously, I loved every single song on this entire album from start to finish the first time I listened to each of them, and that is rare because sometimes it takes me a little longer to get into something new. 

Not this album, though!!  It is fabulous from start to finish – it’s fun, it’s fresh, every song is a banger, and there are no skips!  Taylor has done it again, y’all.

Now that I’ve had a lot of time to sit with the album, I wanted to give some thoughts about it. 

 

1. Even though this is a very pop-ish (and a little retro at times) album, her lyrical genius is still very present in every single song.
2. Eldest daughter is everything I thought it would be and more.  I am an eldest daughter, and Taylor hits the nail on the head with the lyrics and melody in this one.  It will never not make me cry.  It makes me feel SO seen.
3. People who are not eldest daughters probably will not relate to that one as much and, therefore, you will probably not understand why I’m so obsessed with it.
4. Wood is so fun, hilarious, and SUCH A BOP… even though it is literally an ode to Travis’s… well… just go listen to it for yourself.  Hahahaha.
5. For those saying it’s too risqué for non-adults, while I do agree that the clean version would be more appropriate for any kids younger than middle school, I have to say, it’s definitely not worse than anything that I was listening to in middle school and high school – Snoop Dogg and Eminem anyone?
6. I’ve seen a lot of hate online about the fact that the album is more risqué than her older ones, but y’all, she is a 35-year old woman.  She is allowed to grow and evolve.  While little girls do still love her music, her target audience is millennials like me who are in our 30s and early 40s, anyway… the Swifties who grew up with her.  She’s in a new era of happiness and it shows and I just love that for her!

Now for the fun part… I’m going to take a stab at ranking the songs in order from my favorite to my least favorite.  And please note that this is nearly impossible as I love every single song on this record SO MUCH.

 

1. Eldest Daughter – yep, this one is my favorite because I can relate to it so much.  It is the ultimate “track five song” on a TS record.  IYKYK.
2. Elizabeth Taylor – the beat is amazing, and it sounds like something that would have been on the Reputation album.  I couldn’t love it more.  And the nod to White Diamonds… oh my word did that bring back so many memories for me as a child.  My mom used wear that perfume!
3. The Fate of Ophelia – the symbolism, the imagery, the Shakespearean throwback… she is seriously brilliant.
4. Honey – this is the sweetest love long… seriously the sweetest.
5. Wish List – This is another sweet love song… this girl has everything, but all she wants is Travis, a bunch of little Travises running around, and a house with a basketball hoop.  I hope she gets it all.
6. Wood – this is SUCH a fun, upbeat song that I always find myself bopping along to even though the subject matter is not what you’d ever think it would be.  Haha.  Only Taylor Swift could make that subject poetic.  Haha.
7. Actually Romantic – I love a good trolling song, and this one might be the best of all time… “like a toy chihuahua barking at me from a tiny purse, that’s how much it hurts.”  I can only imagine who she wrote this about (I think we all have an idea of at least one or two) and it is HILARIOUS.
8. Opalite – Gosh, this one should probably be ranked higher because it’s so much fun, but like I said – it’s impossible to rank these!  This one is just the happiest song about making your own happiness even when you’re not happy.
9. Ruin the Friendship – This one is so poignant once you get to the last verse and realize what/who it’s about (from her real life), and even though it’s upbeat, the lyrics are actually very melancholy.  The contrast between the upbeat music and the melancholy lyrics is what makes this one so unique.
10. CANCELLED! – I loooove this one because it has such an edge… again, it sounds like it could be straight from the Reputation album which is one of my favorites.
11. The Life of a Showgirl – I love the melody of this one, and using live sound from her last Eras tour concert to end this album – *chef’s kiss*
12. Father Figure – I love this interpolation on George Michael’s Father Figure… another song with edge all about power struggles.  While the song is so brilliant, it’s last on my list simply because I don’t really relate to it.

 

And that’s it, y’all!  You can get the vinyl, the CD, or one of the special edition CDs – I have them all!  Haha.  They will all be on repeat until further notice.

 

Friday Funnies 

On the Blog This Week

 What I Wore - September 2025

What I Ordered from Amazon in September 2025 + Prime Big Deal Days

 Our Week - The One with a UCC Appointment, Pumpkins at Callaway, and the Taylor Swift Movie

Happy Friday, y’all!