Is That Joe Alwyn or Who Is This Man in Taylor Swift's Fourth of July Photo Dump

May 2024 · 2 minute read

To the untrained eye, Taylor Swift's Fourth of July photo dump looks innocuous — just a few photos of her and her girl gang soaking up the sun and enjoying the holiday weekend. But any true Swiftie would've gone searching for some kind of Easter egg in the hit-maker's post (ICYMI, Swift is known for leaving her fans hints and hidden messages).

So, when the InStyle staffers began investigating, it was there in the background of a few polaroids posted to Tay's Instagram feed that there appeared to be a framed photo of her and her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn. In the slide, which is a collage of four polaroids, there is a black-and-white picture on the wall that appears to be Taylor perched on Joe's back on a beach with the ocean as the backdrop.

Taylor Swift/Instagram

In one snap, she and her friends pose in front of the photo, while in another, she hugs her bestie Selena Gomez from behind. It's worth noting, there is another image hanging beside the one in question that looks to be a young Taylor wearing her hair in adorable braids.

If the mystery man in the photo is not Alwyn, it could very well be Taylor's younger brother Austin Swift. The black-and-white hue and black sunglasses make it difficult to ID the person. Either way, it's not a confirmation of a reconciliation by any means. Perhaps Swift just hasn't gotten the chance to take down the frame — or burn it.

The notoriously private couple dated for over six years, but split earlier this year, with sources noting that the relationship "had just run its course," according to People. Swift also had a brief romance with The 1975 musician Matty Healy, but the two called it quits in June. The singer is currently traveling around the world on her Eras Tour and released her Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) album on Friday.

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