Both Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have declined their Met Gala invitations. And the world is sad/heaves a collective sigh of relief.

After taking weeks to nest with Travis out of the spotlight, the Eras superstar got back to work and Taylor Swift dropped a double album.

This is a huge time for Taylor’s career. And, in between football seasons, this is a major time for Travis.

So why are they thumbing their noses at the Met Gala instead of showing up together? They have very good reasons.

Taylor Swift attends the “Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016. (Photo Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for People.com)

Both Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce received Met Gala invitations

Turns out,as TMZ reports, both Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce RSVP’ed “no” to the biggest celebrity fashion event of the year.

Notably, Taylor and Travis received separate invitations. So this would not have been a case of Taylor bringing Travis as her Plus One.

So they both, separately, turned it down. That’s not quite the same as Taylor turning it down for both of them.
Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift embrace after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024. (Photo Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Why did Taylor Swift turn down the Met Gala?

No one needs an excuse to turn down an invite, even though the star-studded Met Gala is a charity event. However, Taylor has a solid reason.

The 2024 Met Gala takes place on May 6.

Taylor resumes her Eras World Tour on May 9 — that same week. She’ll need to travel to Europe and get everything set up in France. Especially because it’s rumored she has to work in a whole new Era into the set list.
Taylor Swift attends the Costume Institute Gala for the “PUNK: Chaos to Couture” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2013. (Photo Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
Yes, it’s looking very plausible The Tortured Poets Department will be included for the first time in her first show back. And one does not simply slip in new music. The Eras tour is a very precise production.

In short, she’s skipping the Met Gala to make sure her fans are better served!~

Why did Travis Kelce turn down the Met Gala?

Unlike Taylor, Travis’ professional obligations are (mostly) on pause. One of the many football facts that Taylor’s fans have learned against our will is that the season ended before the Super Bowl and will not resume until late this summer.

So while Travis might be doing endorsements and other projects, he won’t need to grace any sportsball fields with his presence the week of the Met Gala. You might’ve thought so given the big pay raise he got to play for 3 more years, but no.

The most likely explanation for Travis’ absence is that he plans to travel to Europe to support Taylor as her Eras World Tour continues. He already said as much.
Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with Taylor Swift after a 17-10 victory against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 28, 2024. (Photo Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images)

They may have a shared reason for turning down the invite

From the moment that the public first linked the two, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been one of the most famous couples on the planet.

Taylor of course is a household name on multiple continents. And Travis was very well-known within the subculture of sports fans.

However, they have yet to make a “red carpet debut” of any kind. They’ve vacationed together and embraced on the field of the Super Bowl. But, if they attended the Met Gala arm-in-arm, it would be a major relationship milestone.
Taylor Swift attends the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2014. (Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

The Met Gala will still be a star-studded spectacle

Even without Taylor Swift and her athletic arm candy, the Met Gala will boast big names — including both fan-favorites and some exciting newcomers.

Taylor would be a welcome sight. So would Travis. It would be fascinating to see if Travis would stick to the prompt or pull a “looking camp right in the eye” ridicule-worthy flop like Karlie Kloss did in 2019.

It would be amazing if a football player outdid a bunch of alleged fashion icons at a fashion event. Oh well — perhaps at the 2025 Met Gala, if Taylor and Travis are still an item.