Asked what she could share about the scarf, Taylor said, “Basically, the scarf is a metaphor and we turned it red because red is a very important color in this album which is called ‘Red.’”
Following the crowd’s laughs, she added, “And I think when I say it’s a metaphor, I’m just gonna stop [and leave it at that.] And I’m gonna say thanks for the incredible question.” The scarf in question was famously mentioned in the her heartbreak anthem "All Too Well" — if the lyrics are to be believed, Taylor left the accessory in her ex's sister's house, and he kept it. It is widely speculated that the song was inspired by Jake Gyllenhaal.
In the short film video of the song's 10-minute version, the said scarf made an appearance. However, it was notably a red color, instead of the black that fans had spotted Swift and Gyllenhaal wearing.