Taylor Swift Can't Resist Pulling This Cringe Move Whenever She Drinks

Taylor Swift's massive fan base doesn't simply consume her music and performances; they put them under a microscope to search for any hidden meaning that could bring them closer to their favorite artist. From peace signs in an interview to Swift's 2024 Grammy Awards dress, the pop star is analyzed for her every move. But one gesture Swift constantly makes isn't an Easter egg her fans need to lose sleep over.

Indeed, there's one thing that Swift can't stop doing, and we're not talking about her cringey dance moves – she constantly puts her pinky finger up while drinking from a glass. It is easy to miss without closer inspection, but there are myriad moments when the musician makes the odd gesture. For instance, in a carousel of images that Brittany Mahomes posted on Instagram, Swift's pinky finger is raised in every pic. The same is said for snapshots from her 2023 birthday party, also shared on Instagram. Even a Taylor Swift fan account on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted her glass-holding pattern.

The pinky in the air feels as Millennial cringe as drawing a mustache on your pointer finger. But what does it even mean? It is actually an old etiquette practice with vague origins. Some say it came from Europe many centuries ago, when tea cups were too hot to keep the pinky down. Others agree with the time period, but believe it was a balancing trick to hold tiny cups. In every scenario, it was a move generally favored by high society, which is one reason we don't use it today — and why Swift's use of it is even more awkward.

As cheeky, or as classy, as Taylor Swift might feel, she should put her pinky finger away. According to Jill Haney, a professional image consultant who trained with the London Image Institute, upturned pinkies are now the antithesis of etiquette. "There is something quite snobbish about holding the pinky out when drinking," Haney wrote for the Cincinnati Enquirer in 2016. British etiquette expert William Hanson echoed the advice on TikTok, telling people to tuck their little finger back down while drinking, as it is considered an etiquette faux pas.

Swift may need to try something new — including a pinky-down drinking habit — to save her reputation, as the global sensation's popularity took a hit after the release of her 2025 album "The Life of a Showgirl" — having fans wondering if they'd been catfished. The response to Swift's 12th studio album wasn't the anticipated listen-until-your-ears-bleed. In fact, she received backlash for capitalizing on her music, with some listeners criticizing how out of touch the billionaire musician has become. All this to say, if Swift wants to seem relatable to her fans again, maybe she should start by ditching the antiquated pinky salute, especially with a fanbase that finds nuances in everything she does.