The fans of US singer Taylor Swift are a worldwide community. Colorful bracelets have become a flagship of the “Eras Tour”. Some concertgoers cover their entire arms with the handmade beaded bracelets. Swift has revived the childhood memory of friendship bracelets. The tradition arose after she released the song “You’re on Your Own, Kid” from the album “Midnights”. In the song she sings “So make the friendship bracelets”.
Her fans have taken this request literally and are making bracelets to exchange with each other at concerts. Elaborate instructions for making beaded bracelets in Swift’s design are circulating on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. There are even workshops offered by various providers. Most of the bracelets have song names and lyrics incorporated into them using letter beads.
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Even though there is no special dress code at the concerts, fans love to put a lot of thought into the perfect look. Whether it’s rhinestone-embroidered bodysuits, tinsel dresses, cowboy hats or pearl-studded tops: the “Swifties” imitate their star and dress up for the shows in imaginative and colorful glitter outfits. Fans sometimes work on their looks for months. Social media is full of DIY videos and inspiration.
When styling for the concert, many fans choose a certain “era”. Each of Swift’s eleven albums represents an “era”. The looks are mainly inspired by song lyrics and titles. For example, the title of the album “Midnights” serves as the inspiration for moon and star motifs. The color purple is the most popular for “Speak Now” outfits, and red for “Red”. Pink belongs to the “Lover” era. Those who dress more darkly belong to the “Reputation” or “The Tortured Poets Department” fans.
Not every “Swiftie” is lucky enough to get a ticket for the “Eras Tour”. But out of necessity an idea was born: the so-called “Taylor-gating”. Instead of staying at home, fans without tickets meet in parking lots and green spaces in front of the arenas to put on their own show. They picnic, exchange bracelets and dance and sing to the music. Many also wear eye-catching glittery outfits.
Fans usually not only know all the song lyrics by heart, they also think up chants and choreographies. During the concerts, there are various points where the audience makes gestures or shouts something. For example, in the song “You Belong To Me,” fans clap their hands twice at one point. During the song “Blank Space,” fans sing the name of the concert city. Swift herself added a few extra beats to the song at a concert on her 2015 tour and shouted the name of the city in which the concert took place.
During “Fearless,” fans form a heart with their hands during the line “It’s Fearless.” At one point in “Anti-Hero,” fans sing “Taylor, you’ll be fine.” During the song “Marjorie,” everyone turns on their cell phone flashlights. Fans once surprised Swift with this and moved her to tears, as the song is dedicated to her late grandmother Marjorie Finlay. During the song “Bad Blood,” the “Swifties” take on the part of rapper Kendrick Lamar and loudly shout “You forgive, you forget, but you never let it – go!”.
