You would have to be living under a rock if you didn't know Taylor Swift is due to land in Australia on Wednesday evening ahead of her Melbourne Eras Tour Concerts.
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Half the nation are screaming while the other half are groaning.
But what if you're in the middle. You're into Taylor, you're into the hype, but you don't know WHY she liks cats and the number 13 so much.
This is where the Central Western Daily's Taylor Swift expert Emily Mann is here to help. Emily, director of Mann Power in Orange, is a Swiftie. In fact she's going to two Eras concerts in the coming weeks. She's here to help you with the cheats guide of how to act like a Swiftie even if you're only like a 5/10.
Choose Your Era
Most Swifties have chosen their favourite Era (aka album) as the inspiration for their concert outfit. If you're not across all the Era's and the accompanying aesthetics, here's a quick breakdown to help you choose:
- Taylor Swift (2006): flowy summer dresses, cowboy boots, butterfly motifs and hints of green and blue to reference the album's cover art.
- Fearless (2008): gold fringed, sequin or tassled mini-dresses and cowboy boots, with big curly hair and a cowgirl hat.
- Speak Now (2010): Purple is the colour du jour, with babydoll dresses or princess ball gowns on theme.
- Red (2012): Embrace your inner Hipster with brogues, bowler hats and twee vintage looks to invoke the Era that marked the arrival of Swift's iconic Red Lip.
- 1989 (2014): Opt for blue or silver hues in matching two-piece sets with Wayfarer sunglasses, a red lip and a sequin bomber jacket to mark Swift's transition to fully-fledged pop star.
- Reputation (2017): Embrace your inner Vamp with black and red sequins, snakeskin prints, thigh-high boots and a dark manicure.
- Lover (2019): An explosion of hyper-colour rainbow, sparkle and unashamedly feminine looks - think colour-blocked pastels, love heart motifs and soft textured fabrics.
- Folklore (2020): The album that sparked the 'cottage-core' trend and collided with a global pandemic - think cosy cardigans knitted by Nan, long flowy dresses, braided hair and whimsical florals fit for lying alone in a field reading poetry.
- Evermore (2020): Think Folklore but make it mystical, with vintage lace, velvet capes and coats, more braids and earthy tones fit for meeting your coven of witches at midnight.
- Midnights (2022): Mid-century modern looks that incorporate brown, orange, purple and green, plus a healthy dose of disco sparkle, and of course a signature red lip.
Friendship bracelets
Whether you DIY them or buy some, you're not a real Swiftie until your arms are adorned with friendship bracelets to wear and trade with other concert goers.
Use your favourite song titles or lyrics, obscure Taylor references ("Not The Steak!") or general phrases (E.g. Eras Tour 2024) to embellish your arms and trade with other Swifties.
It's a bit like Pokémon - you gotta catch them all! I've made approximately 150 bracelets so far - some of my favourite songs and lyrics to wear and keep for myself, others to trade with other Swifties, and several start-packs for my friends who I am going to the concerts with and who aren't as, let's say dedicated, as I am to the cause.
If you are planning on making and taking friendship bracelets, be sure to check bag and entry requirements for the MCG and Accor Stadium.
Surprise Songs
With The Eras Tour Movie now streaming worldwide, anybody can memorise the setlist, but what you can't prepare for is the two Surprise Songs Swift performs before closing out the show with the Midnights Era.
During the Surprise Song set (one song on acoustic guitar, one on piano) Swift's entire discography is fair game. If you've got an old favourite from her earlier albums, or newly discovered banger 'From The Vault' this could be your opportunity to hear it live.
Swift regularly uses this segment to chat ad-lib with her fans, bring out guest performers or collaborators, and drop easter eggs that foreshadow her next big move - needless to say, the Surprise Song Set is NOT your time to duck to the loo.
Crowd Chants
There's several crowd chants you must know before attending the concerts so you can sing/scream along with other fans at exactly the right time.
You can check out my two-part guide to the most popular chants in the video above.
Hot tip: During Swift's 2015 1989 Tour at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Swift surprised fans by creating a loop track that incorporated "Sydney" into the intro of her hit song "Blank Space", and fans are hoping for a repeat on this Eras Tour too!
Who's who in the zoo
Familiarise yourself with Swift's inner circle and get ready to play spot-the-celeb in the VIP tent! Fresh off the Kansas City Chiefs back-to-back Superbowl win, there's speculation star player Travis Kelce could join his girlfriend on tour when she touches down (pun intended) in Australia this week.
Mama and Papa Swift, Andrea and Scott, regularly interact and swap friendship bracelets with the crowd en route to the VIP tent; and with long-time collaborator Aaaron Dessner performing in Melbourne with his band The National a few days after Taylor, speculation is rife he'll be in attendance and perhaps even join her on stage during the Surprise Song set.
Plus, you can expect your usual who's who of Australian celebrity to be clamouring for an invitation to party with Swift et al whilst she's here too.
Grace Ryan
Deputy Editor at the Central Western Daily, Orange. You'll mostly find me tinkering in social media and newsletters. Working hard to get our stories in front of your eyes.
Deputy Editor at the Central Western Daily, Orange. You'll mostly find me tinkering in social media and newsletters. Working hard to get our stories in front of your eyes.
