ON the train to Edinburgh last week for Taylor Swift’s first UK show of The Eras Tour, a little girl in sparkly cowboy boots handed me a friendship bracelet.
She was there with her parents and older sister, having begged her school for an early finish so she could make it to the stadium in time.
It wasn’t hard for her to spot a fellow Swiftie on the way to the Scottish capital’s Murrayfield Stadium, we were the ones in glitter taking up the carriage.
I told her I felt bad because I didn’t have a bracelet to trade with her but she insisted I take one anyway.
She beamed and held up both her wrists, which were completely covered with dozens of rows of shiny beads. She had more than enough to go around.
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Her mum and dad told me making these had taken up most of her evenings and weekends over the past month.
The one she had kindly gifted me spelt out “Long time coming”, a reference to a line from Miss Americana And The Heartbreak Prince, the first song of the show.
Before the gig started there was a sea of fans swapping the beaded bracelets in the stadium.
Strangers were exchanging them with random people they met in the queue for the loos or found themselves sitting next to in the stands.
Trading homemade bracelets has become a recognisable feature of The Eras Tour as it has swept its way across the globe. And it is set to continue as Swiftmania takes over the UK for the next few weeks.
It spread quickly
The idea originates from Taylor’s song You’re On Your Own, Kid, released in October 2022 on the album Midnights.
That was just before she embarked on her epic world tour and the fans took the lyrics seriously.
She sings: “So make the friendship bracelets. Take the moment and taste it. You’ve got no reason to be afraid.”
It started small but spread quickly as fans posted videos of themselves on TikTok, making then swapping them with others while waiting for the show.
Travis Kelce, now Taylor’s American footballer boyfriend, even made one with his phone number on it when he went to a show last summer while hoping to meet the singer backstage.
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He talked about it on his podcast which Taylor heard and it lead to them dating shortly after. Talk about romance.
Some of the beaded creations feature song lyrics, while others have acronyms of famous lines which are inside jokes to fellow enthusiasts.
One elaborately-coded example made by fans reads ATWTMVTVFTVSG AVRALPS — or, for the non-Swifties, All Too Well Ten Minute Version Taylor’s Version From The Vault Sad Girl Autumn Version Recorded At Long Pond Studios.
As Swiftmania continues to sweep the country there have even been reports of high street craft stores running out of beads.
The Eras Tour, which arrives in Liverpool tonight, is all about fans enjoying themselves.
Swapping friendship bracelets is the perfect example.
