In Taylor Swift’s “august” love triangle, the narrator’s summer romance is James.
The song is told from the perspective of an unnamed girl who becomes involved with James during the summer. James is already connected to Betty, and the relationship eventually ends when he returns to Betty after the brief romance.
The three-part storyline spans “august,” “Cardigan,” and “Betty.” “august” presents the unnamed girl’s perspective, “Cardigan” follows Betty’s perspective, and “Betty” is told from James’s perspective.
The story is fictional rather than a direct account of Swift’s personal life. That distinction is important because Swift deliberately used imagined characters and narrative viewpoints on Folklore. The song’s annual August trend reflects its seasonal setting, but the central plot is a larger story about memory, regret, and an unfulfilled relationship.