“Cardigan” is the first named song in Folklore’s love triangle besides Taylor Swift’s “august.”
The three connected songs are “Cardigan,” “august,” and “Betty.” They depict the same fictional teenage relationship from different viewpoints. “Cardigan” is associated with Betty, “Betty” is told from James’s perspective, and “august” follows the unnamed girl who has a summer romance with James.
This structure is easy to misunderstand because Swift did not present the tracks as a conventional chronological story. Instead, clues in the lyrics and recurring names allow listeners to connect the characters and events.
“august” is therefore part of a broader narrative rather than a standalone account of Swift’s personal life. The fictional framing also distinguishes Folklore from the autobiographical interpretations often applied to Swift’s earlier songwriting.