What name did Taylor Swift give the story arc linking “august,” “cardigan,” and “betty”?

Taylor Swift called the story arc linking “august,” “cardigan,” and “betty” the Teenage Love Triangle.

The three Folklore songs present different perspectives on a fictional relationship. “cardigan” is associated with Betty, “betty” with James, and “august” with the unnamed young woman involved with James during the summer. Swift described the songs as exploring a love triangle from three viewpoints and at different points in the characters’ lives.

The storyline is fictional rather than a confirmed account of Swift’s personal history. That distinction matters because some listeners initially tried to match the characters to real people in Swift’s past.

The songs also differ in narrative tone. “betty” presents James’s attempt to explain himself, “cardigan” reflects Betty’s experience, and “august” captures the temporary romance from the other girl’s perspective.