Taylor Swift’s “cardigan” completes the Folklore love triangle with “august” and “betty.”
The three songs present related events from different perspectives. “cardigan” is associated with Betty, “betty” is told from James’s perspective, and “august” follows the unnamed teenage narrator involved in a brief summer relationship with James.
Swift used fictional characters and shifting viewpoints to create a shared narrative within Folklore. The songs do not form a conventional chronological plot with every detail explained; instead, their connections emerge through names, memories, apologies, and references to the same relationship.
A common mix-up is choosing another Folklore song simply because it has a relationship theme. Tracks such as “the 1” and “illicit affairs” explore different situations. “cardigan” is the specific companion song identified as Betty’s perspective in the triangle.