Taylor Swift wrote “august” first among the three folklore songs forming the teenage love triangle.
The trilogy consists of “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty.” Swift created the songs as connected perspectives on the same fictional relationship, involving Betty, James, and the unnamed girl who narrates “august.” The songs do not present one single narrator; instead, their details overlap and illuminate different emotional angles.
“august” was the first of the three written. Swift described its narrator as a girl in an undefined relationship with James, who is already connected to Betty. She intentionally left the narrator unnamed, sometimes referring to her privately as Augusta or Augustine.
The order of writing is different from the order in which fans often discuss the trilogy. “cardigan” and “betty” explicitly name their narrators, while “august” relies on seasonal imagery and an emotional point of view. The song’s annual August trend keeps this fictional storyline connected to a real calendar month.