Swifties have developed a reputation for being one of the most dedicated fanbases in the music industry.
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And while any Taylor Swift concert is a spectacle both on stage and off, The Eras Tour has taken it to the next level. It's taken elements from what we've seen previously, and it's built on it, not just because of the fans but because of the ability for them to spread their displays of dedication swiftly.
The outfits, the rituals, and the chants have all been part of the Taylor Swift tour experience since the Fearless days. But when you combine this history with the ease of social media platforms, particularly TikTok, sharing previously one-off moments, results in them becoming a trend. While sometimes inspired by the singer, they're usually completely fan-led.
It's a case of Swifties putting a call to action out into the world, others answering and responding accordingly as if it was some sort of Bat signal. And as a result, The Eras Tour as a whole has become this ever-evolving entity. The experience people had on night one of the tour will not be the same as those in Sydney and Melbourne.
And trust us when we say that this Swift-mania is going to be big, and it's going to be unlike anything that's come before it.
With The Eras Tour only weeks away from landing down under, we now see Australian Swifties in preparation mode. Going through the ritual of concert preparation, readying themselves to take over the next era of The Eras Tour.
Because for die-hard fans, there is this sense of responsibility to act the role of the ultimate Swiftie, a representative for all those who did not get tickets. Posting to social media to ensure everyone else watching on are in the know of any key moments, any changes in costumes, and what surprise songs were sung on that night.
And there will be people watching. Each concert start time is posted on social media and in fan groups so that they know when to start scrolling through TikTok for footage. And if Swift does change her outfit? They all know that there's a chance a new Taylor's Version is coming.
For example, when 1989 was about to be announced, blue versions of the outfits were worn on the night. So with the announcement of Reputation and Debut still to come, black and light green are the colours fans are looking for. And if orange makes an appearance - the colour for the supposed lost album, Karma - then watch out.
Any Swiftie's preparation will start with the outfit, with people dressing up as a representation for one of the "Eras" - aka representing one of the albums. Each not only has its own selected colour, but its own aesthetic. Wearing black leather and snake motifs? It's for the album Reputation. And that pastel pink dress with heart earrings? That's for Lover.
And anyone trying to buy something remotely Taylor Swift-coded in the past month in particular will know how hard it is to come by. Some brands - particularly those specifically marketing their outfits for the concert - have seen items sell out within 24 hours.
But it goes beyond what era people are dressing as.
It would be fair to say that a large portion of the people in that stadium will also have the number 13 plastered on their hand - usually in sparkly blue paint, outlined in black. It's something that has its origins in Swift's Fearless tour when the singer would head out on stage with a similar "13" written on her hand for luck. Of course, 13 is not a lucky number for most, but for Swift, who happens to be born on December 13, it's a lucky number and often uses it in her Easter eggs and album release dates.
This tour, however, sees the addition of friendship bracelets. Inspired by the lyric in You're On Your Own Kid, "So make the friendship bracelets, take a moment and taste it", fans have been making beaded bracelets to trade with each other at the concert.
Some even arrive at the venue hours early just to swap bracelets - and get to the merchandise stand as early as possible.
But the phenomenon of arriving early to the concert hasn't just been done by ticketholders. While Australian venues have advised against it, in the past people who didn't get tickets have headed to the stadiums to Taylor-gate - aka to listen from the outside, sing along, dance and partake in the friendship bracelet-swapping phenomenon.
Finally, in the list of rituals of a Swiftie are the chants and actions that fans will learn before the concerts. Some make sense from an outsider's point of view - as there will be certain lines that will always be screamed by audience members, something which is indeed not that different from any other concert.
But others - lines such as "Take us to church, Taylor!" - can raise some eyebrows. Particularly for those who liken Swifties to a cult. These chants, however, are what evolves throughout the tour's run. When it first kicked off early last year, there weren't nearly as many chants as there will be in the Australian leg of the tour. It only takes one fan to post a video of what they shouted during a certain song on TikTok for it to take off. At times, Swift herself even gives it her stamp of approval.
And for those who aren't on TikTok - or perhaps just struggle to keep up with what's "approved" by fans and what's just a fun video - there are fan-made spreadsheets on Reddit and in other online communities tracking these changes.
But, potentially the most heartwarming of all of the chants and actions that have taken off is the trend of fans holding up their phone torches during Marjorie. The song was written about Swift's grandmother Marjorie Finlay who was an opera singer but died when Swift was 13. As well as the song being a dedication to Finlay, her ethereal vocals feature on the track alongside her granddaughter.
During one of her Atlanta shows in May last year, fans started the tradition of holding up their lights as a tribute to Finlay.
"My knees went weak," Swift said during the first Atlanta show.
"I physically felt that. It was so beautiful of you to do that ... Wow. Oh my god."