The line for the Taylor Swift merchandise shop began forming around 6 a.m. Thursday, four hours before sales were scheduled to begin and in spite of dark, drizzly, unseasonably cold weather.
A day before Swift’s Eras Tour was to descend on downtown Atlanta for a historic sold-out, three-night run, hundreds of fans waited outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium to buy official T-shirts, sweatshirts, tapestries and tote bags. The crowd raised a question for the non-Swifties out there: Why?
“People ride hard for Taylor Swift,” Kesli Hartley, 23, of McDonough, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
She held about $600 worth of freshly purchased Eras Tour merchandise, purchased for herself and friends, and said she took the weekend off for the Friday show.
“I had to go all out,” she said with a laugh.
The Swift storm kicked off a very busy weekend downtown.
The Atlanta Hawks’ comeback playoff win Tuesday in Boston complicated things as Game 6 of the series created a double-booking at State Farm Arena. Janet Jackson’s Thursday night concert was pushed to Friday, adding to the crush of concertgoers expected for the first night of the Eras Tour.
Several Swift fans told the AJC they came to shop early because they worried some items would be sold out at the concerts, which are expected to draw about 180,000 attendees over the weekend. Others wanted to avoid lines and focus on basking in the atmosphere of Swift’s epic live show.
Few actually planned to wear their Eras Tour merch to the weekend concerts.
Veronika Lingerfelt, 21, and Josie Vander Veen, 20, friends from Woodstock, laughed at the suggestion of wearing a T-shirt to Friday’s concert. Their friend and driver for the weekend, 23-year-old Nicholas Hodge, said he thought most fans planned outfits inspired by Swift’s various looks over the years.
“I’m wearing something inspired by her Speak Now tour,” Vander Veen said.
“And then I’m wearing something inspired from the ‘Picture to Burn’ music video and the 1989 tour look ... meshing some stuff together,” Lingerfelt said.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Several shoppers said they were surprised the crowd wasn’t bigger.
“I was prepared for a lot worse,” said 17-year-old Luke McCullough, a student at North Atlanta High School. He called his friend, 16-year-old Savannah Ivie, to come downtown because the wait was so brief.
“I was probably in line for 10 or 15 minutes,” Ivie said, admitting she’d rolled straight out of bed. Both she and McCullough said they were there with their parents’ blessings.
“I was just really scared that the blue crewneck was going to sell out because it’s been going like hotcakes,” Ivie said.
Lingerfelt and Vander Veen said the hot-selling sweatshirt was all over their Twitter and TikTok feeds.
“People are going crazy over this thing,” Lingerfelt said.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
McCullough bought the sweatshirt but said it wouldn’t be part of his outfit when he goes to the concert with his mom Saturday.
“I’m wearing my red cardigan and my ‘I Heart Taylor’ T-shirt and jeans and boots, and I might do some little jewels on my face,” McCullough said, his smile beaming.
Ivie plans to bring her Eras Tour hoodie to Sunday’s show, in case she gets cold in her “Lover” inspired pink sequined skirt.
Thursday’s crowd helped explain another reason for the Taylor Swift sweatshirt mania, as well as the intense competition for concert tickets and predetermined outfits. All agreed that Swifties tend to be planners.
Part of Swift’s appeal is her identity as an unabashed, Type A perfectionist. In her 2022 commencement address at New York University, Swift encouraged graduates not to hide their enthusiasm for things.
“Never be ashamed for trying,” Swift said. “Effortlessness is a myth.”
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
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