Taylor Swift fans reveal costume plans as they stop in Bordertown on the way to Melbourne

Taylor Swift fans are talking up their costumes for Melbourne’s concerts as they stop in Bordertown – apart from one mum, who’s going to dance outside the MCG.

Today was a fairytale for the carloads of Swifties passing through Bordertown on their way to see their favourite superstar light up the MCG for her three-night stint of Melbourne shows.

For the lucky ones able to snag an elusive ticket, the small stop of Bordertown has served as a popular place to have a break as they made their way to Melbourne to see one of the biggest musical performances of the year.

Dozens of Swifties pulled up by the Bordertown entrance on Friday morning to get a photo with Taylor Swift (Tiser’s Version).

Despite their gruelling journeys, most still had smiles across their faces that could light up this whole town.

The first Swiftie to stop by was 17-year-old Mikaylee Brown from Adelaide who is making the trip to Melbourne for Saturday night’s show with her nine-year-old cousin and 36-year-old uncle who is a “massive Swiftie”.

Taylor Swift fans Mikaylee and Felicity Brown. Picture: Ben Clark

Swifties Dillon and Annika Barreau, Ariana and Gabby Sancilio, Penelope Barreau and Lucy Kosak with mums Sonya Melillo, Jen Bratis and Chloe Jansen. Picture: Ben Clark

Mikaylee said she is “super excited to don her ‘mirrorball outfit’” on Saturday – inspired by one of Swift’s songs off her 2020 Grammy-winning album Folklore.

“It’s all silver and reflective and I’ve got these silver knee-high boots to complete the look.”

Mikaylee wasn’t the only Swiftie who’s gone all out with their outfit – Amy Usher, 17, also from Adelaide, painstakingly created a replica of one of Taylor’s costumes from her 2018 Reputation stadium tour.

Swifties line up to get a photo with 'Taylor' at Bordertown during their trek to Melbourne. Picture: Jessica Dempster

“I had an old dance leotard lying around the house and my mum helped me sew it,” said Amy.

“It looks awesome, I’m so excited to wear it and see what everyone else is wearing as well.”

Mia Cromie, 18, Adelaide, who’s travelling to Melbourne with a quartet of Adelaide Swifties, said she spent three hours handpainting designs on to her Converse.

Taylor Swift hitches a ride to Melbourne with Darren Edwards. Picture: Ben Clark

“I don’t have an actual outfit planned yet, but at least my shoes are cool,” she said.

One of her friends she was travelling with, Mia Stevens, 18, had impressively avoided seeing snippets of the concert online and is going into the three-hour show completely unaware of the set list.

“I think it’s gonna be more exciting not knowing what to expect,” Mia said. “I don’t see the point going to a concert knowing exactly what’s going to happen.”

For a lot of South Australians attending the concert, the painstakingly long car ride has been the easiest part of the journey, with one fan Sophie Harris, 22, Adelaide, joking that trying to get tickets to the show was “one of the most traumatic experiences” of her life.

Swiftie foursome, Jenna Saint, 17, Eve MacKay, 16, Brianna Cragg, 17, and Amelie Dombrowski, all students from Adelaide, said their quest to procure tickets was “long” spanning almost five hours waiting by laptops.

Taylor Swift fans Eve Mackay, 16, Jenna Saint, 17, Brianna Cragg, 17 and Amelie Dombrowski, 17 at Bordertown. Picture: Ben Clark

“We had like 15 laptops open at school trying to get tickets,” Jenna said. “We had like an entire crew helping us, it was insane.”

One Adelaide mum, Emma Toouhey, 49, knows “all too well’ how insane the demand for tickets for the Eras Tour really was.

Emma tried three separate times to get tickets, ultimately missing out every time.

Determined to not let that get her down however, Emma is making her way to Melbourne regardless, so she can dance her heart out outside the MCG.

Like Emma, the Salbatore family also know what it feels like to miss out on Taylor tickets, with only mum Tamara and daughter 14-year-old Eva having any luck the first several times they tried.

Amber Bucsh and Elloise Thompson in Bordertown. Picture: Ben Clark

Deliah Quinn, Amber Sharrad and Lauren Brown. Picture: Ben Clark

Amber Sharrad and Lauren Brown in the back of their car on the way to Melbourne. Picture: Ben Clark

Taylor Swift fans in Bordertown. Picture: Ben Clark

“It was just going to be me and Eva going originally,” Tamara said. “The little ones and Dad were going to have to miss out.”

However, the family had an amazingly lucky break when father Tony popped by the Ticketek booth at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre Thursday night after overhearing a rumour there might be a last-minute release.

“I walked past the Entertainment Centre and saw people waiting outside, there was a whiff that there could be some tickets going on sale in the next 15 minutes so I hung around and waited,” Tony said.

Taylor Swift fans Amy Wegner, 16, and her father Adam Wegner. Picture: Ben Clark

“It turned out to be true and suddenly heaps of people were running to get in line.”

“Tamara kept calling me over and over again and messaging me telling me to get down there. I was already paying for the tickets so I wasn’t able to respond and tell her I was on it. Everyone was so excited.”

Thanks to Tony’s lucky streak, now him and the family’s two younger daughters, Mila, 10, and Sopha, 8, get to join their mum and sister at the show.

Georgia Woodall from Soul Cafe in Bordertown said the business has “been non-stop for the past two days” with things “only just winding down” around 2pm Friday.