Welcome to my Taylor Swift Merch Collection.

Now listen, some people collect basketball cards, some people collect action figures, and some people collect nicknacks from their childhood… me? I collect Taylor Swift merch. I have been collecting Taylor Swift merch since I was around 8 or 9 years old. My first piece of Taylor Swift merch was a Taylor Swift book from the school book fair and a set of debut guitar picks that my family got me right next to my first guitar for christmas. I don’t think my family knew that a sweet and kind christmas gift would turn into me, a 25 year old girl, spending all of her money on more Taylor Swift Merch but here we are. All jokes aside, here are my favorite pieces of merch in my collection and how they came to be. 

First up, we have a few items from my favorite category of old Taylor Swift Merch: her perfumes. Not only do I love her perfumes, I also love the little add ons that they would include in purchases. These two bags are my favorites in my collection because they give off the most beautiful, vintage and boho vibes, which was the epitome of the Speak Now Era. Wonderstruck and Wonderstruck enchanted are, both, such ethereal scents that their bags had to match that vibe, of course. Now how do we convince Taylor to re-release her perfumes and include these bags with our purchases?

One of my prized possessions, and I don’t say that lightly, is my 1989 signed lithograph. Back in the 1989 era, Taylor released “Presale Packages” in a tier system which had the highest tier including a framed, signed 9 Faces Lithograph. I had this frame hung up in my bedroom for years and it is one of my favorite 1989 memorabilia. It perfectly encapsulates the aesthetic that I associate with 1989 and, selfishly, fits in with my room decor perfectly. 

Going all the way back to 2011, Taylor collaborated with Papyrus on numerous merch products but one of the best, in my opinion, was the hardcover journals. Taylor created a few designs in these journals and sold them on her website. This is one of my favorite pieces of merch because it was my 11 year old self’s favorite piece of merch. When I was in 6th grade, like everyone, I went through a phase of wanting to be like Taylor Swift and write my own music. This journal holds so many angsty, teen emotions and I know how much writing it all down meant to my little 6th grade self. This is why I hold this piece of merch very close to my heart. 

It wouldn’t be a blog post of mine if I didn’t include a piece of apparel. This folklore sweater, that was included in the holiday collection a few years back, is one of my favorites in my collection because it checks all the boxes. This sweater screams “Taylor Swift Merch” just enough for it to not be overpowering and has the perfect classic look for you to style into your everyday outfits. The amount of outfits I have created with this sweater are astronomical because I can't get enough. 

I couldn’t just pick one out of this next collection of merch because I love them all equally (maybe 1989 a bit more… obviously). These Japanese editions of Taylor’s CDs are my favorite. One, because they include so many cute add ons and exclusive things just for these editions and two, because they remind me of when I first started collecting these while living in Japan a few years ago. While living in Japan, there were times I felt very lonely and lost, but being able to hunt for these editions with my husband and go on trips to little Japanese record stores to find these gems was so much fun and really lifted my spirits when I needed it the most. 

Of course I had to save this one for last. This is my 1 out of 12 signed Taylor by Taylor Made of Starlight Musical Boxes released in 2014. Back in 2014, I received an email from Taylor’s fragrance team wanting to send me this perfume before it released. My 13 year old self was GEEKED at the thought of this. I remember seeing that it was signed and being so grateful and… confused… that I could be one of these lucky people. This is, by far, my most prized possession because I know how much this meant to my 13 year old self. And I often think about how she would react if she knew everything that would come after this surprise gift. I think she would be really proud.