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Fans love Taylor Swift for how open she is about her personal life, sharing all the intimate details of each of her heartbreaks (of which there are many).

But there is one reference to her favourite winter accessory that keeps popping up, taking her fans on a social media rollercoaster ride to try and figure out what it all means.

These “Swifties”, as her fans have been called, are poring over her lyrics for references and obsessing over a damn scarf.

The scarf was first referenced on Swift’s 2012 song ‘All Too Well’, which recently resurfaced via the release of her new album titled Red.

The album has also been subtitled (Taylor’s Version), as a way for Swift to re-record and regain ownership over six records which she claims were sold out from under her by her former label, reported The Guardian.

The song talks about an older man who broke her heart when she was 21, widely believed to be Jake Gyllenhaal.

She did date him back in 2010, which coincides with her singing about “weeping in a party bathroom” after the man did not attend her 21st:

Besides the other heartfelt lyrics, “and I was never good at telling jokes but the punchline goes, ‘I’ll get older but your lovers stay my age'”, the opening line is where the real juice is at:

“I walked through the door with you, the air was cold, but something about it felt like home somehow, and I left my scarf there at your sister’s house, and you’ve still got it in your drawer, even now.”

There’s the mention of the infamous scarf. Does that mean that Jake (or his sister) has the scarf?

Talking to Andy Cohen, Maggie Gyllenhaal doesn’t get the reference at all, but doesn’t deny that it is possible it is somewhere in her house:

Poor Jake is being bombarded on social media with pleas to return the scarf:

Whether or not it was Gyllenhaal, comments including “Where’s the scarf Jake?” and “Send the scarf back, it’s not too late” continue to be posted on the actor’s account.

Then, per Grazia, an anonymous source on gossip Instagram @DeuxMoi said they have the scarf with proof and are trying to find a way to get it back to Taylor.

Meanwhile, Broadway actor Andrew Burnap, apparently a friend of Jake’s, says he has it:

this is gonna sound crazy and you will definitely think i’m kidding but i’m not – i think i am in possession of that scarf.

— andrew burnap (@McDrewBur) November 12, 2021

He later admitted that “it’s not the scarf but it could have been and that’s what really matters.”

Moving on Swiftly…

Others have reason to believe that the scarf is actually a metaphor for Swift’s virginity, although that seems to be the most far-fetched theory out there.

Either way, Swift is not letting go of the reference, bringing it up like a fresh open wound in her just-dropped video of ‘I Bet You Think About Me’ feat. Chris Stapleton.

This via Mashable:

Swift prances around mischievously dressed head to toe in an array of red outfits, surrounded by uptight fancy folk who are dressed all in white.

She’s out of place, an outlier, wreaking havoc, and handing the bride a box containing a red scarf.

There it is again, the damn scarf:

I hate to tell you Swifties, as much fun as this all seems, but it is probably just a nice way for Swift to make some extra dosh.

I mean, she is actually flogging red scarves for $35 (R530) on her website and apparently they are selling like hot cake.

[sources:guardian&grazia&mashable]