Why 'Showgirl Glamour' Emerged as the Dazzling Look of This Year

Following a long-running tenure on the Las Vegas strip, the dancers from the revue Jubilee! gave one last synchronised kick in 2016. The production, renowned for its ornate costumes crafted by celebrated designer Bob Mackie, closed its doors due to declining audience numbers and disappointed commentators who labeled it a spectacle “a relic of another era”.

Currently, nearly ten years later, showgirls, or at least the showgirl style, is experiencing a revival.

The King of Sparkle

Known as the “sultan of sequins”, Mackie has made over-the-top stage sparkle his trademark look, dressing everyone from Hollywood icons to pop royalty. Recently, a “naked” bodysuit he designed for Cher in 1978 fetched $57,600, seven times its initial estimate, while a silver and gold tasseled bodysuit with shiny wings that Mackie created for Tina Turner for a 1977 show sold for $19,200.

“I believe it looks more enticing for the younger performer who is seeking something other than what they grew up with”, he explained to a media outlet. “Today's artists are pushing toward a glamorous, more spectacular, breathtaking, memorable statement.”

A Mainstream Revival

It’s a look that sashayed all the way to the heart of the cultural zeitgeist in 2025 largely due to Taylor Swift. Earlier this year, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her new musical project. The rhinestone encrusted bra and thong, feathered armbands and shimmering headpiece were perfect for a record named The Life of a Showgirl.

The singer isn't alone. This year, glamorous nods have been adopted by pop stars including Sabrina Carpenter as they zoomed across concert platforms in glitter, cut-outs and plumes, spotlighted against theatrical sets. Lipa’s stylist Lorenzo Posocco told a fashion magazine he wanted to bring “a showgirl attitude” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the mid-century, Lipa’s dancers waved giant feathered fans.

Pulling from Tradition

Lipa, Carpenter and other successful musicians also reference classic performances, including classic theater and chorus line references. The outcome are poles apart from the 90s teen pop of revealing tops and baggy pants, and street-style dance moves that were popular earlier.

But certain observers are convinced with this showgirl renaissance. A former performer, a former Jubilee! showgirl who entertained in the 2000s says the trend is “bemusing”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “used as an umbrella term covering everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now seemingly Taylor Swift.”

A Highly Sought-After Classic Style

For gen Z and young adult stars, Mackie’s retro designs have become highly covetable. In 2024, a famous actress paid tribute to one of Mackie’s first major stars, Cher, when the star wore a semi-sheer embellished dress designed by the designer in 2001, which was inspired by one he created for Cher to wear in 1967. Subsequently, a singer paid an private amount to buy the Mackie beaded mini dress she had worn at an awards show to perform at the Grammys. In September, Carpenter wore a collection of classic Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among fashion collectors.

“This style inspire fond memories for a historical elegance,” says an archivist, a curator at the University of Nevada, who documents the legacy of showgirls. “Now it is viewed as a sort of ‘acceptable’ allure because it has been updated. It has got all the sophistication, the crystals and the shine but without the nudity.”

A Than Just Fashion: An Icon of the City

Chung says showgirls are central to the iconography of Sin City. She points to one-time leader Oscar Goodman who, during official events, was flanked by two showgirls. Even though Las Vegas currently lacks any showgirl-based productions, Chung says they are still employed as an emblem of the city, showing up at gatherings and in advertisements. “The showgirl is still a remaining figure of Vegas spectacle,” she says.

The Allure of Illusion

The former showgirl says the complete change of a showgirl is part of the allure. This is a notion Taylor Swift hints at in a latest behind-the-scenes film that captures the off-camera action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included gruelling rehearsals, workouts and countless performances across dozens of cities, each lasting 3.5 hours.

Hardy describes her own stage routines as “similar to extreme physical exertion in stilettos every night”. Her feathered headdress was 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the steps to the performance area from the dressing rooms three floors below in the underground. I had to head up ahead of time for my entrance so I could catch my breath before I made my entrance. One is perspiring the whole time but creating this image that it’s simple and stunning and magical.”

It could be this is where the fascination of the showgirl really is found. In the busyness of 2025 there is a longing for a break from reality. Who better to turn to than these performers, who have always embodied fantasy, flawlessness and a realm where nobody makes a mistake.