🔗 Share this article How 'Showgirl' Emerged as the Glittering Look of the New Year Following a 31-year tenure on the iconic Vegas strip, the dancers from the revue Jubilee! gave one last synchronised kick in 2016. The production, renowned for its intricate costumes crafted by style icon Bob Mackie, closed its doors due to dwindling audience numbers and unimpressed reviewers who described it as a spectacle “stuck in the past”. Currently, nearly ten years later, the showgirl persona, or at least the showgirl style, is back. A Master of Sequins Referred to as the “king of sparkle”, Mackie has made theatrical showgirl glamour his trademark look, outfitting everyone from Hollywood icons to Madonna. In a recent auction, a “barely-there” bodysuit he made for Cher in 1978 fetched $57,600, seven times its projected value, while a metallic fringed bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert sold for $19,200. “I think it looks more enticing for the emerging artists who is looking for something other than what they grew up with”, he told a newspaper. “Today's artists are pushing toward a show-stopping, more spectacular, show-stopping, grand statement.” The Pop Culture Resurgence It’s a look that glided all the way to the heart of mainstream fashion in 2025 largely due to Taylor Swift. Earlier this year, the music phenomenon wore one of Mackie’s classic Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her latest record. The bedazzled bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and shimmering headpiece were perfect for a record titled The Life of a Showgirl. She isn't alone. This year, showgirl references have been embraced by pop stars including Miley Cyrus as they whizzed across arena stages in glitter, strategic openings and feathers, spotlighted against theatrical sets. Lipa’s stylist a fashion expert explained to a style publication he wanted to bring “a showgirl spirit” to her Radical Optimism tour – inspired by pictures from the mid-century, the backup dancers waved giant feathered fans. Drawing from Tradition Lipa, Carpenter and other hitmakers also take inspiration from historical entertainment forms, including classic theater and dance line references. The outcome are worlds away from the 1990s era teen pop of crop tops and baggy pants, and hip-hop inspired dance moves that preceded this trend. But some critics are enthusiastic with this showgirl revival. Nancy Hardy, a former Jubilee! showgirl who danced in the 00s says the trend is “puzzling”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “treated as an broad label encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now apparently today's icons.” A Coveted Retro Look For millennial and young adult stars, Mackie’s classic designs have become highly covetable. In 2024, Zendaya gave a nod to one of Mackie’s first major stars, Cher, when the actress wore a semi-sheer embellished dress made by the designer in 2001, which was reminiscent of one he designed for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, another pop star paid an private amount to buy the Mackie beaded mini dress she had worn previously to perform at the Grammys. In September, Carpenter wore a trio of vintage Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among vintage enthusiasts. “The showgirl aesthetic inspire a sense of longing for a bygone era of glitz,” says an archivist, an expert at the an academic institution, who studies the history of showgirls. “Now it is seen as a sort of ‘acceptable’ allure because it has been updated. It has got all the elegance, the sparkles and the shine but without the nudity.” More Than Simply Fashion: An Icon of Las Vegas The expert says the showgirl image are integral to the identity of Las Vegas. She points to ex-mayor Oscar Goodman who, during civic functions, was flanked by two showgirls. Although Las Vegas no longer has any showgirl-based productions, Chung says they are still featured as an logo of the city, showing up at conventions and in promotional material. “The showgirl is still a enduring icon of Vegas glitz and glamour,” the expert says. An Allure of Transformation Nancy Hardy says the magical transformation of a showgirl persona is part of the appeal. It’s something the singer alludes to in a new behind-the-scenes film that captures the behind-the-scenes action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included exhausting rehearsals, training and 149 concerts across 21 countries, each going on for 3.5 hours. She describes her own stage routines as “comparable to completing an endurance race in heels every night”. Her headpiece was 34lbs. “I had to wear it all the way up the steps to the stage from the backstage area three floors below in the lower level. I had to leave early for my entrance so I could catch my breath before I made my entrance. You’re sweating the whole time but maintaining this image that it’s simple and stunning and ethereal.” Maybe this is where the fascination of the showgirl fantasy really is found. In the busyness of 2025 there is a desire for fantasy. What better figure to look to than showgirls, who have always embodied make-believe, idealism and a universe where nobody misses a mark.