Following a long-running run on the iconic Vegas strip, the dancers from the production Jubilee! took a final perfectly timed kick in 2016. The production, famous for its intricate costumes created by American fashion designer Bob Mackie, ended its run due to dwindling audience numbers and critical commentators who labeled it a spectacle “trapped in time”.
Now, roughly eight years later, showgirls, or at least the glamorous showgirl look, is making a comeback.
The King of Sparkle
Known as the “king of sparkle”, Mackie has made dramatic showgirl glamour his trademark look, outfitting everyone from Marilyn Monroe to pop royalty. Recently, a “see-through” bodysuit he designed for Cher in 1978 commanded $57,600, well over its projected value, while a metallic tasseled bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert sold for $19,200.
“I think it looks more appealing for the new generation of stars who is seeking something other than what they grew up with”, he explained to a publication. “Contemporary performers are embracing a theatrical, more dramatic, breathtaking, grand statement.”
A Musical Revival
It’s a look that glided all the way to the epicenter of popular culture in 2025 thanks to a chart-topping superstar. Recently, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s vintage Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her latest record. The rhinestone encrusted bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and shimmering headpiece were ideal for a record titled The Life of a Showgirl.
Swift isn't alone. This year, glamorous nods have been adopted by music artists including Dua Lipa as they zoomed across concert platforms in sequins, strategic openings and plumes, illuminated against overstated sets. Her fashion curator a fashion expert explained to a style publication he wanted to bring “a showgirl spirit” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the 1950s, Lipa’s dancers fluttered giant plumed accessories.
Pulling from Tradition
Lipa, Carpenter and other successful musicians also draw on historical entertainment forms, including classic theater and ensemble references. The final look are worlds away from the late-century pop style of crop tops and utilitarian trousers, and street-style dance moves that preceded this trend.
But certain observers are on board with this showgirl renaissance. Nancy Hardy, a former Jubilee! showgirl who performed in the early 2000s says the trend is “bemusing”. She thinks the word showgirl title is being “employed as an broad label encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now apparently Taylor Swift.”
A Coveted Classic Look
For gen Z and young adult stars, Mackie’s vintage designs have become highly covetable. In 2024, a style icon gave a nod to one of Mackie’s iconic muses, Cher, when the star wore a semi-sheer sequined 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 undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie tasseled mini dress she had worn earlier in the year to perform at the Grammys. In September, the singer wore a collection of classic Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among fashion collectors.
“This style bring about fond memories for a bygone era of glitz,” says a historian, head of special collections at the an academic institution, who studies the history of showgirls. “Now it is seen as a sort of ‘safe’ allure because it has been modified. It has got all the elegance, the crystals and the shine but without the bare skin.”
A Than Simply Style: An Symbol of Vegas
The expert says this figure are central to the identity of Vegas. She points to ex-mayor Oscar Goodman who, during official events, was accompanied by two showgirls. Although Las Vegas no longer has any showgirl-centric productions, Jung says they are still featured as an symbol of the city, showing up at conventions and in advertisements. “The showgirl is still a remaining symbol of Vegas spectacle,” Chung says.
The Allure of Transformation
The former showgirl says the magical transformation of a showgirl persona is part of the attraction. It’s something Taylor Swift references in a recent docuseries that documents the behind-the-scenes action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included intense practice sessions, gym sessions and countless shows across multiple nations, each lasting 3.5 hours.
Hardy recalls her own nights in the spotlight as “comparable to completing an endurance race in stilettos every night”. Her headpiece was 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the staircase to the platform from the backstage area three floors below in the lower level. I had to start early for my moment so I could rest before I performed. You are working hard the whole time but crafting this fantasy that it’s effortless and gorgeous and ethereal.”
Perhaps this is where the appeal of the showgirl fantasy really is found. In the busyness of 2025 there is a longing for a break from reality. Is there anyone better to look to than such icons, who have always represented make-believe, idealism and a world where nobody makes a mistake.
