Why 'Showgirl Glamour' Transformed into the Sparkling Look of This Year

After a three-decade run on the Las Vegas strip, the showgirls from the production Jubilee! took a final perfectly timed kick in 2016. The production, known for its elaborate costumes crafted by American fashion designer Bob Mackie, came to an end due to declining audience numbers and disappointed reviewers who labeled it a spectacle “a relic of another era”.

Today, almost a decade later, the showgirl persona, or at least the showgirl aesthetic, is experiencing a revival.

The Sultan of Glitz

Referred to as the “king of sparkle”, Mackie has made theatrical showgirl glamour his defining aesthetic, dressing everyone from screen legends to Madonna. In a recent auction, a “see-through” bodysuit he created for Cher in 1978 commanded $57,600, far exceeding its projected value, while a silver and gold tasseled bodysuit with lamé wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 performance sold for $19,200.

“I think it looks more enticing for the younger performer who is looking for something other than what they were accustomed to”, he told a newspaper. “Today's artists are embracing a theatrical, more theatrical, breathtaking, entrance-making statement.”

A Musical Resurgence

It’s a look that sashayed all the way to the heart of mainstream fashion in 2025 propelled by a chart-topping superstar. In the past few months, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her latest record. The rhinestone encrusted bra and thong, feathered armbands and sparkly headpiece were ideal for a record named The Life of a Showgirl.

Swift isn't alone. This year, glamorous nods have been embraced by pop stars including Sabrina Carpenter as they danced across arena stages in sequins, strategic openings and plumes, spotlighted against overstated sets. A top stylist a fashion expert explained to a style publication he wanted to bring “a stage persona” to her Radical Optimism tour – referencing pictures from the mid-century, the backup dancers fluttered giant plumed accessories.

Drawing from the Past

Modern stars and other chart toppers also take inspiration from classic performances, including vaudeville and dance line references. The final look are worlds away from the 90s teen pop of short shirts and cargo pants, and urban dance moves that preceded this trend.

But certain observers are convinced with this showgirl revival. A former performer, a ex- Jubilee! showgirl who performed in the early 2000s says the trend is “puzzling”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “employed as an umbrella term including everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now even today's icons.”

The Highly Sought-After Classic Style

For younger and young adult stars, Mackie’s vintage designs have become extremely desirable. In 2024, a famous actress honored to one of Mackie’s first major stars, Cher, when the star wore a see-through embellished dress designed by the designer in 2001, which was reminiscent of one he designed for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, Miley Cyrus paid an significant price to buy the Mackie beaded mini dress she had worn at an awards show to perform at the Grammys. In September, the singer wore a collection of retro Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a hit among vintage enthusiasts.

“The showgirl aesthetic bring about nostalgia for a historical elegance,” says an archivist, a curator at the University of Nevada, who researches the legacy of showgirls. “Today it is viewed as a sort of ‘acceptable’ appeal because it has been adapted. It has got all the glamour, the rhinestones and the sparkle but without the bare skin.”

More Than Simply Style: An Symbol of Vegas

The expert says this figure are key to the identity of Las Vegas. She points to one-time leader Oscar Goodman who, during official events, was accompanied by two showgirls. Even though Las Vegas no longer has any traditional showgirl productions, the historian says they are still used as an symbol of the city, showing up at corporate events and in advertisements. “The showgirl is still a enduring figure of Vegas spectacle,” the expert says.

The Appeal of Transformation

Nancy Hardy says the magical transformation of a showgirl persona is part of the appeal. This idea Taylor Swift alludes to in a recent docuseries that documents the backstage action from her massive 2023 Eras tour, which included intense practice sessions, workouts and countless performances across dozens of cities, each running for 3.5 hours.

She explains her own nights in the spotlight as “similar to completing an endurance race in high heels every night”. Her feathered headdress weighed 34lbs. “I had to support it all the way up the staircase to the platform from the green rooms 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 crafting this fantasy that it’s easy and stunning and dreamlike.”

Perhaps this is where the fascination of the showgirl fantasy really resides. In the busyness of 2025 there is a desire for a break from reality. Who better to turn to than showgirls, who have always embodied fantasy, perfection and a realm where no one makes a mistake.