Why 'Showgirl' Transformed into the Glittering Look of the New Year

After a 31-year run on the iconic Vegas strip, the dancers from the spectacle Jubilee! took a final choreographed kick in 2016. The extravaganza, famous for its ornate costumes created by American fashion designer Bob Mackie, came to an end due to dwindling audience numbers and critical reviewers who called it a spectacle “a relic of another era”.

Now, roughly eight years later, the showgirl, or at least the showgirl aesthetic, is back.

A Sultan of Sequins

Known as the “sultan of sequins”, Mackie has made dramatic stage sparkle his signature style, outfitting everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Madonna. In a recent auction, a “see-through” bodysuit he designed for Cher in 1978 commanded $57,600, well over its initial estimate, while a metallic beaded bodysuit with lamé wings that Mackie created for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert sold for $19,200.

“In my view it looks more appealing for the younger performer who is desiring something other than what they were accustomed to”, he stated in an interview with a newspaper. “New stars are embracing a show-stopping, more theatrical, attention-grabbing, memorable statement.”

The Musical Comeback

It’s a look that made its way all the way to the heart of mainstream fashion in 2025 propelled by a chart-topping superstar. Recently, the entertainment titan 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 glittering headpiece were ideal for a record titled The Life of a Showgirl.

Swift isn't alone. This year, showgirl inspirations have been embraced by music artists including Miley Cyrus as they danced across arena stages in sequins, strategic openings and feathers, spotlighted against overstated sets. Her fashion curator a fashion expert told a style publication he wanted to bring “a showgirl spirit” to her Radical Optimism tour – inspired by pictures from the mid-century, her performers waved giant ostrich feather fans.

Drawing from History

Modern stars and other chart toppers also reference historical performances, including burlesque and ensemble references. The final look are poles apart from the 1990s era Britney Spears era of revealing tops and baggy pants, and street-style dance moves that were popular earlier.

But some critics are enthusiastic with this glamour resurgence. Nancy Hardy, a former Jubilee! showgirl who entertained in the early 2000s says the trend is “puzzling”. She thinks the word term is being “used as an broad label including everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now apparently modern pop stars.”

The Highly Sought-After Retro Style

For millennial and millennial stars, Mackie’s vintage designs have become incredibly sought-after. In 2024, Zendaya gave a nod to one of Mackie’s iconic muses, Cher, when the star wore a semi-sheer embellished dress created by the designer in 2001, which was inspired by one he created for Cher to wear in 1967. Later that year, another pop star 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, the singer wore a collection of vintage Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a popular item among vintage enthusiasts.

“This style bring about fond memories for a past glamour,” says an archivist, an expert at the an academic institution, who researches the history of showgirls. “Today it is seen as a sort of ‘acceptable’ appeal because it has been updated. It has got all the glamour, the sparkles and the shine but without the bare skin.”

More Than Just Fashion: An Symbol of Las Vegas

She says showgirls are central to the identity of Las Vegas. She points to ex-mayor Oscar Goodman who, during official events, was surrounded by two showgirls. Even though Las Vegas currently lacks any showgirl-based productions, Chung says they are still featured as an symbol of the city, being present at conventions and in marketing. “The showgirl is still a enduring figure of Vegas spectacle,” Chung says.

An Allure of Illusion

Hardy says the magical transformation of a showgirl persona is part of the allure. This idea Swift hints at in a recent behind-the-scenes film that shows the off-camera action from her year-long 2023 Eras tour, which included exhausting practice sessions, gym sessions and 149 concerts across multiple nations, each lasting 3.5 hours.

She describes her own showgirl performances as “similar to completing an endurance race in heels every night”. Her feathered headdress was 34lbs. “I had to support it all the way up the stairs to the performance area from the backstage area three floors below in the underground. I had to start early for my moment so I could recover before I went on stage. You are perspiring the whole time but crafting this image that it’s effortless and beautiful and ethereal.”

Perhaps this is where the fascination of the showgirl really is found. In the busyness of 2025 there is a desire for fantasy. Is there anyone better to look to than showgirls, who have always embodied dreams, flawlessness and a world where nobody misses a mark.