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Following a long-running run on the Las Vegas strip, the showgirls from the production Jubilee! executed their last perfectly timed kick in 2016. The show, renowned for its elaborate costumes created by style icon Bob Mackie, ended its run due to declining audience numbers and unimpressed reviewers who called it a spectacle “a relic of another era”.

Now, almost a decade later, showgirls, or at least the showgirl aesthetic, is making a comeback.

The King of Glitz

Dubbed the “master of glitz”, Mackie has made over-the-top showgirl glamour his signature style, dressing everyone from Hollywood icons to Madonna. Recently, a “barely-there” bodysuit he created for Cher in 1978 fetched $57,600, seven times its initial estimate, while a metallic tasseled bodysuit with reflective wings that Mackie created for Tina Turner for a 1977 show sold for $19,200.

“I think it looks more enticing for the new generation of stars who is looking for something other than what they grew up with”, he stated in an interview with a publication. “Today's artists are embracing a glamorous, more spectacular, attention-grabbing, entrance-making statement.”

The Mainstream Resurgence

It’s a look that glided all the way to the epicenter of mainstream fashion in 2025 propelled by a chart-topping superstar. In the past few months, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s classic Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her 12th studio album. The rhinestone encrusted bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and glittering headpiece were ideal for a record called The Life of a Showgirl.

Swift isn't alone. This year, glamorous nods have been embraced by music artists including Sabrina Carpenter as they whizzed across arena stages in sequins, strategic openings and ostrich feathers, illuminated against overstated sets. Lipa’s stylist a fashion expert told a style publication he wanted to bring “a showgirl attitude” to her Radical Optimism tour – referencing pictures from the 50s, the backup dancers wafted giant ostrich feather fans.

Drawing from Tradition

Lipa, Carpenter and other successful musicians also draw on 19th-century performances, including burlesque and dance line references. The results are worlds away from the 90s pop style of short shirts and baggy pants, and street-style dance moves that were popular earlier.

But certain observers are on board with this showgirl renaissance. An ex-showgirl, a former Jubilee! showgirl who danced in the 00s says the trend is “puzzling”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “used as an umbrella term encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now apparently Taylor Swift.”

The Highly Sought-After Vintage Style

For younger and young adult stars, Mackie’s classic designs have become incredibly sought-after. In 2024, Zendaya honored to one of Mackie’s earliest clients, Cher, when the actor wore a semi-sheer embellished dress designed by the designer in 2001, which was similar to one he designed for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, a singer paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie fringed mini dress she had worn previously to perform at the Grammys. In September, the singer wore a trio of classic Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among vintage enthusiasts.

“This style evoke fond memories for a historical elegance,” says Su Kim Chung, an expert at the University of Nevada, who documents the history of showgirls. “Currently it is seen as a sort of ‘acceptable’ allure because it has been adapted. It has got all the elegance, the crystals and the shine but without the nudity.”

More Than Just Fashion: An Icon of Las Vegas

Chung says showgirls are central to the imagery of Las Vegas. She points to one-time leader Oscar Goodman who, during official events, was surrounded by two showgirls. Even though Las Vegas currently lacks any traditional showgirl productions, the historian says they are still featured as an logo of the city, appearing at gatherings and in promotional material. “The showgirl is still a enduring figure of Vegas spectacle,” Chung says.

An Appeal of Escape

Hardy says the magical transformation of a showgirl is part of the appeal. This idea Swift references in a latest behind-the-scenes film that documents the off-camera action from her massive 2023 Eras tour, which included intense practice sessions, training and numerous concerts across dozens of cities, each lasting 3.5 hours.

She explains her own stage routines as “like running a marathon in high heels every night”. Her headdress tipped the scales at 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the stairs to the platform from the dressing rooms three floors below in the basement. I had to start early for my cue so I could rest before I went on stage. You are sweating the whole time but crafting this image that it’s simple and stunning and ethereal.”

Maybe this is where the appeal of the showgirl really lies. In the busyness of 2025 there is a desire for a break from reality. Who better to emulate than such icons, who have always personified fantasy, flawlessness and a world where nobody misses a mark.