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Following a 31-year tenure on the iconic Vegas strip, the showgirls from the revue Jubilee! executed their last perfectly timed kick in 2016. The production, known for its ornate costumes created by celebrated designer Bob Mackie, closed its doors due to falling audience numbers and critical reviewers who described it as a spectacle “stuck in the past”.

Currently, almost a decade later, the showgirl persona, or at least the glamorous showgirl look, is back.

A Sultan of Sequins

Referred to as the “master of glitz”, Mackie has made dramatic stage sparkle his trademark look, outfitting everyone from screen legends to pop royalty. In a recent auction, a “barely-there” bodysuit he designed for Cher in 1978 fetched $57,600, well over its initial estimate, while a metallic beaded bodysuit with shiny wings that Mackie designed for Tina Turner for a 1977 performance sold for $19,200.

“I think it looks more attractive for the younger performer who is desiring something other than what they knew from childhood”, he explained to a publication. “Contemporary performers are striving for a glamorous, more theatrical, show-stopping, entrance-making statement.”

A Musical Resurgence

It’s a look that made its way all the way to the heart of popular culture in 2025 propelled by Taylor Swift. Earlier this year, the cultural juggernaut wore one of Mackie’s vintage Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her new musical project. The crystal-covered bra and thong, plumed armbands and glittering headpiece were ideal for a record named The Life of a Showgirl.

Swift isn't alone. This year, glamorous nods have been adopted by singers including Sabrina Carpenter as they zoomed across arena stages in sequins, strategic openings and plumes, illuminated against camp sets. Her fashion curator a fashion expert told a style publication he wanted to bring “a stage persona” to her Radical Optimism tour – referencing pictures from the 1950s, Lipa’s dancers waved giant feathered fans.

Drawing from History

These artists and other hitmakers also draw on 19th-century entertainment forms, including burlesque and ensemble references. The final look are worlds away from the 1990s era pop style of short shirts and cargo pants, and hip-hop inspired dance moves that preceded this trend.

But certain observers are enthusiastic with this glamour resurgence. A former performer, a former Jubilee! showgirl who performed in the early 2000s says the trend is “confusing”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “used as an catch-all phrase covering everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now seemingly modern pop stars.”

A Coveted Retro Style

For millennial and young adult stars, Mackie’s retro designs have become incredibly sought-after. In 2024, a style icon honored to one of Mackie’s earliest clients, Cher, when the actor wore a semi-sheer sequined dress designed by the designer in 2001, which was reminiscent of one he designed for Cher to wear in 1967. Subsequently, a singer paid an undisclosed sum to buy the Mackie beaded mini dress she had worn at an awards show to perform at the Grammys. In September, Sabrina Carpenter wore a trio of vintage Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a hit among collectors.

“This style bring about fond memories for a historical elegance,” says an archivist, an expert at the an academic institution, who documents the legacy of showgirls. “Currently it is considered a sort of ‘acceptable’ sexy because it has been modified. It has got all the glamour, the crystals and the glitter but without the exposure.”

A Than Just Fashion: An Icon of Las Vegas

She says the showgirl image are key to the identity of Sin City. She points to former mayor Oscar Goodman who, during public appearances, was accompanied by two showgirls. Although Las Vegas no longer has any showgirl-based productions, the historian says they are still featured as an logo of the city, appearing at gatherings and in marketing. “The showgirl is still a lasting symbol of Vegas glamour,” the expert says.

The Appeal of Transformation

The former showgirl says the complete change of a stage character is part of the attraction. It’s something Taylor Swift hints at in a latest docuseries that documents the behind-the-scenes action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included exhausting rehearsals, training and countless shows across multiple nations, each going on for 3.5 hours.

She recalls her own showgirl performances as “similar to running a marathon in stilettos every night”. Her headpiece was 34lbs. “I had to wear it all the way up the staircase to the stage from the green rooms three floors below in the underground. I had to leave early for my moment so I could recover before I went on stage. You are sweating the whole time but crafting this illusion that it’s effortless and beautiful and dreamlike.”

Perhaps this is where the fascination of the showgirl really lies. In the complexity of 2025 there is a longing for escapism. Is there anyone better to emulate than such icons, who have always embodied fantasy, idealism and a world where no one makes a mistake.