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Following a 31-year run on the iconic Vegas strip, the performers from the revue Jubilee! gave one last perfectly timed kick in 2016. The extravaganza, known for its ornate costumes created by style icon Bob Mackie, came to an end due to declining audience numbers and disappointed critics who labeled it a spectacle “a relic of another era”.

Currently, roughly eight years later, the showgirl, or at least the showgirl style, is experiencing a revival.

A King of Glitz

Known as the “king of sparkle”, Mackie has made dramatic stage sparkle his signature style, outfitting everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Madonna. In a recent auction, a “naked” bodysuit he made for Cher in 1978 commanded $57,600, well over its estimated price, while a shimmering tasseled bodysuit with shiny wings that Mackie designed for Tina Turner for a 1977 performance sold for $19,200.

“I believe it looks more attractive for the emerging artists who is looking for something other than what they grew up with”, he told a newspaper. “Contemporary performers are striving for a theatrical, more dramatic, show-stopping, entrance-making statement.”

The Pop Culture Comeback

It’s a look that sashayed all the way to the heart of mainstream fashion in 2025 largely due to a chart-topping superstar. In the past few months, the entertainment titan wore one of Mackie’s original Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her new musical project. The crystal-covered bra and thong, ostrich-feather armbands and shimmering headpiece were perfect for a record named The Life of a Showgirl.

Swift is part of a trend. This year, showgirl references have been incorporated by singers including Dua Lipa as they danced across arena stages in sequins, revealing designs and plumes, illuminated against theatrical sets. A top stylist a fashion expert mentioned in an interview with Vogue he wanted to bring “a showgirl spirit” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the mid-century, her performers waved giant ostrich feather fans.

Pulling from the Past

Modern stars and other successful musicians also take inspiration from historical performances, including classic theater and dance line references. The results are vastly different from the 90s teen pop of revealing tops and utilitarian trousers, and street-style dance moves that were popular earlier.

But certain observers are convinced with this showgirl renaissance. Nancy Hardy, a ex- Jubilee! showgirl who performed in the 00s says the trend is “puzzling”. She thinks the word showgirl is being “used as an catch-all phrase encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now even modern pop stars.”

The Highly Sought-After Classic Style

For gen Z and modern stars, Mackie’s classic designs have become incredibly sought-after. In 2024, Zendaya gave a nod to one of Mackie’s first major stars, Cher, when the star wore a translucent embellished dress created by the designer in 2001, which was similar to one he designed for Cher to wear in 1967. Months after, Miley Cyrus paid an private amount to buy the Mackie fringed mini dress she had worn at an awards show 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 hit among fashion collectors.

“This style inspire fond memories for a bygone era of glitz,” says an archivist, a curator at the University of Nevada, who studies the history of showgirls. “Currently it is considered a sort of ‘toned-down’ sexy because it has been modified. It has got all the sophistication, the rhinestones and the sparkle but without the nudity.”

A Than Simply Fashion: An Symbol of Vegas

The expert says the showgirl image are key to the identity of Vegas. She points to one-time leader Oscar Goodman who, during civic functions, was surrounded by two showgirls. Even though Las Vegas does not host any traditional showgirl productions, the historian says they are still featured as an symbol of the city, showing up at corporate events and in advertisements. “The showgirl is still a lasting icon of Las Vegas glamour,” the expert says.

The Appeal of Transformation

The former showgirl says the transformative effect of a showgirl persona is part of the appeal. It’s something Taylor Swift hints at in a new docuseries that documents the off-camera action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included gruelling practice sessions, workouts and 149 concerts across 21 countries, each going on for 3.5 hours.

Hardy recalls her own nights in the spotlight as “similar to extreme physical exertion in stilettos every night”. Her headpiece weighed 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the steps to the stage from the green rooms three floors below in the underground. I had to start early for my entrance so I could catch my breath before I performed. You’re perspiring the whole time but creating this illusion that it’s effortless and stunning and ethereal.”

Maybe this is where the true allure of the showgirl really lies. In the chaos of 2025 there is a longing for a break from reality. Who better to turn to than these performers, who have always represented fantasy, flawlessness and a realm where no one misses a mark.