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After a long-running tenure on the Las Vegas strip, the showgirls from the spectacle Jubilee! gave one last choreographed kick in 2016. The production, known for its elaborate costumes crafted by style icon Bob Mackie, came to an end due to dwindling audience numbers and disappointed commentators who described it as a spectacle “stuck in the past”.

Now, nearly ten years later, the showgirl persona, or at least the glamorous showgirl look, is back.

A Sultan of Glitz

Referred to as the “sultan of sequins”, Mackie has made over-the-top showgirl glitz his defining aesthetic, clothing everyone from Hollywood icons to Madonna. In a recent auction, a “see-through” bodysuit he made for Cher in 1978 commanded $57,600, seven times its initial estimate, while a metallic fringed bodysuit with lamé wings that Mackie crafted for Tina Turner for a 1977 concert sold for $19,200.

“I believe it looks more attractive for the younger performer who is looking for something other than what they grew up with”, he told a media outlet. “New stars are embracing a glamorous, more spectacular, breathtaking, entrance-making statement.”

A Pop Culture Resurgence

It’s a look that sashayed all the way to the epicenter of mainstream fashion in 2025 propelled by a global pop icon. Earlier this year, the entertainment titan wore one of Mackie’s vintage Jubilee! costumes on the cover of her new musical project. The crystal-covered bra and thong, feathered armbands and shimmering headpiece were perfect for a record called The Life of a Showgirl.

She isn't alone. This year, showgirl references have been embraced by pop stars including Dua Lipa as they danced across world tours in sequins, cut-outs and ostrich feathers, spotlighted against theatrical sets. A top stylist her creative director mentioned in an interview with a style publication he wanted to bring “a showgirl attitude” to her Radical Optimism tour – drawing from pictures from the 50s, Lipa’s dancers waved giant ostrich feather fans.

Drawing from History

Modern stars and other hitmakers also draw on historical performances, including classic theater and ensemble references. The final look are vastly different from the late-century Britney Spears era of short shirts and cargo pants, and urban dance moves that preceded this trend.

But certain observers are on board with this showgirl revival. Nancy Hardy, a former Jubilee! showgirl who danced in the 00s says the trend is “confusing”. She thinks the word showgirl title is being “treated as an catch-all phrase encompassing everything from The Radio City Rockettes to Broadway performers and now even Taylor Swift.”

A Highly Sought-After Classic Style

For gen Z and millennial stars, Mackie’s retro designs have become highly covetable. In 2024, a style icon honored to one of Mackie’s earliest clients, Cher, when the star wore a see-through beaded dress created by the designer in 2001, which was reminiscent of one he designed for Cher to wear in 1967. Later that year, Miley Cyrus paid an significant price to buy the Mackie tasseled mini dress she had worn previously to perform at the Grammys. In September, Sabrina Carpenter wore a collection of retro Mackie designs at the MTV Video Music Awards. They are also a favorite among collectors.

“This style inspire a sense of longing for a historical elegance,” says a historian, an expert at the an academic institution, who researches the story of showgirls. “Currently it is viewed as a sort of ‘toned-down’ allure because it has been modified. It has got all the elegance, the crystals and the sparkle but without the nudity.”

More Than Simply Style: An Symbol of Las Vegas

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

The Allure of Transformation

Nancy Hardy says the complete change of a showgirl persona is part of the allure. It’s something the singer alludes to in a recent documentary series that captures the behind-the-scenes action from her extensive 2023 Eras tour, which included intense rehearsals, workouts and countless shows across dozens of cities, each lasting 3.5 hours.

The performer recalls her own nights in the spotlight as “similar to extreme physical exertion in stilettos every night”. Her headdress was 34lbs. “I had to carry it all the way up the staircase to the stage from the green rooms three floors below in the lower level. I had to start early for my entrance so I could rest before I performed. One is working hard the whole time but crafting this fantasy that it’s easy and stunning and dreamlike.”

Maybe this is where the true allure of the showgirl fantasy really is found. In the busyness of 2025 there is a longing for a break from reality. Who better to emulate than showgirls, who have always represented dreams, flawlessness and a world where no one makes a mistake.