Look of the Week: Taylor Swift enters her showgirl era

Look of the Week: Taylor Swift enters her showgirl era

With Taylor Swift, each new album signals the dawn of a new “era,” and every era comes with its own signature style. For her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl, Swift channels the glittering glamour of a Las Vegas performer.

This marks a dramatic shift from the cozy wool coats and broderie-anglais dresses of Folklore (2020) or the copper-hued baker boy hats of Red (2012). On this record, Swift delves into a defining chapter of her life—her journey as a global pop sensation and polished entertainer. Her 2024 Era’s Tour, spanning 51 cities across five continents, became the highest-grossing tour in history. Speaking on New Heights, the podcast hosted by her boyfriend Travis Kelce and his brother Jason, Swift revealed she wrote much of the album during the tour’s European leg. “Literally living the life of a showgirl,” Kelce said. “It’s the life behind it all, the life beyond the show,” Swift added.

On the cover of The Life of a Showgirl, Swift wears a crystal-embellished demi-bra, with delicate webs of jewels cascading down her torso as she reclines in what appears to be a bathtub. In another striking image, she stretches her arms wide, clad in a showgirl-inspired ensemble glittering with gemstones. Yet, these glamorous, sensual costumes are set against the backdrop of empty theaters and cold, green lighting—a subtle nod to the quieter, lonelier moments once the audience has gone.

While revealing more skin represents a new artistic direction for Swift, she is far from alone in drawing on the visual language of showgirls. Pop stars have long looked to this iconic image for inspiration.

The showgirl aesthetic traces back to late 19th-century Parisian music halls, where chorus girls, burlesque performers, and fan dancers were defined by their dazzling, often revealing matching outfits. The Las Vegas showgirl—an evolution of this tradition—has become synonymous with crystal cage bras, diamanté panties, and towering feathered headdresses.

Stars such as Beyoncé, Katy Perry, and Mariah Carey have all embraced the iconic look: Carey in her 2009 music video “I Stay in Love”, Perry in “Waking Up in Vegas” that same year, and Beyoncé during a 2012 performance at an entertainment resort in Atlantic City. Christina Aguilera’s unforgettable “Lady Marmalade” performance in Moulin Rouge cemented her connection to showgirl styling; she also serves as an executive producer on Burlesque: The Musical in London’s West End. Kylie Minogue’s 2005 tour featured at least four songs performed in crystal-studded leotards, giant feather bustles, and elaborate feather headdresses. More recently, Addison Rae’s 2025 self-titled album rollout included a gem-encrusted cage bra for her “High Fashion” music video.

Why are pop stars drawn to the glittering world of showgirls? It may be the feminine glamour, the intricate costumes, and the stage-ready makeup designed to captivate audiences. But it could also reflect admiration for the performers themselves: their discipline, talent, and relentless work ethic.

Last year, night after night, Swift commanded stadiums in high-energy performances, drawing on a seemingly inexhaustible well of stamina—a schedule rivaling that of any Vegas showgirl. On the album, she said, “It’s what I was going through off-stage.” Behind the glitter and sequins, both Swift and the showgirls she emulates understand one truth: no matter what happens in private, the show must go on.