With her towering headwear and sparkling body suit, the showgirl is an instantly recognizable, cross cultural pop icon--and one that is front and center currently with the debut of Taylor Swift's latest album The Life of a Showgirl. In this two-part episode from 2020, we explore the showgirl's lesser known relationship to fashion, a love affair that extends back over one hundred years.

Recommended reading:

Andrea Stuart's Showgirls
Linda Mizejewski, Ziegfeld Girl: Image and Icon in Culture and Cinema
Jane Merrill’s The Showgirl Costume: An Illustrated History

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Fashion and the Showgirl, Part I (Dressed Classic)