Dressed: The History of Fashion

Episode: Fashion and the Showgirl, Part I (Dressed Classic)

Hosts: April Callahan and Cassidy Zachary
Date: October 8, 2025

Overview

This episode explores the long-standing, glamorous relationship between fashion and the showgirl. Rather than a comprehensive history of showgirls or their costumes, April and Cassidy take listeners on a journey through the evolution of the showgirl as a fashion icon—from the iconic Parisian demimondaines to the rise of Ziegfeld Girls on Broadway, and onto the catwalks of haute couture. The discussion delves into the interplay between performance, sexual appeal, and spectacle, spotlighting designers and performers whose legacies dovetail in the world of dazzling costume and high fashion.

Key Themes and Discussion Points

The Showgirl Archetype and its Cultural Imagery

[01:43] – [03:42]

• Cassidy Zachary opens with evocative images that the term "showgirl" conjures—think Moulin Rouge, Las Vegas, Mistinguett, Madonna—and the contradictions and fantasies attached to her persona:

  “She stands with her arms held aloft, her scantily clad body framed by headdresses and back pieces which seem to defy gravity.” (Cassidy, 01:43)

• April Callahan continues, highlighting cultural icons and literary/stage figures symbolizing the showgirl’s allure, like Zola's Nana or Marlene Dietrich's Lola.
• The hosts reference Andrea Stewart’s seminal 1996 book “Showgirls,” which established the showgirl as “one of the most instantly recognizable icons of modern times.” (Cassidy, 03:13)

Fashion's Enduring Love Affair with Showgirls

[04:43] – [05:59]

• April emphasizes that fashion’s fascination with the showgirl is a century-old trend:

  “Fashion loves showgirls... Josephine Baker... has been a source of inspiration for fashion designers ever since she took Paris by storm in the 1920s.” (April, 04:43)

• Designers from Paul Poiret to Marc Jacobs, Victoria’s Secret, and Jean Paul Gaultier have all drawn from showgirl iconography.

What is a Showgirl? Origins and Definitions

[05:59] – [07:29]

• The modern American showgirl is rooted in Parisian tradition.
• April quotes Stewart: early 20th century "showgirl" referred both to:
  1. A theatrical role—"be-feathered women posing in the spectacular revues of the period."
  2. A general term for women in popular theater, "from chorus showgirl to major star."

Belle Epoque Paris: The Birthplace of the Fashionable Showgirl

[07:29] – [09:25]

• Noted venues: Folies Bergeres (1869), Moulin Rouge (1889)—run by famous courtesans (Emmeline d’Assignon, Liane de Pougy, etc.).
• Publicity and fashion merged as images of these women circulated on posters and postcards, captivating the public.
• Their ambiguous social status allowed them to both set trends and remain provocative outsiders.

Theater as a Fashion Showroom

[09:25] – [10:57]

• The theater became a battleground for fashion display—critics saw some plays as "thinly veiled fashion advertisements."
• This period witnessed the introduction of three crucial retail/theater crossover concepts:
  1. The department store
  2. The fashion model
  3. The fashion show

Lucile Duff Gordon: Pioneer of the Fashion Show

[11:59] – [14:30]

• Cassidy recounts how British designer Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon) revolutionized fashion via “mannequin parades”—early theatrical runway shows rich in music, drama, and narrative.
• Lucile introduced mannequin parades in the U.S. by 1916, democratizing fashion shows through public spectacles.
• Lucile walked the line between exclusive couture and mass fashion, even partnering with Sears & Roebuck on one of the first designer ready-to-wear lines. (April, 14:36)

Ziegfeld Follies: Americanizing the Showgirl

[15:09] – [18:07]

• Lucile teamed with showman Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. for the Ziegfeld Follies, launching a new kind of celebrity: the Ziegfeld Girl.
• The Follies transformed revues into fashion-infused spectacles—sometimes staging scenes around Lucile’s gowns and designs.
• Excerpted recollection by Lucile of Ziegfeld’s awe at her stage tableau:

  “He sat there and saw the curtain go up on a scene which might have come out of the Arabian Nights... He implored Lucile, ‘I have got to have that scene of yours for my Follies. That girl Dolores is marvelous. She will be the sensation of New York.’” (Cassidy quoting Lucile, 18:29)

From Showgirl to Professional Fashion Model

[18:29] – [21:07]

• After Lucile’s collaboration, the showgirl moved from chorus line anonymity to high fashion visibility—models like Dolores became both Follies stars and fashion magazine fixtures.
• The “fashionable showgirl” influenced real-life women and trends—the stage as a well of innovation for skirt lengths, pants, and other "daring" garments.

Parisian Spectacle: Art Deco, Erté, & the Ornamental Showgirl

[24:33] – [29:04]

• Romain de Tirtoff (Erté), famed for his Art Deco designs, blended fashion and fantasy in both illustrations and stage costumes starting in the 1910s.
• His work, often fantastical and elaborate, appeared on hundreds of Harper’s Bazaar covers and set the tone for theatrical fashion.

The Feathered Headdress: Gabby Deslys & Mistinguett

[29:04] – [31:34]

• Gabby Deslys, star performer, set the standard for dramatic feathered “millinery”—the soul of her costume:

  “My hat is the soul of my costume. It is me, my personality, my individuality. Not a covering for the head, but an ornament. My whole theory of proper dressing—wearing something that no one else wears.” (Gabby Deslys, quoted by April, 30:46)

• Showgirls like Deslys, Mistinguett, and later stars like Cher and Lady Gaga, uphold the tradition of spectacular, personality-driven fashion.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Fashion loves showgirls.” (April, 04:43)
• “She stands with her arms held aloft, her scantily clad body framed by headdresses and back pieces which seem to defy gravity.” (Cassidy, 01:43)
• “Audiences were guaranteed both [fashion and sex appeal] for the price of one ticket.” (Cassidy, 16:23)
• “My hat is the soul of my costume. It is me, my personality, my individuality.” (Gabby Deslys, quoted by April, 30:46)

Major Timestamps (Content-Only)

• 01:43 – Opening imagery and archetype of the showgirl
• 04:43 – Fashion’s obsession with showgirls
• 05:59 – Defining the “showgirl”; American vs. French traditions
• 07:29 – Belle Epoque Paris and the courtesan-showgirl crossover
• 09:25 – Theater, department stores, models, and the advent of the fashion show
• 11:59 – Lucile Duff Gordon and the evolution of the fashion show
• 15:09 – Ziegfeld Follies and the American showgirl as fashion icon
• 18:29 – Lucile, Dolores, and the debut of the professional fashion model
• 24:33 – Parisian revues, Erté, and spectacle after WWI
• 29:04 – Gabby Deslys, feathered showgirl style, and millinery as identity
• 31:34 – Teaser for Part II (upcoming: Josephine Baker and more)

Summary

This episode masterfully intertwines the history of theater, celebrity, and haute couture by tracing the showgirl’s journey from Parisian courtesans and chorus girls to Broadway’s Ziegfeld Girls—and into the inspiration for fashion’s boldest designs. With rich storytelling, historical anecdotes, and select quotes, April and Cassidy emphasize the showgirl’s power as both fashion muse and innovator. Her spectacular costumes, daring headdresses, and inventiveness onstage continue to shape the world of fashion—making the line between couture and costume nearly indistinguishable.

Next episode: Part II will carry the narrative forward with a focus on Josephine Baker and the ongoing legacy of the showgirl in fashion.