It’s the year of the showgirl! Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl brought 2025 to a fabulous halt with album discussion, film premieres, and complex music videos. The energy didn’t stay in 2025. As the Showgirl Era continues, so does its impact.
The Life of a Showgirl is feeding a growing desire for throwbacks in fashion, decor, and everyday life. Taylor’s “Opalite” music video threw us back into the 90s, and we know that there is more coming this year as Taylor celebrates the 20th anniversary of her debut album and her induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame—plus whatever else she has up her sleeve.
To build your own showgirl mindset, we compiled a list of books that
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Look, we’re all trying to avoid the fate of Ophelia—in more ways than one. We’re throwing it back to the source text to unpack all of the drowning, lamenting, and grief.
Be warned, though. While this classic tragedy will broaden your understanding of Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,” you might also pick up a habit of monologuing and talking to skulls.
Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon by Kate Andersen Bower
We love digging into Elizabeth Taylor’s life just as much as Taylor does. From Hollywood success to risky career moves, Elizabeth Taylor is a undeniable part of entertainment history and a showgirl to her core. This first ever authorized biography of the icon shows that Elizabeth Taylor was more than her films, her beauty, and her heartbreaks.
Macbeth by Shakespeare
If you’re up to no good or generally trying to understand what Taylor might be referencing when she sings “Something wicked this way comes,” this classic is an education in prophecies and arrogance. Taylor directly references this play in “CANCELLED!” but the themes of betrayal, paranonia, and generally questioning if the right decisions have been made take us much deeper into her discography.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
If you want more Elizabeth Taylor beyond the history, this novel about a similarly beloved and mysterious actress will give you all of the intrigue you’ve been looking for. Read while listening to “Elizabeth Taylor (So Glamorous Cabaret Version).”
Circe by Madeline Miller
While the myth of Circe—or even her role in The Odyssey—aren’t mentioned in The Life of a Showgirl, Taylor clearly loves retellings and “what if” moments. Circes journey from birth to banishment and her desire for connection and even revenge are a perfect match for songs like “Elizabeth Taylor,” “Father Figure,” and “CANCELLED!”.
The Bell Jar by Sylia Plath
While she’s not a showgirl, Sylvia Plath’s Esther Greenwood has many of the features of a star under pressure. She is accomplished, exciting, likeable, and driven. Esther is capable of doing whatever she wants—until she isn’t. The Bell Jar follows Esther’s breakdown and challenges us to consider whether being brilliant is enough to make you a good person or to give you an enjoyable life.
Love, Sivvy: A Novel Inspired by the Life, Letters, and Diaries of Young Sylvia Plath by R.L. Toalson
If you can’t get enough of Sylvia Plath, or if your Showgirl era is about understanding your goals and desires, this fictional retelling of sylvia plath’s adolescence will give you a room of your own to explore they ways we do and don’t choose our own paths.
