As soon as we heard that Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl album (TS12) was dropping the day before my tween daughter’s birthday, I’m pretty sure we both had the same reaction: “SHOWGIRL BIRTHDAY PARTY!”
We had the best time putting together the dreamiest, sparkliest Life of a Showgirl-inspired birthday party for a tween girl filled with glam details that made the whole place shimmer. Some of our décor was DIY (like the “The Life of a Birthday Girl” bracelet garland!), but I’ve linked as many of the party supplies, decorations, and accessories as I can if you want to recreate this Showgirl birthday party theme.
We invited eight of her best girlfriends for a night of singing, dancing, bracelet-making, and a DIY glam station complete with makeup and accessories. It truly captured the magic of girlhood and made her birthday feel so special.
Keep reading for all the party ideas, decorations, and to shop my favorite Showgirl Birthday Party finds below 🪩✨
Life of a Showgirl Party Decor
When it came to décor, I wanted everything to feel bright, sparkly and , in trued showgirl fashion, a little bit over the top. Think disco balls, feathers, sequins, and pops of orange and mint inspired by the album’s color palette.
Our backdrop started with shimmering silver sequin wall panels, layered with velvet orange curtains to create a “stage”. I added a mix of hanging honeycomb and star garlands to bring the party all the way up to the ceiling.
I love to use balloons to bring in the party’s colors on a larger-scale, so I made a DIY balloon garland to hang over the glam station.
One of my favorite DIYs for this party was the oversized friendship bracelet banner. To make it, I traced large circles onto cardstock (I used two different-sized bowls as templates for variety) and cut them out to look like big bracelet beads. I used sticker letters to spell out THE LIFE OF A BIRTHDAY GIRL, a playful nod to the album. After hole-punching each side, I threaded the circles onto string to create an oversized friendship bracelet.
If you’re in the midst of party planning at home, my biggest tip is always to layer textures and finishes. For this party, sparkly, metallic, and soft elements mixed together made everything feel luxe but still fun and age-appropriate.
Life of a Showgirl Tablescape
The table was covered with chic but practical details. I started with a solid mint disposable table cover (x2 layers) for easy clean up. One of my favorite elements was spray-painting clear plastic chargers a sparkly orange color and layering them with a small mint paper plate to recreate the look of the album. The cosmetic-themed paper napkins tied into the glam vibe, almost like scattered makeup across a vanity. We served sparkling drinks (clear soda + edible glitter) in plastic ribbed coupe glasses that looked so fancy, the girls loved them!
For the table runner, I layered pearl costume jewelry necklaces with a mix of showgirl confetti (rhinestones, faux diamonds, sequins) across the tables for extra sparkle.
I added disco balls (instant magic!), large feather plumes, and fluffy boas around the tabletop surfaces as well.
Life of a Showgirl Party Favors
I wanted each girl to go home with something that reminded her of the night- a little keepsake from her showgirl era!
We put together mini glam kits that the girls could personalize with their names and decorate with stickers. Each one contained a glitzy hair clip, compact mirror brush, and classic red lipstick.
Another favorite part of the night was our Bracelet Bead Bar! I set out a variety of beads so the girls could create friendship bracelets to trade and take home. It was such a sweet activity and made the perfect handmade party favor.
I also had other favors scattered throughout the party- things like microphones, costume jewelry, feathered headbands– that the girls used during the party and were able to take home afterwards.
Life of a Showgirl Party Outfit
Harper’s birthday outfit had to be as dazzling as the theme! She wore a sequined and feathered party dress layered with a feather boa. We added a sparkly feathered headband and glittery freckles for a show-stopping look!
Life of a Showgirl Vanity Set-up
Our DIY vanity station was the highlight of the night! The girls had the best time getting “stage-ready” together. I borrowed my own vanity table and two mirrors from the kids’ bathroom to create our glam station.
The stick-on LED vanity lights were another favorite detail, they made the space feel like a real backstage dressing room! I set up mirrored trays of kid-friendly lipsticks, blush, bold eyeshadow palettes, and a few vintage-style perfume bottles to complete the look.
To add even more sparkle, we did DIY hair tinsel, letting each girl choose her own colors and add a pop of shimmer to her style. It was such a hit!
This was one of those parties that I’ll remember forever: a night filled with laughter, music, sparkle, and the magic of watching my oldest and her best girls celebrate glittering girlhood.
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