Addison Rae’s Vintage Burlesque Dress Is Every Showgirl’s Dream

Addison Rae is just living that life. The life of a showgirl, that is.

Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night, Rae slipped into a glittering fringed look that was originally owned by showgirl royalty. Sourced from the vintage boutique The Way We Wore, the dress belonged to burlesque legend, Gypsy Rose Lee. Known for her famous stripteases in the late 1930s and early ’40s, Lee’s self-titled memoir was adapted into the legendary stage musical, Gypsy.

According to the boutique, Lee had three versions of the beaded and rhinestoned dress—the gold version worn by Rae, a second in red, and the third in silver. One of which was worn by Lee in the 1958 film, Screaming Mimi. The silver version is actually owned by Dita Von Teese, though she has tried on the golden one as well.

All three were created by Helen Rose, a costume designer for MGM Studios who created the wedding dresses of several society women back in the day, including Princess Grace of Monaco and Elizabeth Taylor.

Now, let’s dissect the actual bones of the dress—which reportedly weighs a whopping 14 pounds. It features a fitted bustier with prong-set rhinestones that trails into a full-length maxi skirt with beaded fringe layers. Rae paired it with peep-toe mules from Nou.

Rae and her stylist Dara Allen have unearthed a handful of vintage looks that fashion insiders would go crazy for in recent months. But this find—not only remarkable in its age and rarity—strikes a different chord. In the late ’30s, Lee made several films billed under the name Louise Hovick. Her performances were panned by critics, as the star found it difficult to escape the stigma of her reputation as a stripper (a “high class” one, in her words) and a burlesque dancer.

It’s a conundrum that Rae, who shot to fame with viral TikTok dances and is now forging her own path as a pop star, would know a thing or two about.