Few in show business have as many faces as Madonna, who recently celebrated her birthday. What once seemed controversial and hidden, Madonna has introduced into fashion through the big "M", setting hot trends with designers. Here are the 9 most important incarnations and styles of Madonna, the fashion trendsetter.
Madonna is a star whose age doesn’t seem to matter. Observing her intense life on Instagram at the age of 63, when many people choose to retire, one can only ask for a recipe for such energy, and perhaps also a contact to aesthetic medicine specialists. So, how to define Madonna's image?
The star's styling is a journey through the world and realized projects, each stage of her career is accompanied by a completely different wardrobe. Let's go through it together. You've probably been inspired by her style, even subconsciously. Her style defies clear definitions, although, surprisingly, in everyday life, away from the flashlights, the singer dresses quite calmly, elegantly, and without "craziness".
Already at the turn of the 70s and 80s, Madonna had at least a few incarnations, but the most iconic turned out to be one, promoting the album Like a Virgin from 1984: a punk, naughty Bride provocatively looking out from the album cover.
Madonna getting ready to get married is far from the innocent and girlish Bride. She sends rather a sign to her "wedding guests" (the recipients of her music) that it will be her wearing the "pants" in her relationship with show business. This is clearly communicated by the iconic Boy Toy belt in the styling. The look is complemented by strong makeup, lots of jewelry, and teased waves - a perm that Madonna wore for several years until the Like a Prayer album (1989). It was her trademark.
In the 80s, it seemed that wearing provocative jewelry with a cross on a naked body and a neglected Bride was the height of controversy. Nobody yet knew what Madonna could surprise with. 80s stylings - punk rock and edgy, are just the beginning of her exploration of the fashion world, scandals, and conscious play with her image and message.
It's worth mentioning the loss of a contract with Pepsi due to the premiere of the Like a Prayer video in 1989, Madonna's participation in the AIDS awareness campaign, or the Papa Don’t Preach clip, telling the story of a pregnant teenager. The 90s were no less intense for her. They were marked by cooperation with many designers and many theatrical incarnations.
Madonna: 90s style. Lady, courtesan, Evita, and mother
The image created over 30 years ago has entered the history of fashion, co-created by Jean Paul Gaultier: Madonna-courtesan in a corsage with conical cups in a sleek, high-ponytail bun. Few would look as good in a theatrical bodysuit by Jean Paul Gaultier as she did.
It was also the beginning of her play with the image of a dominatrix from the world of BDSM. This motif appears in many other clips of the star, including, among others, in Human Nature and Justify My Love (next music videos of the star, broadcast on music TV channels only after 10:00 PM).
Another incarnation of the star was a courtier of Louis XIV - an artistic image developed for the needs of the Vogue video, promoting the album I'm Breathless, released on the occasion of the premiere of Dick Tracy's movie. An important element was Madonna's performance with the song Vogue during the MTV Music Awards 1990. The performance was watched like a fragment of the show. It was a groundbreaking performance for pop culture, which inspired many music video directors and screenwriters to create film stories around songs.
On the occasion of films, it is hard not to mention one of Madonna's biggest film successes, Evita (1996). The singer played the main role in it and clearly honed her vocal technique, which can also be heard on the Ray of Light album, released in 1998, considered her best album in history. The singer's style accompanying the premiere of the film became noticeably retro. For a moment, Madonna became a lady again, but in the style of the 40s: in silk shirts, fitted dresses, and pencil skirts, pearls, and hats, however, typical for Madonna, not for long.
In 1998, the premiere of the Ray of Light album, with strong oriental influences, which coincided with the birth of Madonna's daughter, took place. The singer's style has become more relaxed. Madonna began to be seen simply in jeans, T-shirts, and denim jackets, which could paradoxically shock some, accustomed to her many years of provocations.
In more "outgoing" styles and the image assigned to the album, there were also Japanese or shamanic accents. It was also a time when the singer privately became interested in Kabbalah.
Madonna: 2000-2021 styles: cowgirl, Englishwoman, gymnast, and intellectual
In Madonna's wardrobe, the 2000s are primarily a return to tradition: both American (on the occasion of the albums Music and American Life released in 2000 and 2003), and English, privately, on the occasion of her marriage to Guy Ritchie. During the Music album, Madonna routinely used denim (it was fashionable at the time, but in a pop version, not a cowboy one, to which the singer's style referred). She also wore hats and cowboy boots, and, for contrast, kitschy fur coats and stilettos covered with glitter.
American Life (an album full of anti-war protest songs) brought a lot of military accents to her stage wardrobe: camouflage jumpsuits, khaki, berets, high boots, officer caps, men's shirts, officer's coats, and dog tags as jewelry.
Her eight-year marriage to the Brit, Guy Ritchie, and long-standing interest in horse riding resulted in tweed, high-quality wool, daily worn riding breeches, flat caps, and also Victorian lace, perfectly tailored suits, midi dresses, and shirts tied under the neck in the singer's wardrobe. For a good few years, Madonna in her private life has become a real English lady. Faithful to this image, she released a series of children's books she wrote, English Roses.
In the star's look, there were also sporty and disco accents, especially in the style of the 70s and 80s - history has come full circle. The creation of a new, consistent, and more dynamic, almost youthful, and slightly futuristic image was facilitated by the albums Confessions on a Dancefloor and also dance, Hard Candy, Rebel Heart, and MDNA.
What will be the next version of Madonna? The star's style evolves, but it still remains fresh. Currently, the star is not performing. She is writing a script for a biographical film about herself, and besides, she focuses on her private life and social and charitable activities, so on her Instagram, you can most often see family photos, from events (including recent birthdays), or from work on the script.
Versace Jeans Couture
Body with long sleeves
The Attico
Double-layered dress
Linda Farrow
Linda Farrow x Magda Butrym
In her current, stage, and private stylings, you can see Baroque and Latino influences - corresponding to the artist's latest album, Madame X (2019). The star is not afraid of strong colors, jewelry (often like from a royal casket, e.g., Gucci or Dolce & Gabbana), and rich combinations of patterns and textures. She also rejuvenates with accessories, including slightly futuristic sunglasses. She also wears corrective glasses in designer frames, which enhances her "home" home office styles.
What will Madonna surprise us with in 2022? Knowing her career and how its different elements, although different, connect with each other, the singer will certainly find a way to remind once again who is the real queen of pop - because there is only one.
