Evolution or revolution? How has the style of Madonna, the most extraordinary singer of our time, changed?

Shocking and provocation, talent and tremendous willpower, rebellion and the ability to defend oneself – these are the words that perfectly describe the heroine of today’s material. Although, in fact, she has not needed introduction for a long time. Her name speaks for itself, and her actions are easily described in one word: “Madonna.”

“I held myself by the straps of my bra” – this is the success story of this celebrity in her own words. Perhaps there is no better way to say it. Ambitious, brave, determined; she went all the way alone, without bosses, without help, without the support of her colleagues. Louise Ciccone never hesitated to be herself and move forward. Maybe that’s why she holds the title of Queen of Pop.

Madonna has sold 300 million albums over the course of her 40-year career, earned more than $1 billion from tours, and is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most commercially successful female artist in history. She has also given this world dozens of iconic images and has had a huge impact on the fashion industry as a whole. Today, August 16, Madonna turns 66. On this occasion, we pay tribute to Her Majesty and talk about how her style has evolved.

Rebel 80s

Madonna’s creative journey began in the early 1980s. That’s when the feisty 25-year-old burst onto the scene and completely changed the rules of the game, breaking all existing barriers. At the beginning of the decade, Louise Ciccone wore high-waisted washed jeans, bright T-shirts, neon tops and belts, and she completed it all with a multitude of multicolored bracelets. She also painted her eyes with thick shadows and did the stereotypical puffy look of that era.

In 1985, the film Desperately Seeking Susan was released, in which Madonna played one of the main roles. The images of her heroine began to be quoted almost immediately, so accurately affecting the mood of young people that the picture itself became, to some extent, an encyclopedia of fashion of the 1980s.

By the way, in that decade she already had the title of shocking diva. Just look at Madonna’s performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, where she came on stage in a wedding dress with a belt that said “Boy Toy”. At the end of the show, the punk bride lay on the stage and showed the whole world her stockings and garters.

For that time, it was not just a sensation; such a statement had never been seen on television before. By the way, Madonna’s manager tried in every possible way to dissuade her from this joke, assuring her that it would ruin her career, but she did not listen and did what befits a true pop queen. It was a defining moment not only in her career, but in the entire industry.

Madonna’s every appearance on the red carpet was also a statement of sorts. She always accessorized her look with huge layered necklaces, opted for figure-flattering silhouettes, and often used lace and boudoir dresses. It’s no surprise that she popularized the lingerie style. In the late 1980s, Madonna dyed her hair brunette and released the video Like a Prayer.

According to the story, Madonna appears in the church in a short and very sexy black dress, and then warmly embraces the priest. Very much in the spirit of the rebellious Madonna. So this image became iconic. True, I had to pay a high price. After the release of the provocative video, the Vatican banned the singer from performing in Italy, and Pepsi terminated its advertising contract with her.

Brave 90s

In 1990, a new stage in Madonna’s life begins. The singer becomes blonde again, participates in the legendary Blond Ambition World Tour and that’s when she becomes a full-fledged style icon. How? All this happened thanks to a collaboration with the most terrible boy of French fashion, Jean-Paul Gaultier. The designer created the famous cone bra for the queen of pop music – a bra with cone-shaped cups, which she toured almost the entire world with as part of her tour. By the way, their collaboration did not end there. In 1992, Madonna closed the Jean Paul Gaultier charity show, but she did it in her own way. Walking down the catwalk, she took off her jacket with a flick of her hand and appeared before the audience in a dress with her breasts exposed.

In general, the beginning of the 1990s in Madonna’s biography is considered the richest period in terms of magnificent performances. In 1991, she appeared at the Oscars with Michael Jackson in the image of Marilyn Monroe, specially created for her by the legendary designer Bob Mackie. She also wore ultra-short Dolce & Gabbana jumpsuits, leopard capes and silhouette slips, decorated with stones. Her style was very different from what we saw in the 1980s; Madonna was no longer a daring punk girl, she became a real diva who could afford almost anything.

“I have expressed myself many times in someone else’s style, and it has not brought me any benefit. The main thing is to have your own style, and they will imitate you,” is a famous quote from Madonna and one of her main principles. Nevertheless, the singer often drew on the images of other legends of the music scene. For example, in the same 1990s, she was often inspired by the style of Marlene Dietrich of the 1930s. She could be seen on stage and on the red carpet in perfectly tailored trousers and a bowler hat.

But all this happened in the first half of the 1990s. In 1996, Madonna became a mother for the first time and radically changed her lifestyle. She became interested in yoga, Buddhism and Kabbalah. All this influenced the style of the Queen of Pop. The ugly outfits with deep necklines, conical bras and latex jumpsuits were replaced by simple suits, closed dresses and even floral skirts.

Calm 00s

In 2000, Madonna married director Guy Ritchie, took up British citizenship, and forgot about shocking for a while. In the early years of the new millennium, the singer wore trouser suits (one even said “Mrs. Richie”), midi-length dresses with interesting prints, and plain jeans and T-shirts. The explicit stage imagery didn’t disappear, of course, but the emphasis shifted.

And already in 2003, Madonna wanted to return to her previous image – bold and shocking. So, together with Britney Spears, she recorded a video for the song Me Against The Music, and then gave a scandalous performance at the Video Music Awards in 2003.

The flashy 2010s

By 2010, Madonna had already divorced Guy Ritchie and returned to her old image. Latex suits, fishnet tights, lace corsets, the same cone-shaped bras, low-cut mini jumpsuits and slutty dresses reappeared in her wardrobe. And we are talking not only about stage outfits, but also about outfits on the red carpet. For example, in 2016, the Queen of Pop appeared at the Met Gala in a very bold Givenchy look by Riccardo Tisci. Agree, at 58 years old, only Madonna could afford a tight corset, leather boots and a translucent lace cape.

Crazy 2020s

Madonna’s experiments did not end in the 2020s. On the contrary, her images became more frank (although it seems that there is nowhere more frank), plastic surgery became more obvious, her photos on social networks became more daring, and her boyfriends became younger. It is not surprising that she is now increasingly attacked by the public for her lifestyle, which is allegedly not suitable for her age. But you must admit that without the constant criticism of haters, Madonna would not be Madonna. And she herself does not care about these attacks. She still wears transparent dresses, dates hot guys and seems to be living the best period of her life.