Material Girl

Madonna is known as the “queen of pop” and ultimate “it-girl” not because of her conventionality, but because of her creativity and multifaceted career. Punk princess, Hollywood couture, disco chic, neon glam, and androgynous hip; she has got it all. Although an 80s icon, Madonna’s versatility is still at odds with the “curated” brand images of many present-day musicians and influencers. “Curation” implies control, polish, a kind of Instagram-perfect branding, but Madonna’s style is the opposite. In an era of social media aesthetics, she embraces the ugly, excessive, and the tacky, even when it attracts negative media attention. 

Madonna’s  creativity and one-of-a-kind career are best demonstrated by her distinct and rebellious studio albums. Each album – from the iconic Like a Virgin that propelled young Madonna into the spotlight, to the scandalous Like a Prayer that cemented her fame – answers to a starkly different aesthetic, reflecting the complexity of her fashion journey. 

Madonna, 1983. Madonna’s career began in the backdoor clubs of New York City. Donned in fishnet tops, rubber bracelets, lace gloves, and a chunky crucifix necklace, she channeled this eclectic energy in her first studio album, Madonna, establishing herself as the trendsetter of a generation. Nothing that she wore made sense together, but that was part of her appeal; she could make anything work. 

Like a Virgin, 1984. Despite only being released a year after her debut album, Like a Prayer was the polar opposite of the Madonna neon-grunge aesthetic. With popular hits “Like a Virgin,” Material Girl,” and “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”, Madonna redefined 80s fashion with layered pearls, tulle skirts, fingerless gloves, white lace, and her signature “Boy-Toy” belt. Madonna debuted this new look at the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, where she emerged from a giant wedding cake and writhed around on the floor. Socially acceptable? Debatable. Iconic? Absolutely. 

Madonna made a signature bold entrance during her accompanying “Virgin Tour”, where she rocked bright lace leggings, bomber jackets, and belted miniskirts. This color palette was not necessarily “on-brand” or aligned with her previously cultivated aesthetic, but Madonna’s exponentially increasing popularity proved that she did need a cohesive aesthetic to craft a unique image. She was her own “work of art.”  

True Blue, 1986. Madonna’s aesthetic shifted yet again with her third album, True Blue, including the songs  “Papa Don’t Preach” and “Open Your Heart”. She traded her messy curls for short platinum locks, delicate lace shawls for vintage denim jackets, and soft eye makeup for bold brows, embracing the blueprint 80s popstar look. While Madonna’s 1986 style is one of her most recognizable, it is by no means her “true” or “dominant” aesthetic. She does not answer to one opinion, one trend, or one decade:  consistently reinvents herself. She was dynamic, not static, a symbol of excitement in a society caught in traditional expectations for women in music. 

Like A Prayer, 1989. Like a Prayer is one of Madonna’s most special releases. It is a darker, more spiritual collection of music, with Madonna wanting her album to be "instinctive rather than calculating”. Her music—and fashion—took on a more reflective, religious tone, producing a completely different vibe than the classic 80s popstar we expected to see again. Complete with religious iconography, classical churches, and dark lace, Madonna reflected her album as she strutted down the runway in crucifixes, rosary beads, black lace, and corsets. While this halloween-esque persona was starkly different from her previous looks, she by no means lost her popularity or significance; in fact, it only brought her more media attention, with the album experiencing a "sales gain of nearly 450% from one week to the next." Despite her unconventional fashion choices, Madonna established a notable partnership with Jean Paul Gaultier, who made the famously donned pink-cone corset bra from her Blonde Ambition Tour in 1990, launching Gaultier into high demand and redefining his brand image. 

Erotica, 1992. Madonna only continued to experiment with pushing societal boundaries. Erotica, with its graphic sexual imagery and hit songs 'Deeper And Deeper' and 'Thief Of Hearts', actually earned Madonna a temporary nickname: “Queen of the Obscene.” One of her most notable Erotica looks was her unconventional pairing of a seductive, black milkmaid dress and a stuffed animal, blending provocative and virginal fashion elements. Madonna’s fearless approach to self-expression distinguished her from the more conforming artists of her generation, even if she was seen as “obscene” and "inappropriate". 

Ray of Light, 1998. Ray of Light is the most experimental of Madonna’s albums, taking on an entirely different approach than her prior discography. The album was released shortly after her daughter’s birth and newfound religious devotion. Unlike the dark, gothic themes of Like a Prayer, Ray of Light adopted a lighter and more positive approach to spirituality. Madonna rocked loose blonde waves and a more laid-back, street-style aesthetic, embracing her newfound motherhood and religious awakening. 

Madonna’s constantly shifting style, along with the rejection of a “curated” image, did not always earn her brownie points. Oftentimes, people were “so frightened” by her bold persona that they tried to “undermine her talent or any artistic value”, claiming that she was “just doing that to shock people”.However, her refusal to assimilate made her one of the most famous pop stars in history, winning 7 Grammy Awards, and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. 

Since she was a young girl, Madonna has lived by the mantra: “I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.” She shapes her identity through fashion, blurs gender norms, and reinvents herself, inspiring future artists to experiment with boundary-pushing and out-of-the-ordinary aesthetics. Madonna’s unconventional approach to fashion shows that you do not have to be “trendy” or "aesthetic" to be fashionable; you just have to be authentic.