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Madonna, known as the “Queen of Pop,” burst onto the scene in 1984.
Over her almost 40-year career as an entertainer, she’s pushed societal boundaries with her fashion statements.
Before the internet, she used her platform to bolster alternative fashion and culture on the mainstream stage.
In 2016, Madonna was honored with thewoman of the yearaward at Billboard’s Women in Music event.
Her realistic, yet cynical,acceptance speechrecounted her difficulties as she carved a path in the industry.
An exaggerated bullet bra came about in 1941, purely for fashion, made popular by pinups likeMarilyn Monroe.
The pantsuit phenomenon
Pants have long been associated with men and positions of power (viaHuffPost).
Fast forward to the 1970s, whenBianca Jagger’s suits were hersignature style.
Madonna has continued to turn heads in fashion-forward suits.
We can’t wait to see how she’ll elevate her suit look next!
Madonna embraced the look, inspiring the fashion-forward youth of the day.
The vintage fashion trend minimized the cost barriers usually associated with fashion.
The ’80s were ripe with experimentation in fashion, such as the undergrounddrag queenandclub-kidscenes.
Lauper’s free-spirited energy came through in her eclectic style.
Madonna toldJimmy Fallonthat after the performance, her manager told her that her “career was over with.”
But as we now know, it was quite the opposite.
She goes on to say, “the rebel wears more than clothing, she wears a statement.”
Madonna debuted an understated tomboy look in 1986’s “Papa Don’t Preach.”
This new look showed a side of Madonna with a punk edge.
“I came right up against the Madonna thing.
Maybe it’s my paranoia, but she had a lot of my looks,” Harry said toExpress.
“If you look closely, sometimes there’s pictures of her and me that completely overlap.”
The look is reminiscent of burlesque dancers from the 1920s (viaAllure).
Jean Paul Gaultier created the show-stopping corset (pictured above) for Madonna’sMDNA Tourin 2012.
“We played with the ideas of a suit and a corset.
But the corset is now like a cage,” Gaultier toldWomen’s Wear Daily.
SuperstarGrace Jonesoften showcased underwear as a fashion look in the 1970s.
According toi-D, her avant-garde, androgynous style influenced the culture of the ’70s and ’80s.
Jones has often worn iconic bustiers, including the caged corset dress from 1989 shown above.
Jones spoke about Madonna “copying” her style in an interview withDazed.
“You know Madonna used to come around and watch me.
I know because kids would always say, ‘You know who was there?
Madonna was there.'”
Many other celebrities have taken a page fromMonroe’s style book.
Madonna cameunder fire in 2021for another “tribute” to her idol, which many found inappropriate and morbid.
Madonna posed in a hotel room for a racyphoto shootwith photographer Steven Klein.
Although Madonna has changed styles over the years, she often comes back to this one.
Women and men have been wearing fishnets, leather, and boots since the 1970s.
’70s British punk bands like The Slits and the Sex Pistols inspired fashion trends for later artists like Madonna.
Even in 2022, she’s still rocking the leather and fishnets, often posting her looks onInstagram.
They also choreographed Madonna’s Blond Ambition tour, shown in her"Truth or Dare"documentary.
Pop legend Annie Lennox from theEurythmics(pictured above) also pushed the boundaries.
Lennox has been an androgynous style icon since the 1980s, with her trademark cropped hair and masculine fashions.
She experimented with masculine dominatrix style in the Eurythmics’ 1986 music video for “Missionary Man.”
Madonna had the help of a talented stylist to create that image Maripol.
She said to her, “You’re Madonna.
Why don’t you keep a bit of what you have?”
After the breakup, Madonna and Prince had a decade-long beef that they finallysquashed in 2011.
Prince was a legendarystyle icon, breaking barriers with his androgynous fashion for over four decades.
Prince created looks for both himself andhis proteges, helping other artists throughout his career.
OnInstagram, she recently posted a throwback picture of her wearing a jacket Prince gave her.
