Madonna is a groundbreaking artist. Since the beginning of her career, the singer was aware that fashion could be an essential part of her art. Her fashion choices were never random, and Madonna always seemed to send a message and was often aligned with her work. The Like A Virgin singer uses fashion to seduce her public, shock, make political statements, and to have fun.
During over three decades, Madonna was always able to surprise the public with her bold and unique style. Of course, her outfits don't please everybody, and that was never her intention. When the singer steps in a red carpet, there are always mixed feelings and opinions. Here are some of her most outrageous and controversial outfits.
10 She Was Always Bold, Starting In The 80s
In the 80s, Madonna was starting her career and was already one of the most prominent names in the music industry. The singer already had a bold fashion style, and she made each clear in the first VMA ceremony in 1984. Madonna appeared using a Like A Virgin-vibes outfit, which combined white lace, with cross necklaces and a "Boy Toy" belt.
It was a style people were not in use to see on red carpets, and it was so remarkable that if you google "VMA 1984", Madonna's pictures on that day are omnipresent. Today we look at it as an iconic outfit, but people had mixed feelings about back then.
9 Wearing A Suit In -- Not In A Basic Way
Women wearing suits on the red carpet are not something new, and it is an excellent choice if someone doesn't want to take risks and still elegant during an event. But of course, if you are Madonna, you will make it anything but basic. During the premiere of Madonna: The MDNA Tour in New York, she chose a Tom Ford three-piece suit, and she made it bold with extravagant details.
The singer matched it with a classic bow tie and a top hat, and she gave it Madonna's touch with a black onyx and diamond cufflinks. Many critics considered it over the top.
8 The Gothic Princess Outfit At VH1 1998
Madonna will never do what people expect from her. The truth about her is that she prefers to be her most authentic self, always. Most fans would never hope to see the Come Alive singer wearing a princess-like gown, but she did during the VH1 Fashion Awards 1998. The press hated her outfit, but it was something unique, and few people would wear it with the confidence Madonna did.
She matched it with black jewelry, and her black hair made her look like a gothic princess. It is bold, it is outrageous, it is unique, and we love it!
7 A Jaw-Dropping And Very Revealing Outfit
When Madonna attended an MTV event, she was promoting her album. Bedtime Stories. And what would be more Madonna than showing up wearing a sheer silk nightgown? She arrived wearing a leopard coat and surprised everybody when she took it off. This is just one instance from her past that people still clearly remember.
Of course, some people said it was too revealing and inappropriate. But looking at those pictures, she seems to don't care about anyone's else opinions. She is exuding confidence an having fun.
6 The Truth Or Dare Premiere
In every red carpet, we expect someone to appear wearing hot pants or a pantless outfit. It is not surprising anymore, but it was something outrageous during the 90s - and Madonna did it first! During the premiere of Truth Or Dare, the singer chose a sparkling, glittering Dolce & Gabbana bustier broiled with multi-colored jewels. She matched it with a coat and long socks.
Unsurprisingly, her fashion choice made the headlines, and people could not stop talking about her revealing outfit. Seems like more people cared about her apparel than her relationship status with any of her ex-boyfriends.
5 The Iconic Kimono Which Started Some Controversary
Madonna had a close relation with Asian culture, and it is no surprise it would influence her sense of fashion sometimes. The singer wore a Jean Paul Gaultier kimono in the video clip Nothing Really Matters, and this outfit was born a classic. She loved it so much that she wore it again at the Grammy's ceremony in 1998. It was probably the only time we have seen wearing something more than once.
Two decades after Madonna wore it, and people started to use it as an example of cultural appropriation. The singer has been accused of doing that multiple times during her career. Her employees have remained loyal to her for the most part, even though she faced this type of controversy and even when she hasn't paid her employees on time.
4 The Infamous Berber Dress
Madonna is no stranger to polemics when she crosses the red carpet, but it seems she crossed a line when she wore a Beber dress in the VMA 2018. The elaborate headpiece is only used on specific occasions, and many people felt disrespect in seeing Madonna wearing it as a fashion accessory, and she was accused of cultural appropriation.
People also remembered it was not the first time she did that. They brought back moments like the iconic kimono (which is also in this list) and when she wore a sari.
3 The Extravagant Evita Premiere
Madonna enchanted the critics when she played Evita Peron in a movie back in 1996. She seems to be the type of actress who embraces the character, and she clearly loved playing it. However, it also seemed that Madonna had problems letting go of her character when promoting the movie.
In the premiere in Los Angeles, she chose a Givenchy velvet dress decorated with flowers that evoked the 40s. Critics loved the movie but hated the outfit and considered it over the top.
2 Her Debut In Cannes
Madonna made her debut in Cannes in 1991, and of course, she would make sure all the eyes were on her when she crossed the red carpet, despite the fact that social media wasn't exactly a popular thing yet. The singer arrived wearing a massive pink satin jacket, and that was enough to get everyone's attention, but when she took it off, the public found out that she was only wearing a cone bra and underwear.
Of course, people had conflicted opinions about it. While some considered it too much, others defined it as iconic.
1 Madonna At The 2016 Met Gala
Madonna is an artist that is always ahead of her time. In 2016, the singer attended the Met Gala wearing a see-through Givenchy dress. Unsurprisingly, her outfit raised many controversies because it was too revealing and because some people claimed she was too old to show so much skin.
The singer didn't avoid the comments. She said that her dress was a political statement, and she was fighting against ageism since women don't need to stop being sexy after a certain age.