Happy Madonna Week™ to all those who celebrate! This Friday, the queen of pop will unveil Confessions II—her highly anticipated follow-up album to her 2005 hit, Confessions on a Dance Floor, and her first new album in over a decade. In honor of the release, what better time than now to look back on some of her very best fashion moments throughout the years? And there are just so many to choose from.
Over 40 years ago, Madonna burst onto the music scene with her first self-titled album—changing the pop landscape forever with mega-hits such as “Holiday” and “Lucky Star.” Few musical artists can say they began their career by simultaneously igniting a whole new fashion craze, but it’s precisely what the singer did back in 1983. Fans were totally obsessed with Madonna’s signature tulle skirts, big bow’d hairstyles, and lace gloves from the get-go. Madonna wasn’t just a hot new artist to watch—she became a global trendsetter.
Over her impressive decades-long career, Madonna has only continued to deliver show-stopping ensembles—be it on stage, on the red carpet, or in her many music videos. Nobody does “fashion eras” better than the star—in fact, she invented them. With each album she’s released, Madonna has embraced a brand new look to go with it—from her western-inspired getups for 2000’s Music, to her disco-ready attire for 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor. (With Confessions II, she is now returning to disco style once again.)
Like a true artist, Madonna sees what she wears as true performance art. Remember at the 1996 premiere of Evita, when she channeled her character, Evita Péron, in a gigantic Givenchy floral headpiece and all? Pure camp! Along the way, Madonna has delivered plenty of other looks that people still talk about today. The Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra that she wore for her “Blonde Ambition” tour in 1990, for one, is still one of her most iconic moments to date.