To celebrate Madonna's birthday on August 16, we take a trip down memory lane to revisit looks she sported that were ahead of their time
There’s no denying that Madonna is a trendsetter. At the height of her music career from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, whatever she wore, the public followed.
She's inspired major fashion movements over the years, adding bows, pearls and tutus to the grunge lexicon and combining high glamour with gay culture in her stage outfits.
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Many of these looks are still popular today, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say she had been instrumental behind many of today’s trends—years before they were embraced by the fashion world.
To celebrate this pop legend’s 64th birthday on August 16, we look at seven trends popular today that she followed first.
1. Indie Sleaze
These images of Madonna from the 1980s reveal that she could have been at the core of the "indie sleaze" movement—a key look in the recent revival of the early 2000s aesthetic. She has all elements of the look covered: think leggings, long and layered tank tops, excessive bracelets and oversized sunglasses, plus messy, side-parted hair, lived-in make-up—and with plenty of attitude to boot.
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