Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Could someone talk me through what Madonna wore at the VMAs?

27 replies

lolaflores · 21/08/2018 12:55

Is this outfit a kneejerk reaction to turning 60 and showing us all how relevant she still is?
www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/fashion/madonna-s-vma-outfit-appropriation-of-the-berber-culture-1.762255

Given the sensitivity around cultural appropriation, I would have expected a little more forethought.
As it was, the whole thing look hideous, overdone, irrelelavant and gave me no sense of what she was trying to reference.
It looked like she stood in front of a fashion cannon and lit the touch flame then stood back and went "Wow."
I am and always will be a massive Madonna fan but last night she looked silly and not edgy.

OP posts:
cheesemongery · 21/08/2018 12:59

I wondered why she had come as Boy George circa 1984.

AimlesslyPurposeful · 21/08/2018 13:04

I wondered if it was (In part) Portuguese National dress as she’s living in Portugal now.

Original poster
lolaflores · 21/08/2018 13:05

Looking at her Chesemongery I agree.
That or a Boy George, viking, mash up.
And the speech...dear lord

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Clothing Music
Original poster
lolaflores · 21/08/2018 13:06

AimlesslyPurposeful no. I wasn't getting Portugal.
Though the embrodiery and stuff might lend itself that way.
It was so over the top in a really desperate way.

OP posts:
PatMustardsHairyBaby · 21/08/2018 13:08

Well she was hardly going to turn up in elasticated waist slacks and a Per Una waterfall cardigan now was she.

wowfudge · 21/08/2018 13:10

@PatMustardsHairyBaby - that made me LOL Grin

AgathaF · 21/08/2018 13:10

I thought Boy George too.
She looked really bloody stupid. I think she generally does these days.

BrazzleDazzleDay · 21/08/2018 13:13

She's such a bellend

MorvaanReed · 21/08/2018 13:15

My first thought was Edina from Absolutely Fabulous.

I'm channelling scruffy old duck early, so am no judge.

Original poster
lolaflores · 21/08/2018 13:18

Oh and Edina.
I would never expect Madonna to join the comfy brigade but just what the bloody hell was she thinking?
Mind you. I wouldn't fancy the job of telling Herself she looked like a dogs dinner. No thank you.
Or. She has a very vengeful assistant who laughed merrily the whole night.

OP posts:
vivalafrida · 21/08/2018 13:19

Talking about her though, aren't we?

Job done.

ThinksTwice · 21/08/2018 13:26

We watched her Rebel Heart tour the other day and it screamed of desperation to be edgey and daring.

She was edgy and daring and pulled it off very well back then but now it's just sad.

For instance on most of her tours back in the 80s and early 90s she wore flat shoes to dance in. In the latest tour she wore heels which didn't look comfortable! Why? It's like she feels she needs to prove she can dance in heels which is weird because she didn't before so has nothing to prove?

The swearing too, just sounds try hard to be shocking. No one is shocked by the word fuck so why she thinks it is is odd?

Original poster
lolaflores · 21/08/2018 13:34

I was hoping she would not lose her uniqueness as she got older and let it morph into something brilliant but she seems to have over shot the runway.
Feel sad for hee

OP posts:
EnidButton · 21/08/2018 14:14

Grin at feeling sad for multi millionaire Madonna.

The person wrote that article really doesn't like her do they?

rainbowsandsmiles · 21/08/2018 15:46

She was edgy and daring and pulled it off very well back then but now it's just sad

Why, because she's "old" now and should be behaving in a more seemly manner? Hmm

The swearing too, just sounds try hard to be shocking. No one is shocked by the word fuck so why she thinks it is is odd?

Some people do swear a lot and sound ridiculous regardless of who it is. Don't think they do it to be shocking, just because it's something they do. Maybe she's one of them?

Love Madonna.

rainbowsandsmiles · 21/08/2018 15:47

She looked really bloody stupid. I think she generally does these days.

Would be great to have a picture of you uploaded to see if you look really bloody stupid too or are a vision of perfectness instead.

Trevorthebikethief · 21/08/2018 15:54

She looked a bugger, as we say up north.

OutPinked · 21/08/2018 15:56

It is the VMA’s, everyone dresses like a twat. At least it’s not made of meat...

ThinksTwice · 21/08/2018 16:20

Why, because she's "old" now and should be behaving in a more seemly manner? 

No not because she's old (she's not old by the way.) Because she comes across as too try hard. She's from a generation where turning 40 was deemed old and past it. Nowadays turning 40 is nothing but in 1998 people classed her ancient and she defied them all! But it was done in a fun way (think Music and Confessions.) Now she is just trying too hard and it's coming across that way.

Cher manages to defy ageism without coming across as try hard and she's awesome! I think there's a big difference in just carrying on regardless of age like Cher and carrying on in a conscious try hard way like Madonna.

Cocolepew · 21/08/2018 16:30

Her 'tribute' to Aretha was ridiculous, all she did was talk about herself.
A lot of people at the VMAs looked like they got dressed in the dark tbf.

Original poster
lolaflores · 21/08/2018 16:32

I have always loved Madonnas ability to say fuck it to the world and just do her thing and make it sublime.
This is not one of those moments but she seemed utterly oblivious to how ridicolous she looked and the speech came across as self absorbed too.
All in all, not her finest hour, maybe she will be given a few notes on a less garish route that might be worth investigating without losing any of her creativity or power...if thats the word but its the only thing I can tghink of.
She didn't bring any power to it, she just looked like a clown caught off guard. Literally, I just threw this on.

OP posts:
ThinksTwice · 21/08/2018 16:34

I've read extensively about Madonna over the years and watched countless interviews (I was a massive fan up until around 10 years ago) but I have never heard her mention Aretha Franklin being an influence. Debby Harry yes, David Bowie yes, but never Aretha.

Now she was suddenly an influence which changed the course of her career Hmm

wowfudge · 22/08/2018 13:26

Was she the 'most senior' person appearing and that's why she got asked to pay tribute to Aretha? Who knows. The outfit was ridiculous.

TSSDNCOP · 22/08/2018 13:36

It was an odd outfit choice, but interesting that Madonna who spear headed spectacular near naked stage costumes in the 80's arrived in a polar opposite outfit.

Now the near nakeds look almost identical, it's just not shocking anymore. You can't see anymore of the Blac Chynas, the K women, Nikki Minaj.

Maybe Madonna will turn the tide again and the cover up will begin?

dustarr73 · 22/08/2018 16:34

Her 'tribute' to Aretha was ridiculous, all she did was talk about herself.
A lot of people at the VMAs looked like they got dressed in the dark tbf

It wasnt a tribute.She was there to present an award.She was asked to say a few words and she did.

If she had ignored it people would still be moaning..

And its madonna shes barely going to turn up in a twinset and tweed is she.