Madonna is a Fashion Pioneer for the Ages

She needs only one name... Madonna. Actually, it's Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie. She has as many names as she has things going on in her hectic schedule! She's a musician, dancer, record producer, writer, actress, and mother. Madonna was born in Detroit, but she relocated to New York City to become a ballet dancer. It was there where Madonna found her true passion of singing and dancing on stage. In 1983, she released her self-titled debut album, and the rest is history.

She went on to have three consecutive number one albums on the Billboard 100, and then to sell over 200 million albums worldwide. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) named her the Best Selling Female Rock Artist of the Twentieth Century, and Guiness World Records has her as the world’s most successful female recording artist of all time, with a net worth of over $400 million.

Although her musical career has brought her many accolades, I most remember her for single-handedly starting an entire fashion movement in the 80s. Phase I of the Madonna Movement involved wearing layers of bracelets, fishnet gloves, miniskirt over leggings, head bands, and bleach blonde hair with dark roots. Phase II is more commonly known as the Like a Virgin look, and it involved wearing huge crucifix jewelry, lace gloves, boy toy belts, tulle skirts, corsets worn as outerwear, and LOTS of makeup. You can still see traces of this look in today's fashion since head bands and leggings are back, but the intensity of the 80s fad has thankfully passed.

Phase I

Phase II

These days, Madonna is all over the news because of her rumored divorce from hubby Guy Ritchie. Oh well, they had a nice run. They have a son together, Rocco, Madonna adopted second son Mwale from Malawi, and Madonna already had daughter Lourdes from a previous relationship with trainer Carlos Leon. Check out this photo of Madonna with her three kids.

Madonna recently teamed up with the retail store H&M to create a line of clothing aptly named M by Madonna. Below is a sample of some handbags from the collection, which are reasonably priced at less than $200.00.Here she is sporting a chic pair of Christian Dior sunglasses.

$350.00

...And she looked absolutely flawless at the 2007 Vanity Fair Oscars After Party in a sleek and elegant black gown.