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Really Madonna ?

Isabel

Veteran

I hope that I do not insult anyone here, so please forgive me in advance if I do.

I am just horrified by Madonna's outfit to the Costume Institute Benefit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City , yesterday. I know that she has edge and is at the forefront of fashion, but I just don't get this. It is funny though, I am not sure what I would think if Betsey Johnson wore this....I like what Betsey wears. But maybe Betsey would have enough sense not to wear this to the Met. It is definitely part of an age thing for me, but I wouldn't want to see Gisele in it either. Madonna just seems to be desperate and trying really, really hard. Too hard. But it is a "costume" Institute. I am having an existential crisis over Madonna and her outfit ! Help !

Is it me...or do you find this ok to wear to a red carpet event ? ( I also think it is so disrespectful to wear any religious symbol hanging off one's bum....yikes ! )

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Dressing

31 replies

Latest reply was from T-Rex

DeclawedJaguar

Veteran

It's not an outfit I would wear myself, but I think it's event and theme appropriate, which was punk meets couture costume ball. And if anyone can be exempt from the age appropriate rules, it's got to be Madonna!

Isabel

Veteran

"And if anyone can be exempt from the age appropriate rules, it's got to be Madonna! " haha...ok, that is an interesting way of looking at it. Maybe it is me who is getting long in the tooth ! LOL .

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

It fits the theme, Punk: Chaos to Couture.

Many did not get the theme at all

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....de=2416257

Shorter highlights slide show

http://www.refinery29.com/2013.....l&utm

Diana

Veteran

I think the Met Costume Institute gala might be one of the only red carpet events at which an outfit like this is appropriate. I find the outfits so much more interesting than, say, the Oscars.

Isabel

Veteran

Anna, apparently I didn't get it either. Thanks for the clarification. Now it makes some sense. ( Though I still feel uncomfortable with the cross off the bum...)

ironkurtin

Veteran

That's Madonna, tasetful and restrained.

K. Period.

Veteran

It is funny, but Madonna's outfit didn't really bug me. (I will give you the hot crossed bum, though, that was a little distasteful.) I think that Madonna is one of the few who really embraced the punk theme. And Madonna lives on being disrespectful, she always has. After all, you don't brand yourself "Madonna" and sing "Like a Virgin" etc. because you want everyone's parents to approve of your music. And of course there was the whole Gaultier thing. You know, Madonna, the music she's created over the years, I don't really listen to it, but the fact that she's making it, I respect that. (And yes, I have watched Zoolander more times than any sane human reasonably should. You'll have to excuse me though, because it has both David Bowie and Billy Zane in it, and well that pretty much sums it up for my justification.)

I was actually really disappointed by how boring the outfits were in general. I saw gown after gown after gown that was classically pretty. Not even pink and black and pretty. Not even plaid and pretty. (Seriously. Where was the plaid ballgown--you would have thought that would be a natural.) Like Madonna, Anja Rubik really stood out as someone who embraced the theme too. However, she did it in a much more gorgeously sophisticated way. Why wasn't there more of that? I missed the studs, safety pins, hardware, leather, plaid and interesting shoes. This was such a fun chance for folks to take a risk, and yet at the end of the day, apparently risk is okay so long as you still look pretty, but no further. Bummer.

Isabel

Veteran

K...haha "hot crossed bum" ! You are correct. I don't know why I would expect different. I love what you said about there really not being anything "risky". I don't consider what Madonna did risky, but I do think that it was poor taste. There really was nothing of interest. It could have been an awards show like the Oscars.

Very interesting thoughts ladies !! Thank you !

PS, K, I LOVE Zoolander. Love, love, love.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Okay so we have a Frozen era wig, Like a Virgin crucifix, Material Girl shoes, Desperately Seeking Susan hosiery and a jacket from her days married to Guy Ritchie. I think she is a walking wardrobe edit.

Isabel

Veteran

OMG, you NAILED it R&J ! hahaha !

Echo

Veteran

Madonna's outfit reminded me of the thread here where someone mentioned that Mick Jagger was now "creepy", given that he was a senior citizen making hay off the image of who and what he used to be. I see that here with Madonna.

Madonna has always had quite a set in order to do what she's done, but she could have got the same feeling with this outfit while still covering them. And for the record, I would not appreciate this outfit on ANYONE, regardless of age. Going out without pants has just never been an appealing look to me.

But Anne Hathaway's dress was fantastic, IMO (despite the upset over Gwyneth's similar dress at a different event), and I always love Sarah Jessica Parker, regardless of how ridiculous she chooses to dress (and despite her underwear showing mishap). Kim Kardashian and Anna Wintour wore old curtains, though.

Anonymous

I like it, very Madonna. She likes to give people some shock value. She is a performer. I think she is in great shape also. A cross is a Christian/ Catholic symbol but it is also ...just a cross... Some people don't see any religious significance to it and that has to be respected. I am Catholic by the way and a cross means something to me.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Meh. Perhaps the outfit is controversial, but I can't say I love it on any level (even though I've been known to dance to a Madonna tune or two). Any true self-respecting punk from back in the day would laugh his or her behind off at the idea of Madonna (or 90% of the other attendees) embracing punk.

I was really disappointed by the outfits and stylings. However, I loved this quote from Mindy Kaling: "If you subvert anything, then you're punk. So I'm going to be chubby and friendly tonight, and that's as punk as you get."

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Here's one analysis of her outfit

http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/0.....cifix.html

ironkurtin

Veteran

She's certainly in excellent physical shape, whatever she wears.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

Well, she's certainly showing her A (and I don't mean age) in these photos! And the cross placement? Noooooooo. "Hot Crossed Bums?!!" Madonna's bad taste has reached new heights (or lows). I wouldn't want to have to sit down in that outfit - yikes!

Laurinda

Veteran

Cheeky.

Nicole D

Veteran

How dare she......rip off Anna Wintour's hairdo like that?!

bj1111

Veteran

Janet. Mindy kaling is right! You know the highest color of gothdom is PINK!

rachylou

Veteran

I was so surprised by all the "ordinary" gowns people wore. It was so strange, the absence of the punk.

Anyways, it's weird about Madonna's outfit. It is on theme, if too far to the goth side, which is a bit of relief. But boy was it unextraordinary. Dull even, and that hair... hahaha Nicole D! Where was the creativity? The sartorial vision?

And actually, did anybody bother to look at Moda Operandi's punk offerings to go along with the event? The designer specials? Frankly, IMO, as disappointing as the Target / Neiman Marcus team-up.

In the words of the immortal and infamous MC Lars: Hot Topic is not punk rock!

Mia

Veteran

Knowing the theme and seeing the slide show I think it was actually kind of fun. Maybe a little far with the cross and the exposure of the buttocks but a lot of the guests didn't appear to have made much effort and her style is not to be understated. I assume she thought costume party not costume institute?

I thought Donatella Versace looked pretty cool.

cciele

Veteran

I'm kind of digging it -- it's very Madonna-esque. I would totally wear that outfit/costume given the appropriate occasion

Deborah

Veteran

I saw this on our news this morning. I accept that she probably met the outfit fit brief for the event but I find it tasteless and not all that innovative. I realise Madonna has been all about shock value but her outfit is not unexpected at all. The symbol of the cross does mean something to me and I do find her use of it offensive. Sorry.. but that 's how I feel.

Molly L-R

Christina Ricci's outfit is bang on. Seriously, if it's designer punk you want, go for Westwood every time. But did everyone else not get the memo about the theme? Or were they just too scared of getting it wrong and ending up on somebody's worst-dressed list?

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T-Rex

Veteran

I love me some Christina Ricci.

Madonna's outfit to me is more disappointing than shocking. Each of her style transformations over the years have been dramatic and interesting. Her costume here looks like something I could have thrown together at the last minute from my own closet.

If she had shown up in something that showed just as much of her body, or even more of it, but was *interesting*, that would have been great. Showing up in something interesting, but which covered her bum, would have been great, too.

As for the cross, I'm even disappointed in that. It seems like wearing it that way is a lazy way to cause a stir. When Madonna has pushed the buttons of Christian people in the past, it was at least with the (apparent) purpose of getting people to think about their religious beliefs. Or, maybe she really was just trying to shock, and any thought or debate about what she was doing was just an accidentaly bi-product of that. The cross hanging near her bottom seems like evidence of the latter possibility.

K. Period.

Veteran

Yah! There's me plaid ballgown! Thanks, Molly! And on the kudos, didn't Zachary Quinto look nice?!?

rachylou

Veteran

I pinned that one gown, Molly.

I don't know, maybe if I keep looking, I'll find more to pin. But so far I'm feeling sad for punk... hehe

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Madonna always understood and used shock value as a publicity tool. This is no different. I decided to show my 80-year old Mother the pictures (interrupting her needlepoint for a few minutes). Her comment was "vulgar" and "in bad taste." She really didn't like the flesh popping over the stockings, that was the first thing she noticed. And she felt this outfit would be vulgar even if Madonna were 29.

My personal opinion is, this is Madonna, she can pull off anything she wants and I certainly HOPE she pushes the age appropriate envelope. If she can't, who can?

Personally, as someone who was born in the same year as Madonna, I would not wear something like this. I don't have the money to spend on age-fighting plastic surgery and personal trainers, first of all. Second, although I wish to retain some interest and edge to my style as I get older, I choose not to wear revealing clothes any more.

I did like what SJ Parker wore as well as Miley Cyrus!

deb

Veteran

It looks like a 'Cher' outfit to me. Or, an old lady wanting to be 25 still.

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