Watching Madonna's Blond Ambition World Tour on HBO in the summer of 1990 changed my fucking life! I was familiar with her before this, of course. I had heard Material Girl (obvi), I'd seen Dick Tracy BUT viewing this was so provocative and shocking to my 10 year old eyes. Madonna spit. She cursed. She grabbed her crotch...a lot! She wore crazy outfits. She mixed Catholicism, sexuality and homo-eroticism, which was so exciting to my rebellious nature (I was raised Catholic). From that moment on I was a die hard Madonna Wannabe!


This tour pretty much changed the game of concerts for everyone in pop music. Madonna wasn't simply singing her songs in front of an audience. It was a groundbreaking, two hour spectacle that combined fashion, Broadway theater and performance art. The show was broken up into 5 sections, with each segment having it's own set and story. From this point on, artists really had to step up their A game and bring it! The tour was highly controversial, as Madonna was almost arrested in Toronto and nearly banned in Rome!!

Madonna and Jean Paul Gaultier

Avant-garde French designer Jean Paul Gaultier created all the looks for the tour, including the bizarre and iconic cone shaped bras and bustiers. This high profile pairing helped catapult him to superstardom in the 1990's. Makeup Artist Joanne Gair designed Madonna's makeup for the tour, which was sponsored by MAC Cosmetics. MAC's original owner, Frank Toskan created the lipstick shade Russian Red specifically for her use. Madonna's hairstyle changed half way through the tour, from a long ponytail hairpiece to tight barrel curls. This change was made since the ponytail not only kept getting caught in her headset mic but was also pulling her hair out by the root!

Gaultier poses with his creations at his showroom in Paris!
 

1. Express Yourself/Open Your Heart

A power suit and a corset...gender issues?

2. Causing A Commotion/Where's The Party
Cycling gloves and spandex hoodie's AS a look!


The crazy, ranting tangent Madonna went on during the end of this performance I still remember vividly!

3. Like A Virgin

This gold corset became so iconic, Gauliter used it for his perfume bottle years later!


Any performance that could possibly get you arrested for public indecency is good!

4. Like A Prayer/Live To Tell
Hail Mary!


 I remember thinking "Why can't church be like this?"!

"Dick".....that's an interesting name....my bottom hurts just thinkin' about it!

Torchy!

Sometimes you just need some marabou!

Safe Sex! Always important!

7. Vogue
This look started a HUGE trend of cycling shorts as club wear!
 

CLASSIC!

8. Holiday
This was the start of 70's retro in the 90's!


This outfit still baffles me.

9. Keep It Together

Knee pads!!!!! This look was inspired by the films Cabaret and A Clockwork Orange

Caged heat!


....and here I am at 11 years old on Halloween 1991, giving you my BEST Express Yourself look!