Perhaps the most famous fashion song of all time is Madonna’s “Vogue.” Contrary to popular assumption, it’s not specifically about the magazine. Voguing was a type of dancing popular in underground gay clubs in the 1980s, with moves that imitated Hollywood stars and magazine cover models. Having established herself as a provocateur, dance-pop queen Madonna now wanted to bring this subculture to the masses. After her commanding exhortation, “Strike a pose,” she sings about letting loose on the dancefloor and finding beauty in what you choose. The spoken word homage to fashion icons—Jean Harlow, Jimmy Dean and Marilyn Monroe, among others—towards the end caps off a tune that celebrates the transformative power of dancing and the self-reinvention that fashion can enable. And lest anyone think that she had lost her edge, the accompanying black-and-white video featured the singer wearing a revealing sheer lace blouse sans bra.
Stylish Tunes: Top 10 Songs About Fashion
With New York Fashion Week in full swing and the Grammy Awards around the corner, we roundup some of the most fabulous fashion tunes
Madonna, “Vogue” (1990)
Full List
Top 10 Fashion Songs
- Marilyn Monroe, “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” (1953)
- Carl Perkins, “Blue Suede Shoes” (1956)
- Bryan Hyland, “Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” (1960)
- David Bowie, “Fashion” (1980)
- Madonna, “Vogue” (1990)
- RuPaul, “Supermodel” (1992)
- Amy Winehouse, “F*** Me Pumps” (2003)
- Jimmy James, “Fashionista” (2006)
- Kanye West, “Dark Fantasy” (2011)
- Kreayshawn, “Gucci Gucci” (2011)