A Tribute to Madonna’s Live Aid Outfit, 13th July 1985

So here’s an outfit that’s been 31 years in the making. This is my tribute to Madonna’s Live Aid outfit –

something that’s captivated my imagination for more than two thirds of my life. (Okay so it sounds dramatic, but this stuff is important when you’re a teenager!)

On this day in 1985 I had my 13th birthday party, and all my friends and I watched Live Aid on a little black and white TV in a huge tent in my garden my parents had put up for us for a sleepover. The TV was on a long extension cable and for some reason it being in black and white didn’t bother us – we were just happy to be out of the house and not inside with the parents.

THIS WAS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO HER USUAL LOOK: SHE WAS COVERED UP FOR A START, AND IT WAS FLORAL AND LACE AND JACQUARD BUT WITH HER USUAL TON OF JEWELLERY.

I don’t know whether it was that night or on extra footage the next day, but I can remember seeing Madonna at some point and my heart stopping. This was something completely different to her usual [Like a Virgin] look: She was covered up for a start, and it was floral and lace and jacquard but with her usual ton of jewellery. I knew at that moment I wanted to look and dress exactly like that.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Fast forward to the 30th anniversary of Live Aid one year ago today: I was feeling nostalgic and was amazed at how much I still loved her outfit. I was desperate to recreate that look in some way but could I find trousers with that typically-80s floral print or a mint jacket? No, and no. So the anniversary went by and I thought little more of it.

However, a couple of months ago I was perusing ASOS (no surprise there) when I came across these wide leg floral trousers – in just the right print. My thoughts immediately went to that Madonna outfit that I’d held in such high regard: Would it actually be possible to give the outfit another shot? Could my 13-year-old self be looking on and thinking yessss, I AM the Material Girl?!

I NOT ONLY FOUND “THE” TROUSERS, BUT I FOUND A MINT JACQUARD JACKET TOO. TO SAY I WAS EXCITED WAS AN UNDERSTATEMENT – I’D LOVED THIS OUTFIT FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AFTER ALL

Dramatics aside, I not only found “the” trousers, but I found a mint jacquard jacket too. To say I was excited was an understatement – I’d loved this outfit for OVER 30 YEARS. So I may have missed the 30th anniversary of Live Aid, but the 31st was just going to have to do.

The rest was easy: I found a white lace top I wore on holiday last year, piled on the layered necklaces (I couldn’t find my old cross I’ve had since the 80s so went with my vintage lion pendant in tribute to Madonna’s star sign), put on hoop earrings and scrunched – yes you heard that right, scrunched – my hair. I stopped short at the white ankle socks and weird heeled ballet shoes she wore. Some things are a step too far so my Hobbs wedge sandals brought the outfit up to date instead.

I know Madonna’s jacket was long, but I prefer this cropped length to let the lace top peek out from underneath, plus to have found any type of jacket in a mint jacquard fabric was a miracle, to be honest. You could say mine’s a mix of her waistcoat and jacket. Interesting fact: Her jacket was designed by Prince, no less.

So there you have it: A 31-year-old dream has finally come true. I was fed up of waiting for my mum to buy me the exact same outfit anyway, I’ve been nagging her since 1985 😉

DID YOU LOVE OR HATE MADONNA’S LIVE AID OUTFIT – I KNOW IT DIVIDES OPINION! PLUS IF YOU ACTUALLY WENT TO LIVE AID ITSELF (WEMBLEY OR PHILADELPHIA) DO COMMENT BELOW, OR TAKE IT TO TWITTER @NOTLAMB!

Photo credit above: Ebet Roberts / Ron Galella (Getty Images)

ASOS jacquard jacket (50% off, there are matching trousers too) | ASOS floral cropped trousers (there’s a matching floral jacket) | Dorothy Perkins top (here’s a similar white lace top) | Hobbs navy wedge sandals c/o (less than half price) | Vintage gold lion pendant c/o Sweet n Spark (love this lion’s head pendant necklace) | Miss Selfridge tiered necklace (old, I love this modern Topshop tiered necklace or here’s a fabulous crystal-embellished cross pendant) | Toenails: DIY colour using the Palette London kit