It feels like an understatement to say Madonna is an iconic figure. As she keeps reinventing herself, Madonna pushes the boundaries of public perception around older women—sometimes with racy photos.
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00:00It feels like an understatement to say Madonna is an iconic figure. As she keeps reinventing
00:05herself, Madonna pushes the boundaries of public perception around older women,
00:09sometimes with racy photos. On January 14th, the 66-year-old turned up the heat again with
00:15a slideshow of provocative pics on Instagram. Madonna captioned the photos,
00:18"'So good to be home again,' adding emojis of a bed, book, and teddy bear.
00:22Wearing dramatic, winged eyeliner, she posed on her bed in a lacy black outfit
00:27and shiny black boots that reached to just below her knee. Madonna experimented with
00:31black and white as well as color shots and a variety of camera angles. In multiple shots,
00:35she seductively stared into the camera, engaging the viewer. Her fans enthusiastically complimented
00:40Madonna's youthful appearance, with some feeling like the singer had actually turned back the
00:44clock on aging. One person wrote, "'And suddenly, we were back in 2006,' while another said,
00:50"'Queen Madonna is back in her prime.'" One fan saw Madonna's glamorous appearance as simply
00:54setting a new standard for people's assumptions of what a particular age might look like.
00:58That goes right in line with Madonna's style.
01:01"'I have no age. I'm all ages. It's not about who I am. It's about how many I am.'"
01:09While Madonna definitely took center stage in her Instagram photos,
01:12fans also zeroed in on the details of her bedroom. Two books were prominently featured,
01:17Bone by Yrsa Daly Ward and Pamela Anderson's I Love You. Published in 2017,
01:21the poems in Bone are described by Penguin Random House as balancing society's expectations with the
01:26raw experience of being a woman in the world. That sounds like a read that fits Madonna's
01:30own sensibilities. In addition, by virtue of Madonna subtly recommending it, one fan predicted
01:35that Bone was about to see a surge in book sales, and we have a feeling they're not wrong.
01:39As for Anderson's book, it's possible that Madonna was giving a shout-out to her friend.
01:43Back in February 2024, Anderson participated in Madonna's Vancouver concert. Speaking about
01:48their connection, Anderson explained to E! News that she enjoyed their friendship.
01:52"'Strong woman. I've always admired her.'"
01:56One likely source of common ground is their outspokenness about ageism. Lately,
02:00Anderson's been showcasing her makeup-free beauty, demonstrating her acting talents,
02:04and breaking the barriers of how she was viewed superficially earlier in her career.
02:08Her recent comments seem to complement some of Madonna's past statements on the topic,
02:11like the singer's February 2023 Instagram post where she proclaimed,
02:15"'I have never apologized for any of the creative choices I have made,
02:18nor the way that I look or dress, and I'm not going to start.'"
02:21For fans who grew up being awed and inspired by Madonna,
02:24it might feel like she lives in a whole other world that mere mortals can't even fathom.
02:28However, her recent Instagram pics also include some of the trappings of normal life. For instance,
02:33in the back corner of one of the photos, there's a vintage-looking nightstand.
02:37The top of the somewhat worn piece is covered with items, including a teacup,
02:41a partially used candle, and a stack of books beyond the two titles on her bed.
02:45The vibe resonated with her audience. Another fan was touched by Madonna's collection of plushies
02:49on her bed, writing,
02:51"...the fact that you have stuffed animals, including the octopus that was there with
02:54you when you were sick, is the sweetest thing."
02:56The singer's stuffies have been spotlighted on her social media before. In 2024,
03:00she noted the toys' constant presence in her life in an Instagram story. Before that,
03:05the octopus was included in a story posted when the singer was recovering after being in the
03:09hospital in summer 2023. That ICU stay wasn't Madonna's first serious health scare, unfortunately.
03:15Luckily, as with previous difficulties, she was able to heal, go back on tour,
03:19and keep challenging people's beliefs about aging and her own public image.