Several months ago, when I first started my Pinterest account, I decided to play a little game and pick a couple of things I wasn’t typically interested in to start a board on. I was mostly playing just a game of focus so see how many of those things, I hadn’t thought much about before I’d just run across because I’d set an intention. One of the boards I started was Marilyn Monroe. Now, I like Marilyn as much as the next person who sort of likes Marilyn. However, I certainly wouldn’t have considered myself a super-fan. As anticipated though, I started finding pics and articles about Marilyn Monroe everywhere and I’ve learned some interesting things about Marilyn and beauty.
Weight – There are museum wardrobe pieces of Marilyn’s ranging anywhere from a size 12, which would be much larger by today’s sizing standards, to tailor made pieces probably around a 2. Her body weight fluctuated a lot and sometimes wildly. She was known to gain as much as 20 lbs, lose it, and then gain it back again during a single film shoot. Unfortunately this was probably because of her drug usage. However, she never worried about her weight. She was curvy and actually felt more sexy at her higher weight, because she felt like her curves were her selling point. That said, she was not afraid to use undergarments to get a certain look, but Marilyn and Marilyn alone made that choice. Wardrobe was not allowed to suggest it.
Marilyn did diet, however, it was not ever because of her weight. She dieted specifically for her skin. She had a diet routine she followed religiously that she felt made her skin look more lovely.
Makeup- Marilyn used a very light pallet. She played with light way more than shadows. She did use eyeliner, obviously, but most of what she did with her makeup was about playing up the light on her face.
She did her own makeup and often managed monroe roofers her own wardrobe. Even on set she did her own face because she felt like the “trends of the day”, makeup artist were using weren’t flattering on her. Many of her infamous late arrivals on set were because she was doing those things on her own without an assistant, and she insisted on it being that way. She felt like no one knew her face better than she did.
Marilyn wasn’t afraid to be photographed bare faced, however, she was rarely without lipstick. Being a blond with a similar complexion, I get that!
Clothing – Marilyn was quoted as saying there wasn’t one piece of wardrobe that could make her look better than good posture. She said she could look good being photographed in a dish towel, and it was true. Some of her most enduring photographs are of her in the sand with a towel. She believed that any woman could be attractive if they could learn how to “carry their body with poise and sass.”
That said, she was known for being very difficult in wardrobe because there were certain things she would refuse to wear. Again, she felt many of the styles and cuts of the day weren’t flattering on her body and she refused to give in to trends when they didn’t suit her.
Fragrance – We all know she wore an expensive perfume. However, that wasn’t a commercial stunt. She wore it everyday. She said she liked enough fragrance so that people would know she’d been there when she left a room.
The “it” factor – It’s commonly known Marilyn Monroe could turn “it” on and turn “it” off at will. She could walk down the street completely unnoticed and in a blink turn “it” on and people would be flocking to her. Many directors said that when Marilyn would show up on set there were quite concerned because she didn’t seem to have that thing they’d expected. Often she was shy. At times, even mousy. However, when she wanted to, she could instantly transform for the camera and become incredibly magnetic.
