Marilyn Monroe isn't a just practitioner of the Old Hollywood aesthetic—she is, in itself, an entire aesthetic. And dressing like her (in my opinion) is more than just a lifestyle; it's a religion. Marilyn Monroe completely changed the 1950s, the course of fashion history, and our understanding of glamour, beauty, and the female experience.

It's impossible to fully understand Monroe's significance in fashion without knowing the context and the history that comes with it, but I'll try my best in the following article, going over my favorite looks of hers and why she became the cultural phenomenon that she is today.

The Makeup

I think Marilyn is best known for her signature red lip. In fact, she's half the reason I never feel like myself without it. I absolutely ADORE her makeup routine: her dark eyeliner, bold red lipstick, the doe eyes (underlining her eyes with white liner to make them large and innocent looking). Marilyn really and truly did makeup well, and looked absolutely stunning with short hair.

The significance of red lipstick in cinema: wearing red lipstick isn't just a beauty choice: it's a power move. It's a color that symbolizes sexuality, power, and defiance. It's a color that you wear to draw attention to yourself, that defines your sexuality as something that you own, not something you give. Pairing this color with doe eyes and a glowing face, it allows her to be both traditionally feminine and seductive, a choice that even to this day is controversial and bold (think of Sabrina Carpenter.)

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The Blond Phenomenon

If you thought the red lipstick was iconic, just think about the blond hair. Being blond, especially dyed platinum blonde, isn't just a fashion choice anymore: it's a lifestyle, one that faces a lot of criticism and a lot of envy. It's incredible, really, that one color can make such a difference in how we percieve someone.

But in America, being blonde is tied to femininity, traditional femininity. A femininity that is upfront and in-your-face. Being blonde is tied to all our opinions about female gender roles: stupid, girly, shallow, seductive power, mean, privileged, safe. Marilyn Monroe has been tied to each one of these stereotypes, and embraced them, rather than rejected them or moved away from them. This has forced us to confront our feelings about not just blondes but feminism and gender roles themselves.

The Wardrobe

But Marilyn wouldn't be herself without her glamorous, (or, at times, decidedly casual) wardrobe. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen her wear something I didn't like, or something that wouldn't fly as a main character in some soapy drama. Her love of satin and shine, her flair for minidresses, and her ability to pull off patterns (the polka dotted 1950s bathing suit comes to mind!) all contribute to her ability to make a statement. She makes being Marilyn Monroe look like more than just being a person; she seems to embody a lifestyle, a vision that only she can live.

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox from Wikimedia Commons

I hope you enjoyed this breakdown! If you have any questions, click below. Let me know what you think of this article. If there are any other celebrities you'd like me to write about, let me know!