8 Iconic Dresses From Marylin Monroe Movies That’ve Got a Few Stories to Tell

Marilyn Monroe was not only the ideal of beauty, but also a recognized fashion icon. The dresses that the star wore, made by the best Hollywood designers, still set trends today and inspire women to do fashion experiments. And there’s an interesting story behind every single one of these dresses.

We at Bright Side have learned some interesting facts about their creation and the fate of the most beautiful dresses from the famous actress. And at the end of the article, we’re going to tell you what trick Marilyn used to wear the legendary semi-transparent dress she sang “Happy Birthday” in.

The Seven Year Itch, 1955

• Even people who haven’t seen the film have probably heard about the famous scene from it. The episode was initially shot right in the subway, and it took 14 takes. Even though it was late at night, there were a lot of bystanders watching. So, the best take was ruined by the noise, and the final version had to be filmed in the studio.
• Among the people in the crowd, there was a baseball player Joe DiMaggio, who was the actress’ husband at the time. There’s a rumor that he really disliked what he saw, and they broke up because of the dress. In order not to infuriate her husband even more, Monroe wore 2 sets of underwear.
• Famous designer William Travilla worked on this film. An interesting fact is that he didn’t like the dress, he thought it was silly. After he died, the sketch of the dress was sold for $50,000. And in 2011, the dress itself was purchased for $5.52 million, the most money ever paid for a movie costume.

Some Like It Hot, 1959

• Even though Monroe was pregnant during the filming of Some Like It Hot, she wore some pretty revealing costumes. By the way, the costumes, developed by Orry-Kelly, were so bold for that time that the film was even banned in some regions. But it didn’t stop Orry-Kelly from winning the Academy Award for it.
• The first dress — the close-fitting nude-color silk cocktail dress, looked a lot like the skin. And if it weren’t for the sequins, it would probably not be allowed to be in the film. An unexpected heart-shaped embroidery detail completes the rear. According to Tony Curtis, the costume designer achieved the sensual fit by literally sewing Monroe into the costumes.

• Another one of his creations was a semi-transparent black dress with beads and sequins, scattered beaded butterfly appliques, and beaded fringe. The dress has a built-in bra, even though it seems the actress is not wearing any underwear. Legend has it that Monroe had to be lifted to the piano for this scene, as the dress was very form-fitting.

The Prince and The Showgirl, 1957

• The costumes for The Prince and The Showgirl, including the tight beaded ivory dress, were made by British costume designer Beatrice Dawson. Working on this project was a huge challenge for her because, during filming, Monroe’s weight fluctuated constantly, so Beatrice had no choice but to make several identical dresses in different sizes.
• Besides, Marilyn would often stain the costumes with food, and the outfits would have to be replaced. Finally, Beatrice found a solution by remaking the dress so that, when needed, just the top layer could be replaced.

Something’s Got to Give, 1962

• The silk crepe dress with a floral print, developed by Hollywood costume designer Jean Louis, was special because it was created for the last film with Marilyn. The film was never released: first she was fired from the film, and when the studio hired her again, she passed away. The filmed materials were included in a documentary about the actress, and the “cursed” dress was sold at the auction for $358,000.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, 1953

• The beaded orange dress was one of the highlights of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The simple look had an unusual construction: the zip was in the front, and, for the skirt to retain its shape, it had boning on the sides.
• The fiery color produced a bombshell. Marilyn loved the dress so much that she asked the designer, who was also her close friend, William Travilla, to make a copy for her in a salmon color. And the original dress went to a different project: 3 years later, jazz singer Abbey Lincoln wore it in the musical The Girl Can’t Help It.

• For the performance of Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe, Billy (the name William was called by his friends and colleagues) developed red sequin gowns with high slits up to the hip and deep cleavage.
• If you look closely, you will see that there’s a nude-color lining in the cleavage area. The designer used this trick to make the actresses feel confident. The many decorative elements were sewn to the costumes, so the actresses could move freely while dancing.

• The gold pleated gown was also specially made for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It was based on Ginger Rogers’s dress from Dreamboat. Marilyn saw the gown hanging in Billy’s office and wanted one for her. The designer just couldn’t refuse.
• The dress wasn’t finished in time for the filming, so Marilyn had to be sewn into it. The dress was created out of a single complete circle of gold lame. There was an iron V-build in the center of the dress from the waist to the bust — creating the molding effect. But the dress ended up being so bold that all the scenes with it were deleted. There’s only a short 10-second episode, where the dress can be seen from the back.
• Monroe loved the dress, like many other William’s creations, so much, that she wanted to wear it for the 1953 Photoplay Awards. Travilla was not happy. He felt that the dress was for a movie, not for a public appearance. But Monroe didn’t listen and wore it, causing a total sensation, making Joan Crawford exclaim, “She looks vulgar”!

Bonus: The famous sparking dress

The semi-transparent nude-color dress that Marilyn sang “Happy Birthday” in, is probably the most famous piece of clothing from the 20th century. When Monroe asked costume designer Jean Louis to make a dress for her, she told him, “I want you to design a truly historical dress, a dazzling dress that’s one-of-a-kind, a dress that only Marilyn Monroe could wear.”

When the gown was created, the actress decided not to wear anything under it, for it to fit her perfectly. She told the organizers of the event that she’d wear a simple dress with a tall collar. But then, she went on the stage, took her white fur coat off, and everyone was stunned.

Which Marilyn Monroe dress do you like the most? And which of these facts did you find amazing?