Alex Carson
It’s finally summer again, and you know what that means? It’s time to bust out those swimsuits, get out on the beach and catch some sun!
The bikini has become most beach-goers go-to wardrobe choice when going out for a bit of fun in the sun, but it wasn’t always that way. Brigitte Bardot is known to have helped popularize the bikini in Europe in the 1950s and assisted in creating a market for it in the United States.
The world-famous Cannes film festival played a significant role in Bardot’s career and helped popularize the article of swimming attire that she looked so fabulous in. In 1952, Bardot wore a barely-there bikini in the film Manina the Girl in the Bikini. The film blew up, gaining a ton of attention due to Bardot’s smoking hot appearance wearing the skimpy swimsuit.
Flash forward 70-plus years later and the bikini is till every bit as popular and alluring as it was back then.
But this video isn’t about Brigitte Bardot nor her love for the bikini– as much as that would be an excellent topic to cover. Instead, we’re going to be discussing another blonde bombshell’s love affair with the scanty beach staple.
Marilyn Monroe was one of the most influential fashion and sex symbols of the 1950s. There’s no denying that. The ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ star turned heads everywhere she went with her stunning fashion, perfectly tailored for her flawless body.
The star posed for numerous bikini photoshoots throughout her tragically short-lived career. Join Facts Verse as we look back on several of Marilyn Monroe’s most seductive bikni photos that leave little to the imagination.
She Used Her Sex Appeal To Rise To The Top
Marilyn first started modeling in the mid-1940s, appearing on the covers of numerous magazines before she ever dabbled in acting. A few of her earliest film roles came after signing a contract with 20th Century Fox. In 1953, Monroe starred in three iconic films, How to Marry a Millionaire, Niagara, and Gentleman Prefer Blondes. Each of these films did well at the box office and were met with critical acclaim. Naturally, Marilyn gained worldwide recognition and became a key player both in the entertainment industry and the beauty world.
In 1954, while she was filming The Seven Year Itch in New York, Monroe posed for that famed subway grate scene in her infamous little white dress. That sequence remains one of the most iconic scenes in film history, but at the time it was pretty controversial. Of course, one of the best things that can help a film’s performance is a nice little dose of controversy. As such, the film became a smash hit and took in millions at the box office.
Monroe’s fans from all over the world were absolutely captivated by her charming personality, voluptuous figure, come-hither eyes, and signature bleach-blonde pin curls. Countless imitators would attempt to emulate her trademarked look with varying degrees of success, but everyone knows that Marilyn was the original.
She Revealed Some Of Her Biggest Secrets
In an issue of Playboy that hit newsstands in September of 1953, Monroe, who was that month’s centerfold, divulged a few of her beauty and wellness secrets. She said that she was naturally gifted with a languorous disposition and that she hated doing things in a hasty, hurried manner. She went on to reveal that it was all-but impossible for her to spring out of bed in the morning.
On Sundays, her day of total leisure and relaxation, Monroe said that she would often take up to two hours to wake up – soaking in every last second of luxurious drowsiness. Depending on her previous night’s activities, she would sleep anywhere from five to ten hours every evening.
The ‘Some Like It Hot’ actress further shared a few insights into her regular exercise regimen. Apparently, much of this consisted of what she dubbed as her ‘bust-firming routine’, in which she would lift five-pound weights over her head several times throughout the day.
She explained that she didn’t like to count rhythmically like the exercise instructors did on the radio and that she couldn’t stand exercise if it felt too regimented.
Marilyn passed away, succumbing to a drug overdose in 1962 at the age of 36, but her legacy has continued to live on ever since. Several generations have grown up idolizing her sense of style, beauty, and attitude.
Marilyn was a lot more than just a fashion influencer. She was also a visionary whose impact inspired many of the fashion world’s brightest designers.
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{writers note} the following photo descriptions describe the ones featured in the below article.
She Always Looked Flawless
Monroe effortlessly rocked retro looks that still inspire us to this day. And whenever she took her pin-up style to the beach, we’d be willing to bet that even the mermaids got jealous.
Take this photo from 1953, for example. The blonde bombshell was showing off her enviable figure wearing an all-white bikini decked out with contrasting black button detailing. She finished up her look with a pair of gold hoop-style earrings and sexy Lucite heels.
Here’s another from 1953 of Monroe posing in a one-piece with a plunging neckline that would make anyone blush. Once again, Marilyn’s footwear game was on point, because just look at those strappy heels. Do we even have to mention that she knew precisely what she was doing when it came to pairing?
Then there’s this lovely little snapshot from 1953 – which obviously must have been a pretty amazing year for her. Monroe is seen here showing off her hourglass assets to the camera while wearing this beautiful one-piece featuring crystal accents. To take things to 11, she’s wearing a pair of platform sandals!
Let’s go back in time a bit further to take a look at this pose from 1952. Marilyn is seen wearing a daring one-piece while giving the photographer a look that likely made him spill his coffee.
A year prior Mariyn rocked this itty-bitty little polka-dotted number years before Brian Hyland wrote a song about it and made it all the rage.
What about this one of Marilyn soaking up some rays in this high-line gold one-piece? Seriously, it should be illegal to look this good. But yet again, Monroe barely even had to raise a finger to look downright dazzling. She could probably rock a department store clearance bikini and make it look fire!
This shot from 1947 was taken when Marilyn was still a young baby-faced newcomer just getting her feet in the water. She’s seen posing in a pin-up inspired portrait wearing a two-piece bikini while sporting strawberry blonde hair.
In this beachside photo, she mesmerized wearing a white and red striped bikini. At this point, you’ve probably gathered that Marilyn Monroe was incapable of looking anything but drop-dead gorgeous. It’s no wonder that everyone from Frank Sinatra to John F. Kennedy wanted to win a date with her.
Just as Esther Williams, Betty Grabble, and Brigitte Bardot had all done, Marilyn Monroe used revealing swimwear to prop up her career and enhance her sex appeal. But she was far more than just a sex symbol. Monroe was self-empowered, body-positive, and “woke” long before those terms entered the pop culture lexicon.
She Overcame Adversity
Growing up in foster homes and orphanages where she was subjected to abuse, the world’s favorite blonde bombshell’s troubled upbringing only pushed her to overcome her background and make something of herself. She knew what audiences – particularly men – wanted.
With her puppy dog eyes and breathy voice – which was suggested to her by a speech therapist to help overcome a stutter – Monroe transformed herself into one of the most sought-after stars of her day.
But it wasn’t all just about her looks. Monroe proved time and time again that she was a gifted actress who was incredibly intelligent. And she used these smarts to her advantage. By participating in the photoshoots seen in this video, Monroe successfully marketed herself.
Knowing that sex sells, Marilyn leaned into her sexuality. It was never something that she felt ashamed of. Rather, she embraced her looks with self-determination and grace. Some might even call her one of Hollywood’s early feminists.
She Started Her Own Production Company
Not long after signing with 20th Century Fox, Monroe grew tired of all of the ‘dumb blonde’ roles she was used to receiving. She wanted to have more say in the roles and scripts handed her way. She once told Life magazine journalist Richard Meryman that while an actress isn’t a machine, many in the industry like to treat them like one.
In 1955, the star launched Marilyn Monroe Productions, becoming the first woman in US history after Mary Pickford to set up her own production company. After some tricky legal maneuvering, Monroe and Fox agreed upon a deal that resulted in her receiving back pay, a more substantial salary, and more say in the scripts, cinematographer, and directors she was willing to work with. This was a very rare victory for an actress back then. Marilyn Monroe Productions went on to produce The Prince and the Showgirl.
As far as body positivity goes, Marilyn was what people today would call ‘curvy’. She was full-figured and proud of it. This was long before the days of airbrushing and photoshop. What we saw was what we got.
Marilyn’s unabashed flaunting of her looks and curves coupled with her over sexuality might have once been seen as being counter to feminist ideals, but nowadays, she is hailed by some as being an icon of self-love and body positivity.
Just looking at all of these bikini shots, it’s clear that Marilyn Monroe was someone who wasn’t shy when the cameras were rolling. And to be fair, nobody else was complaining either.
Do you think that Marilyn Monroe was more of a sex symbol or a talented actress, and did you know that she started her own production company in 1955? Let us know in the comments.
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