xXXXXXx 1,252 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 From Roseanne Barr stating, “I’m more sexy than Pamela Lee or whoever else they’ve got out there these days. Marilyn Monroe was a size 16. That says it allâ€, to Elizabeth Hurley stating, “I’ve always thought Marilyn Monroe looked fabulous, but I’d kill myself if I was that fat…I went to see her clothes in the exhibition, and I wanted to take a tape measure and measure what her hips were. She was very bigâ€, you’ll often hear people saying Marilyn Monroe was around the same size as the average American woman today (12-16). In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, at least by today’s sizing systems. How this myth got started isn’t exactly known. One possible contributing factor to this myth was Marilyn Monroe’s atypical extreme hour glass shape. More directly, it probably partially stems from the fact that women’s sizes today are not at all equivalent to women’s sizes in the 1950s. In the 1980s, in order to accommodate people’s vanity and ever expanding girth, the U.S. Department of Commerce got rid of the uniform sizing system and instead allowed for more ego stroking sizes. As a result of this, today, a size 8 would have been roughly equivalent to a size 16-18 in the 1950s, obviously though this varies a shocking amount from brand to brand. So what size was Marilyn Monroe actually? Luckily, many of her dresses, carefully preserved, are still around to measure off of. Further, one of her dress makers also chimed in with exact measurements he took. Those measurements were 5 ft. 5.5 inches[166/7cm] tall; 35 inch[89cm] bust; 22 inch[55.8cm] waist (approximately 2-3 inches[5-8cm] less than the average American woman in the 1950s and 12 inches[30.5cm] less than average today); and 35 inch[89cm] hips, with a bra size of 36D. Her weight fluctuated a bit through her career, usually rising in times of depression and falling back to her normal thereafter, but her dressmaker listed her as 118 pounds[53.5kg] and the Hollywood studios tended to list her between 115-120 lbs[52-54.4kg]. As to what size Marilyn Monroe would be in women’s sizes today, that’s not an easy thing to answer due to the differing sizes from brand to brand, country to country, and the fact that her extreme hour glass shape would have made it difficult for her to find the perfect size while clothes shopping. Lucky for her, she could afford to have her clothing custom made, which she usually did. As a direct example of her size, the white dress she wore in The Seven Year Itch was recently auctioned off and was put on a mannequin that was a size 2, but they were still unable to zip up the dress as the mannequin was too big. Many of her other dresses that exist from throughout her career match up to about the same, give or take an inch or two. That being said, Marilyn Monroe at times would have her dresses so tight they’d have to be sown onto her, so something more comfortable in a size 4-ish (American) and something like an 8 in the U.K. is probably more accurate with most brands, though it should be noted that a 22 inch waist in many popular American jean sizes today would be below a 0. So, again, the exact size is difficult to nail down thanks to the non-standardized sizing system we have today. If you’re curious as to how that compares to modern contemporary fashion models, according to BluFire Model Registry, models are generally in the vicinity of a 34[86] bust; 24[60] waist; and 34[86] hips, which is very close to Monroe’s measurements of 35-22-35[89-56-89]. They list the average model today at 5 ft. 8 inches[173cm], to Monroe’s 5 ft 5.5 inches[166/7cm]. Elizabeth Hurley, who in the above quote called Marilyn Monroe “fatâ€, actually has around the same dimensions: 34-24-34, though is about 5 inches taller than Monroe was. So while it’s often lamented (rightly so) that female models and actresses today set a standard that no normal woman can realistically live up to, the same was true in the Marilyn Monroe era, minus Photoshop, even though she’s often used today as an example of how things were different “back in the dayâ€. Probably the perception of the difference between then and now lies more in the fact that the average American is a lot bigger today. To this point, the average American woman in the 1950s had a 25 inch waist compared to Monroe’s 22 inches. Whereas today, the average American woman has a waist size of 34 inches, so the gap between the models and “average†was much less pronounced then. And, of course, today we have more advanced means of photo and video editing to make the gap seem even larger, with the edited results being truly unattainable. At least a 22-24 inch waist is do-able for some with a significant amount of work via a great fitness routine and healthy diet. A 22 inch waist that is then Photoshopped to look smaller, on the other hand, just isn’t healthily attainable, not to mention that any blemishes are also removed from pictures and film quite easily today via these modern editing techniques. source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer xx 2,690 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I am size 8 next.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocumentaLy 6,032 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Umm, WTF? Were people even a size 12-16 back when she was alive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irrelephant 4,710 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 So while it’s often lamented (rightly so) that female models and actresses today set a standard that no normal woman can realistically live up to, the same was true in the Marilyn Monroe era, minus Photoshop, even though she’s often used today as an example of how things were different “back in the dayâ€. Probably the perception of the difference between then and now lies more in the fact that the average American is a lot bigger today. This was an interesting read. tyvm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skibop!! 8,585 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 how was her waist so small? was she wearing corsets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang 5,318 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I am size 8 next.... I'm a 2..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrazyAjumma 1,925 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I'm a size 16 and there is no way Marilyn was, she was curvy but still small. I don't know why people always use her to try to justify their own weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abra 40,910 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I wouldn't call her skinny, but she was quite thin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXXXXXx 1,252 Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 how was her waist so small? was she wearing corsets? yeah she might have done waist training but some women are naturally hourglasses too, so you never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeTheBee 840 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 She had a very small waist, and that contrasted with her hips making her look "bigger" than she actually was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayjayisinlove 1 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 how was her waist so small? was she wearing corsets? There are rumours that she got some of her ribs taken out. She did get ps for her nose. But most likely she got waist training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMNDS&PRLS 2,420 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Bae still looked good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remus 1,775 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 She was pregnant in this picture btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sproutlette 268 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I like reading stuff like this. It's fascinating to me. But yeah, I don't know what size she was but neither(16 or 0) sound accurate? But then again cameras were different, etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joon 8,222 Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I think she may have been a todays size 10-12 at her heaviest. But most of her career she was smaller than that right? Like this: Yeah, that's probably a size 2 in US Sizing today. maybe even a 0. She was curvy but still slim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thot 1,829 Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I think she may have been a todays size 10-12 at her heaviest. But most of her career she was smaller than that right? Like this: Yeah, that's probably a size 2 in US Sizing today. maybe even a 0. She was curvy but still slim. I think people don't realize sizing has changed a bit to make room for America's growing waistline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghettoe 1,955 Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Marilyn Monroe to me looked like a size 4 or 6. Seriously, just even in clips of movies, she looked slim to me. She was definitely not a 0 but I've also heard this myth that she was like size 16 propagated by self proclaimed Marilyn fans who know nothing about her nor have ever watched her movies but simply fetishize the idea of her. You know the type that has a poster of her hence deems themselves a fan but could not even begin to tell you her real name or life story. In the movie that she was doing before she died, she looked super skinny to me. I forgot the name of the movie, but I think George cukor was the director. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghettoe 1,955 Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 One thing I really dislike about learning about MM is she's so idealized it's impossible to get a non biased and dry account of her life. It makes studying her almost impossible. She's so often victimized and placed on a pedestal that halfway through reading about her, I just clock out. There's no one to tell the dry truth that George Cukor found her to be a headache (heck, a lot of directors couldn't stand her!) and she bailed out of filming constantly especially towards her last days. Many say she was a great actress, but her roles were quite the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
closed 1,186 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 One thing I really dislike about learning about MM is she's so idealized it's impossible to get a non biased and dry account of her life. It makes studying her almost impossible. She's so often victimized and placed on a pedestal that halfway through reading about her, I just clock out. There's no one to tell the dry truth that George Cukor found her to be a headache (heck, a lot of directors couldn't stand her!) and she bailed out of filming constantly especially towards her last days. Many say she was a great actress, but her roles were quite the same. i knw am replying late,but there is a Larry King tribute on her in 2001,he is interviewing people close to her,you would know she was under slave contract and was being forced to do her last film,she didn't like the script ,(she was angry about being fired earlier by the same studio,they brought her back due to her box office power)The studio was paying Liz Taylor more than her...she wasn't happy with the scripts she got(in those studio system era,you do the film the studio wants you to)...she wanted an oscar but wasn't getting oscar worthy roles...(the same studio drove her to form her own production company earlier in her career due to script issues) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghettoe 1,955 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 i knw am replying late,but there is a Larry King tribute on her in 2001,he is interviewing people close to her,you would know she was under slave contract and was being forced to do her last film,she didn't like the script ,(she was angry about being fired earlier by the same studio,they brought her back due to her box office power)The studio was paying Liz Taylor more than her...she wasn't happy with the scripts she got(in those studio system era,you do the film the studio wants you to)...she wanted an oscar but wasn't getting oscar worthy roles...(the same studio drove her to form her own production company earlier in her career due to script issues) I don't doubt that Fox probably milked her and choked her for what she was worth but nonetheless, she had a binding contract with the studio and owed them a movie. Also, they completely bowed down to her demands for that movie. She gave Fox a list of demands and they agreed to all of them despite saying they wouldn't. As with the script, she was extremely fussy about it and they changed it multiple times. I will also note that George Cukor was not her fan even prior to this. There are just some directors who never liked her. Cukor was one who really did not care for her. She was tardy and fussy when they did Let's Make Love and she was majorly responsible for the delays. It cost the team money and time. When I say Cukor didn't care for her I say he made that very well known. What I can safely say is that she probably did want to become a good actress. I can't say she had the ability. I haven't seen enough of her works to say that. Also, there are too many different accounts on her abilities to really go anywhere. For me she will always be an over-sexualized figure that for some odd reason is put on a pedestal. I don't hate her, I don't like her either. I just find her to be interesting, they way she changed her life chasing after something that never fully materialized. I think she also had a touch of naivete but I don't think she's the trodden victim that many make her out to be. PS. She was also without a doubt insanely beautiful and she knew how to use what she had well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
closed 1,186 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I don't doubt that Fox probably milked her and choked her for what she was worth but nonetheless, she had a binding contract with the studio and owed them a movie. Also, they completely bowed down to her demands for that movie. She gave Fox a list of demands and they agreed to all of them despite saying they wouldn't. As with the script, she was extremely fussy about it and they changed it multiple times. I will also note that George Cukor was not her fan even prior to this. There are just some directors who never liked her. Cukor was one who really did not care for her. She was tardy and fussy when they did Let's Make Love and she was majorly responsible for the delays. It cost the team money and time. When I say Cukor didn't care for her I say he made that very well known. What I can safely say is that she probably did want to become a good actress. I can't say she had the ability. I haven't seen enough of her works to say that. Also, there are too many different accounts on her abilities to really go anywhere. For me she will always be an over-sexualized figure that for some odd reason is put on a pedestal. I don't hate her, I don't like her either. I just find her to be interesting, they way she changed her life chasing after something that never fully materialized. I think she also had a touch of naivete but I don't think she's the trodden victim that many make her out to be. PS. She was also without a doubt insanely beautiful and she knew how to use what she had well. I think she is idolized for many things not just for her sex appeal,she was the first actress to publicly speak about sexual abuse,she is the one who put Playboy magazine on the map,she is the first actress who formed her own production company,she led to the overhaul of studio system ,there are so many things she did first. Directors had issues with her late arrival for every shoot,she even arrived late for the Kennedy Bday party,the announcer had to call her on stage 3-4 times(youtube Happy birthday Mr.President),she herself said she enjoyed making people wait...about the fox studio,she campaigned heavily for Cleopatra,they gave it to Liz,they wanted her to play a material girl in every movie which she didn't like....in her own words"I hate being called a thing",''i want to be taken seriously as an actress".......she was sort of making a comeback with this movie,she had to complete the contract terms,she didn't like the script but had to do it.Many people have wrote lies about her and made money out of her..she is the 3rd highest earning dead person,so its difficult to have a concrete knowledge about her NB:My facts are based on the book she took part in writing its called' My Story',her various interviews and various interviews with people who she was close to and knew personally,its sad she wasn't as slutty as people perceive her to be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghettoe 1,955 Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I think she is idolized for many things not just for her sex appeal,she was the first actress to publicly speak about sexual abuse,she is the one who put Playboy magazine on the map,she is the first actress who formed her own production company,she led to the overhaul of studio system ,there are so many things she did first. Directors had issues with her late arrival for every shoot,she even arrived late for the Kennedy Bday party,the announcer had to call her on stage 3-4 times(youtube Happy birthday Mr.President),she herself said she enjoyed making people wait...about the fox studio,she campaigned heavily for Cleopatra,they gave it to Liz,they wanted her to play a material girl in every movie which she didn't like....in her own words"I hate being called a thing",''i want to be taken seriously as an actress".......she was sort of making a comeback with this movie,she had to complete the contract terms,she didn't like the script but had to do it.Many people have wrote lies about her and made money out of her..she is the 3rd highest earning dead person,so its difficult to have a concrete knowledge about her NB:My facts are based on the book she took part in writing its called' My Story',her various interviews and various interviews with people who she was close to and knew personally,its sad she wasn't as slutty as people perceive her to be This is true. As you see I call her sexualized as opposed to promiscuous or anything like that but I do think she used her sexuality to her advantage. Nothing wrong with that though however, it really boxed her in in terms of roles. However, one thing about her tardiness is that time is money. It's easy to say oh "she was late for everything" but for directors this meant delays and rescheduling. Her movie with Cukor actually made them lose a lot of money due to her tardiness. Also, it's just not professional. You can't expect people to take you seriously and then be late to everything. One thing though, I think she was pretty smart. Unfortunately, as you say very hard to find anything factual about her. I find way too many teenagers and youths who are obsessed with her yet know nothing about her. I'll put My Story on a future reading list. Although, I really dislike autobiographies more than anything. To me, they are fiction. An elevated memory of your perception of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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