StoryInColor
1950s

Marilyn Monroe

The platinum blonde that defined an era

Marilyn Monroe's platinum-blonde waves and red lip became the visual shorthand for Hollywood glamour for the entire decade of the fifties and have continued to function as one ever since. Her studio styling (Jean Louis gowns, the white halter dress from The Seven Year Itch, the singing-Happy-Birthday-to-the-President beaded sheath) produced more reference images than most stars accumulate in a lifetime. Her aesthetic still anchors any editorial signalling old-Hollywood blonde.

Face shape: Heart (see flattering cuts)

See Marilyn Monroe’s hair on your own face

Upload one selfie and Hairstyle Analysis renders eight cuts directly on your face, including the shapes Marilyn Monroe is most associated with. Skip the guesswork. $4.99 one-time, no subscription.

Try Hairstyle Analysis

Signature looks

  1. The Monroe platinum waves

    Shoulder-length platinum blonde hair styled with deep, polished, side-parted Hollywood waves. The reference shape for any editorial wanting to invoke fifties glamour.

    Flatters a heart-shaped faceFlatters an oval face

  2. The pin-curl set

    Hair sectioned and pinned into wet curls overnight, then released into deliberate, slightly springy waves. The studio method behind most of her on-screen styling.

    Flatters an oval faceFlatters a round face

  3. Sleek polished bob

    A grown-out chin-length version of the curls, styled smooth and glossy. Worn in publicity stills across her later career.

    Flatters an oval faceFlatters a heart-shaped face

Fashion signatures

  • Form-fitting halter dresses
  • The Jean Louis beaded sheath
  • Pencil skirts and cinched waists
  • Red lipstick with platinum hair
  • The classic beauty mark

Why their style endures

Monroe's image is one of the most reproduced in twentieth-century visual culture. The platinum-blonde waves still anchor any editorial signalling old-Hollywood glamour, and the bombshell silhouette she made famous continues to be referenced in everything from wedding styling to drag performance. Her style outlasted the specific star system that produced it because the constructed elements (the platinum, the red lip, the silhouette) became transferable as a look rather than a person.

Try Marilyn Monroe’s hair on your face

Hairstyle Analysis renders eight cuts directly onto a selfie of you, including the shapes Marilyn Monroe is most associated with. See which signature suits your features before any salon visit.

Run a Hairstyle Analysis

$4.99 one-time, no subscription.

More style icons