CC Beauty Live: Get The Marilyn Look

By Caitlin Corsetti

Marilyn Monroe was a beauty and sex icon, no way to oppose that. She was simply gorgeous in every way. Although her life was pretty tragic, she remains a beauty role model and her iconic look is still the center of photo shoots to this day. Even though I have my own small beauty mark, I long for one more Marilyn-esque. I would kill for skin like hers and voluminous, pouty lips. Alas, we can’t all look like Miss Monroe when we wake up in the morning. But we can achieve her look with our trusty make up bags.

Costume Super Center drafted up this collection of Marilyn quotes and have put together a bunch of tutorials here. I’ve got my own take on her makeup look below!

Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quotes and How to Get Her Look

The Makeup

Radiant: when people write about Marilyn Monroe’s legendary beauty, that’s the word that comes up again and again. It took up to two and a half hours to create her camera-ready glow, but with today’s cosmetics and a little bit of know-how you can try out her iconic makeup in minutes. Again, there are many wonderful video tutorials on how to copy Marilyn makeup, but whichever you watch, the fundamentals remain the same: lots of shimmering highlights, dark, defined brows with a high arch, siren-red lips, and that one perfect beauty mark.

“I’ve been on a calendar, but I’ve never been on time.”

― Marilyn Monroe

“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.” 

― Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe may well be the most iconic woman the world has seen this side of the Mona Lisa. The platinum blonde curls, the bedroom eyes, those hips in that dress. She seemed to embody a tender and femininity aligned with an irrepressible sensuality. This irresistible combination means that for many, she remains the most perfect example of a woman ever captured on film.

Marilyn Monroe was much more than just a sex symbol. Her complicated life and tragic death have inspired countless articles, biographies and movies, each one trying to capture the essence of the “Real Marilyn”. We might never be able to solve the mystery of what it meant to be Marilyn Monroe, but we can encounter her as herself in her own words. Sometimes she’s thoughtful, even poignant, other times she displays a real wit and a delicious sense of fun. If you’d like to experience a little of that Marilyn magic yourself, here are some of her very best quotes, together with a little bit of advice on how to emulate her legendary style.

“All little girls should be told they are pretty, even if they aren’t.” 

― Marilyn Monroe

The Hair

If your hair is not naturally blonde, don’t worry. Neither was Marilyn’s! That platinum color comes out of a bottle, but if you don’t want to commit, there are many Marilyn Monroe wigs on the market. The gorgeous curls and waves of Marilyn’s hairstyle were the result of a careful pin curl set, brushed out just so. Whatever your hair color, it’s a great look. There are plenty of tutorials online to help you achieve it yourself.

“I’m personally opposed to a deep tan because I like to feel blonde all over.” 

― Marilyn Monroe

“Your clothes should be tight enough to show you’re a woman but loose enough to show you’re a lady” 

― Marilyn Monroe

The Clothes 

It’s not all about low-cut white halter neck dresses, although that’s always a great place to start! Anyone trying to bring a little bit of Marilyn’s delicious sense of style into their wardrobe will find huge inspiration in the range of costumes she wore. Innocent gingham and lace, voluptuous sweetheart necklines, velvet evening gowns, daring bikinis: if it’s feminine, sexy, and vintage, you’re on the right track. The most important thing is to look for clothes that emphasize your waist! Not many people can boast Marilyn’s 35-22-35 measurements, but the right clothes can give you curves in all the right places.

This post was written on behalf of Costume Super Center.