Norma Jeane, the "Magic Red Sweater" and the Birth of Marilyn Monroe

This week marks a sad anniversary for fans of popular culture: the death of Marilyn Monroe, né Norma Jeane Baker. Marilyn left us far too soon, on August 4, 1962. Countless books and movies and articles and first-hand accounts have tried to capture the essence of a woman who will forever be known as the blonde bombshell, the sexiest sex symbol to ever walk the earth, and the greatest pop culture icon of the American twentieth century.

Much of Marilyn's sex goddess appeal first bloomed during her early modeling days, like when she squeezed herself into a too-small sweater and barely-there skirt for a 1940s photoshoot. As noted in a 2012 Daily Mail article,

Norma Jeane eliminated the blouse as well as the bra and camisole worn under it. She then took a red cardigan, turned it around, and buttoned it up the back. The sweater clung to her breasts; she called it her ‘magic sweater’.

She wore the sweater backwards! Ingenious. The rest, as they say, is history.

Marilyn was so much more than the twentieth-century's most iconic sex symbol, though. She was thoughtful, caring, intelligent, with an open and curious mind that led to her being a lifelong learner and ravenous devourer of books. Her introversion and sensitivity to others was something many who knew her fondly remembered. Look no further than her smile for proof that she most certainly had a genuine soul.

While gossip columnists and the general public seemed more interested in salacious details about who she was or wasn't sleeping with, lovers of classic cinema have long known that her acting talents are seriously underrated. She was a wonderful performer, with a stunning presence onscreen, and displayed a real knack for both comedy and drama. In other words, she contained multitudes.

That she became the most ogled woman of her time just came with the territory for Marilyn. She helped kick-start that frenzy herself as a young woman when she donned that "magic" red sweater. We've all been living quite happily under her mystical spell ever since.

Comments

Paul SAugust 11, 2019 at 7:07 AM
I always love how much she emotes spiritually as well as physically whether it be in photographs, films or recordings.
Beautiful post for a really special person.
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