Marilyn.

Marilyn Monroe is always popular. She is one of the most recognized women in the world. This past year there have been three Marilyn based projects. The first the film “My Week with Marilyn” starring Michelle Williams, then Smash the TV show about a musical about her, and then there is another film starring Naomi Watts. I’ve loved Marilyn since I was a little girl.

Growing up in the 1980s there weren’t many females that I found pretty or looked up to. I enjoyed Madonna but mainly because she ripped off Marilyn Monroe a lot of the time. I didn’t like the big hair, massive shoulder pads, or acid wash jeans of the 80s. It wasn’t my thing. I knew even at the age of eight that that style of fashion was just bad. I think I probably discovered Marilyn around the age of five or six. My mother let me watch the musicals from the 40s and 50s.  I don’t remember the first movie I saw of her or anyone telling me about her. I feel like I just always knew about Marilyn. But I loved her. She was the most beautiful woman ever.

There was just something about Marilyn Monroe. She photographed amazingly. There was a vulnerability and definitely a sense of wanting to save her. As well all know at this point she was deeply troubled. It was pretty understandable given her childhood and background. There’s still so much we don’t know. I enjoyed My Week With Marilyn. I thought Michelle Williams deserved the Oscar. When I heard about her being cast I didn’t think it would work, but watching her and how well she got her mannerisms and facial expressions down was truly an impressive fete. My only problem with My Week with Marilyn was that he wrote the book after she passed away. I find it interesting that the majority of first hand accounts about Marilyn are written by men. I think it would be interesting to have a woman that was close with her talk about her. In most biographies they all agree that with Marilyn men fell in love with and wanted to save the angel but once the reality came out they wanted nothing to do with it. Arthur Miller was a great example of that. He was a big jerk.

I think one of the things that is amazing and unique about Marilyn is that people  feel a personal connection to her. One of her biggest struggles was that she belonged to the public. She still does, I was out thrifting with my Marilyn Monroe purse. This old man came up to me to tell me about the Marilyn statue downtown, he said they just wont let her die. A very odd thing to say but very true. Marilyn lives on the way Elvis does.

Marilyn before she was Marilyn. Norma Jean Baker. That smile, even as the girl next door she was gorgeous and amazing. When I was 20 my sister and I did a Halloween costumer together. She went as Marilyn Monroe and I went as Norma Jean. It was pretty awesome.

 

I just felt like with all the Marilyn stuff out right now I wanted to put my two cents in. I love her, I always will. I have many T-shirts with her on it, a purse, almost all of her films, her albums, a poster of her in my shop, and quite a few books. There’s just something about her an it factor that doesn’t exist with people anymore.

I’ve been posting loads of stuff on etsy so please check it out!