Marilyn Monroe, who died at age 36 on August 5, 1962, was a style icon in the making as she publicized one of her earliest films, 1948's 'Ladies of the Chorus'. She may have been dressed a bit more conservatively, but she already showed the pin-up appeal that would eventually become known worldwide.
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Wearing a classic striped top and flat sandals in this candid, Marilyn gives today's #OOTD Instagrammers something to aspire to.
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A crop top, sandals and high-waisted shorts for a 1953 photo shoot on the California coast.
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The bombshell struck a pin-up pose in a high-waisted and strapless bikini in the early 1950s.
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Marilyn was a true golden girl in this metallic halter gown for a portrait session in 1953.
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Who needs a bikini to show sex appeal? She regularly wore one-piece bathing suits that highlighted her curves to perfection.
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Marilyn on the set of her final film, 1961's The Misfits, wearing the famed cherry print dress designed by Jean Louis.
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Always as stylish as she was sexy, Marilyn even played a 20th Century Fox Studio baseball game in heels.
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When on one of her many a publicity tours, as seen here in 1957, charming Marilyn knew just what to wear to get the press' attention.
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Sure, Kate Middleton loves skirt suits – but Marilyn rocked them too! Here she is in a powder blue ensemble and strappy heels, a costume from her film Niagra.
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Stiletto pumps and a trench casually thrown over the shoulders – the beauty often rocked the nonchalant and timeless combo, to glamorous effect every time.
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Never afraid to wear lingerie on screen, the rising star wore a silk robe for the drama 'Dont Bother To Knock' in 1952.
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The buxom blonde dazzled U.S. military troops in a sparkly dress to sign autographs during the Korean War.
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The megastar posed for this portrait on the set of 1950s classic How to Marry a Millionaire.
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Creating an image that would be copied by scores of stars that came after her, Marilyn slipped into a hot pink gown for her role in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", the film that made the song "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" a hit.
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But it was the white halter that the megastar wore in the 1955 classic 'The Seven Year Itch' that would become one of the most famous dresses of all time.
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Playing the role of demure wife, Marilyn chose a simple black suit with white mink trim for her surprise wedding in 1954 to Yankee baseball player Joe DiMaggio.
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She wasn't so demure when she hit the town with husband Joe in figure-hugging dresses and fur stoles.
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More than 50 years after her passing, Marilyn still inspires fashionistas and stars alike, and her iconic allure will no doubt last another 50 and beyond.
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