Blonde Bombshell Energy: The Fashion That Made Marilyn Monroe A Legend

This month was for legends. On June 1, we marked the birth of one of pop culture’s most shimmering icons — Marilyn Monroe. Long after her final close-up, her fashion moments still command mood boards, designer runways, and red carpet recreations. But Marilyn wasn’t just a product of her era — she defined it.

The Looks That Turned Marilyn Monroe Into A Fashion Icon

The Naked Dress – “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” (1962)

Fashion’s most seductive farewell. A dress that whispered louder than any monologue. Hand-stitched with 2,500 rhinestones, practically magically invisible- it was the original embellished naked dress. The fact that it was her last major public appearance only adds to its mythology. Sublime, scandalous, and sad.

In 2022, Kim Kardashian wore this very dress to the Met Gala, briefly reviving its shimmer and controversy. It became the most expensive dress ever worn at the Met, sealing its status as the couture relic of American pop culture. A moment where fashion, fame, and legacy collided on the red carpet again. 

Cherry-Printed Sundress – The Misfits (1961)

This cherry-print sundress, paired with minimal makeup and tousled hair, was the antithesis of studio styling. Yet it made just as much of a statement. What could’ve been a quiet costume became a look that predated modern trends by decades. Fruit prints, low-key femininity, and undone glamour? All things we now see every summer on runways and Pinterest/Instagram mood boards. Marilyn didn’t need sequins to turn heads—just a perfectly cut dress and presence. 

The Silver Beaded Column Gown – Some Like It Hot Premiere (1959)

For the New York premiere of Some Like It Hot, Marilyn arrived in a silver crystal-beaded column gown that balanced glamour with control. The dress—sleek, minimal in shape, but maximal in shimmer—hugged her figure perfectly. It was a shift from the overt sex-symbol styling of her earlier years. This was Marilyn moving into a more refined space—less costume, more fashion and presence. The silhouette still said “star,” but the mood said “established.” 

The Bus Stop Costume (1956)

Marilyn traded polished glamour for raw realism, but even in character, she couldn’t hide her star power. This leotard-fishnet combo was less red carpet, more rodeo showgirl but her emotional performance in it is what really dressed it up.

The Gold Showstopper – Photoplay Awards (1953)

Rumored to be scandalous and literally sewn onto her body, this lamé gown was Monroe at her most unapologetically extra. Joan Crawford hated it—which only made us love it more. It wasn't demure. It wasn't restrained. It seemed like a middle finger wrapped in gold thread. This was Marilyn Monroe: a woman dressed like gold, who knew her worth and dared to shine brighter than the spotlight.

While her life is wrapped in Hollywood history, one moment continues to shine brighter than the rest: her dazzling performance of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). 

More Than Just A Pretty Dress

Hot pink is a vibrant, eye-catching color often connoted with femininity, glamour, and confidence. When used in fashion, it exudes an energy that commands attention, reinforcing Monroe’s character as someone who is not just beautiful but also unapologetically bold. The contrast between her hot-pink gown and the sleek black suits of the men denoted a clear distinction between her feminine power and their presence, making her stand out and not be overshadowed by them. This shows fashion can create a sense of dominance through color alone. 

The strapless, floor-length gown features a straight neckline and is cinched at the waist with a matching pink belt, emphasizing Monroe’s hourglass figure in line with the 1950s beauty ideal and the postwar return to femininity ruled by Christian Dior’s “New Look.”

The oversized, asymmetrical bow at the back defies the era’s preference for balance and symmetry, injecting a bold touch of individuality and theatricality.

Her two-tone opera gloves in pink peau d’ange fabric, along with layers of dazzling diamond jewelry — from the oversized necklace to the sparkling bracelets and earrings — amplify the character’s high-glamour persona and desire for luxury.

The slightly loose fit of the gown allows for movement, enabling Monroe’s graceful performance while still commanding attention. 

Diamonds, Divas, And Déjà Vu

Decades later, this particular look continues to shimmer at the heart of celebrity culture. Here are just a few unforgettable tributes that keep the legacy shining. 

Madonna – “Material Girl,” 1985

Dressed in a near-identical strapless satin gown, dripping in diamonds, she didn’t just reference Monroe — she reframed her. While Monroe flirted sweetly with the idea of luxury, Madonna weaponized it. This was the '80s. Diamonds weren’t just a girl’s best friend — they were proof she could buy her own. 

“Material Girl” became a cultural shorthand. For many, this is the image that comes to mind before the original — a rare case where tribute becomes just as iconic.  

Ryan Gosling – Ken, But Make It Monroe, 2024

Ryan Gosling’s performance of “I’m Just Ken” at the 2024 Oscars reworked Monroe’s iconic look, flipping gender roles. By referencing her hot-pink gown in a rhinestone-studded pink tuxedo, Gosling repurposed Monroe’s feminine glamour to explore modern masculinity and challenge traditional gender norms. 

Blake Lively – Gossip Girl Glam 

One of the most iconic fashion moments in Gossip Girl appears in a fantasy sequence where Blake Lively's character, Serena van der Woodsen channels Marilyn Monroe in a strapless hot pink gown, dripping in diamonds, while her bestfriend in the show, Blair Waldorf steps into the role of Audrey Hepburn in classic black and pearls. More than just a glamorous homage, the scene used fashion to reflect character. Serena’s effortless allure and unpredictability mirror Monroe’s sensual spontaneity, while Blair’s refined elegance perfectly aligns with Hepburn’s poised charm. Set in a world fueled by status and image, the moment proved how Monroe’s influence endures — reimagined through modern luxury and Upper East Side ambition. 

Kylie Jenner – Halloween Queen, 2019

Kylie Jenner embraced this style in her Halloween costume for a magazine in 2019 to blend nostalgia with her own celebrity persona as a young powerful billionaire. 

Camilla Cabello – The Pop Princess Who Made It Her Own, 2018

Camila Cabello paid tribute to Marilyn Monroe during her performance of “Havana” at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards. She wore a custom Walter Mendez pink satin strapless gown with a daring high slit, matching thigh-high boots, detachable bow, opera gloves, and stacked diamond necklaces—channeling both Monroe’s original and Madonna’s Material Girl remix energy. Camila brought vintage showgirl glamour into a modern pop moment. 

Paris Hilton– The Heiress, 2008

For the premiere of The Hottie and the Nottie in 2008, Paris Hilton delivered a full Marilyn moment in a strapless hot pink satin gown, glittering stilettos, and a dramatic diamond statement necklace. The look was unmistakably a nod to Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend, filtered through Y2K glam. With glossy blonde hair swept back and that trademark Hilton pose, she embodied early-2000s excess with vintage inspiration. As Paris once famously said, “I think every decade has an iconic blonde, like Marilyn Monroe or Princess Diana — and right now, I’m that icon.” And in that moment, she was.