That Marilyn Magic

Marilyn Monroe is having a serious moment right now.  Not that she ever lost it.  But with the “My Week with Marilyn” movie coming out, she’s especially prominent.  And — I’ll admit that I’m eating it all up with an oversized spoon, even though I consider myself much more of a “Jackie O. gal.”  And I’ll also admit that the following post is a tad on the costume side, but hey!  Sometimes it’s just what the doctor ordered.  Here goes: when I think of Marilyn, I think of her decked out in evening finery, poured into form-fitting dresses, and swirling in champagne:

Get the iconic look with a pleated halter neck (on sale for $144, Reiss) and some sparkling Elizabeth Cole earrings ($232, Beauty):

And — some mah-jor peeptoes (Louboutin, $3,000, Barney’s):

Finish with a white mink stole ($2,028, Farfetch):

Finish with a sparkling brooch ($130, Shop Bando), a rad manicure ($16, Zappos), and some faux cils ($10, Beauty):

Drink out of some retro champagne coups (are these NOT the perfect engagement gift?!  Note the “Mr.” and “Mrs.” engraved on the front! — $80 for set, Nordstrom) for the full effect:

For beach-side lounging?  Take cues from the original {don’t you LOVE the latter shot?  So fresh-faced and genuine!}:

Say yes to this bow-front one-piece (Miu Miu, $245, Net-A-Porter):

Lounge beneath a black-and-white striped cabana ($600, Z Gallerie) —

— and don’t forget to pack the shades (Selima Sun for J. Crew, $118, J. Crew), the sandals ($295, Shopbop), and the awning stripe towel (love these Pottery Barn personalized styles — $29, Pottery Barn):

Though she’s better know for the plunging neckline and white fur get-up, I dug her “bookish” look.

Try it out with a demi-sheer white blouse ($110, Madewell), plaid pants (on sale for $119, J. Crew), and some classic loafers in a bright colors ($425, Bergdorf’s):

Painful as it feels to an over-accessorizer like myself, you’ll note that Marilyn rarely wore much in the way of accent pieces/jewelry.  Instead, complete with some geek chic glasses ($95, Warby Parker) and a borrowed-from-the-boys watch (I own this style in black croc! — Timex, $60, PiperLime):

Don’t forget that beneath all of the bookworm gear, you gotta Bring It with some sexy lingerie (Chantelle, $84 for top, $34 for bottom — Journelle):

Finally, Marilyn had a knack for showcasing her femininity with soft woolen sweaters —

It’s amazing what she could do with a simple turtleneck.  Consider channeling her simple but sexy vibe with a straight-forward sweater of your own ($130, Bloomingdale’s) and a black pencil skirt ($79, Banana Republic):

Finish with a low kitten heel — Marilyn probably would have worn a solid, but I just had to feature a snakeskin variation to bring it all into the 21st century (Stella McCartney, $690, Net-A-Porter):

And, of course, a bold red lip (YSL is my jam — $32, Saks) — evening gloves and vintage Nikon optional:

Don’t forget the breathy voice.  And definitely do not forget to enter my giveaway for the world’s most perfect gym bag from Kooba.  Check out yesterday’s post for details!