RIP Marilyn: A New Book Remembers Dressing Marilyn Monroe

Pictured: Marilyn in costume on the set of “Somethings Gotta Give.”

Today, August 5th, is the anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s death.  Some of you may have seen the Marilyn festival of movies over the weekend on TCM.  Seeing her films reminded me again of her simple style and child like innocence before the cameras.  She was a fashion icon, with her Chanel No. 5 perfume, her pearls, capri pants, over sized sweaters, Pucci dresses and her beautiful handbags. The simple styles that Marilyn wore by designers such as Pucci, Ceil Chapman, JAX and Irene Lentz remain vibrant and stylish looking today, 50 to 60 years after she wore them. One of her favorite designers was William Travilla, the costume designer for many of her films including “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”  A new book by author Andrew Hansford, Dressing Marilyn: How a Hollywood Icon Was Styled by William Travilla,  tells the story of Marilyn’s relationship with the man she called simply “Billy.”   To William Travilla, Marilyn was a friend as well as a client, and he saw her as a friend not just a movie star.

Marilyn Monroe in a vintage print from the movie “Somethings Gotta Give.”

RIP dear Marilyn.