Time for my monthly weather report! We finally got a day and then some of badly needed rain. The temperatures have been mild, too. It’s supposed to warm up to the low 80s (26.7C) during the day and lows in the 60s (15.6C) at night. Not bad for a summer in Central Indiana! Today is the third Thursday of the month meaning it’s time for an Ageless Style challenge. Bo of Bo’s Bodacious Blog chose a movie character as inspiration. Last month was spring dresses. Prior to that, we have styled spring dress, white tops, polka dots, kind clothing, sumptuous fabrics, skinny jeans, layering essentials, and many other ideas. If you’re curious, you can find some of my looks here, here, here, and here. Please do visit the other hostesses of the link party (oh, yes, there’s a link party) at their various sites!
Dr. Frank N Furter…
My first instinct was to go for Dr. Frank N Furter from “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” But, alas and alack, I do not have Tim Curry’s legs. I also don’t have anything remotely similar to his look!
What’s a girl to do…
One of my all time favorite movie stars is Marilyn Monroe. Many people mistakenly believe she was a dim-witted blonde bimbo. Nothing could be further from the truth. About a year after filming “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” Monroe formed her own production company, Marilyn Monroe Productions. Some believe that led to the downfall of the Hollywood studio system…which would be a good thing. Marilyn definitely made some bad decisions as do we all. But, there is no denying her talent, her beauty, and her charm. Nigel has a large collection of laminated posters of Marilyn in the garage.
So, diamonds…
I won’t deny diamonds are some of my favorite jewels. I have some but nothing on the scale of Marilyn’s (though I suspect they’re not real). When we did this photoshoot, I had intended to wear my real diamonds, but time simply ran out! The only real diamonds, other than my wedding rings, are my earrings. I do hope you’ll watch this video all the way through. The chandelier of women is amazing to me…can you imagine how tired their arms must have been? In my opinion, Marilyn completely steals the show in this video (as well as the movie which is great fun). From her breathy singing to her sassy pink bow, Lorelei Lee is a woman who knows what she wants!
My interpretation…
Unfortunately, long pink gowns are not in my closet nor have they ever been. I had to remind myself this is my inspiration and doesn’t need to be recreated. I chose this lovely pinky-lavender Silk Dylan Button Down from Kantha Bae to mimic Marilyn/Lorelei’s dress. I thought about adding white jeans or a white skirt, but then I thought this dress conveyed more the feeling of the inspiration look. I wore this same dress for the last Ageless Style challenge.
The Lewk!
Once upon a time, my daughter sold Stella & Dot jewelry. She had the perfect bracelet for this challenge, but she sold it years ago. I had to be content with these two sparkly necklaces from Banana Republic (very, very old). The earrings (which look a bit like caddis flies) are also old and were a gift. My L’Artiste sandals finished the Lewk!
Wrap it up, Marsha!
I kept thinking and thinking about this challenge. My daughter suggested Diane Keaton (seriously…me and Diane Keaton). I thought about Katherine Hepburn. We’ve been watching lots of Cary Grant movies, and the fashions are amazing. But, I would need quite a few corsets worn one on top of the other to create those little wasp waists! Why I didn’t immediately think of Marilyn Monroe, I have no idea! So, can we talk? Do you ever wonder about stars who die young? Is fate dealing them a better hand by taking them before they age? Is there a movie or rock star of whom you have several photos? Please leave a comment or two, and we can talk! I promise to respond as soon as possible!
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Thank you!
I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for reading, commenting, subscribing or emailing! It truly means so much to me! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.
Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, My Bijou LIfe, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, and Style Splash. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend with Michelle every Thursday. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!
And, now, it’s your turn!
Please link up your favorite posts about spring dresses, DIY, baking, gardening, fashion…you name it…as long as it’s family friendly! Here are links to all of the lovely ladies in the Ageless Style collaboration. Please do visit them on their various media. Link up with us, visit a couple of others, and leave a comment or two! No worries if you don’t have a blog, just look around! You may find a new blog just waiting for you!
Amy ~ Amy’s Creative Pursuits
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |
Bo ~ Bo’s Bodacious Blog
Blog / Instagram /Pinterest / Bloglovin’
Joanne ~ My Slice of Life
Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie ~ Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |
Marsha~ Marsha in the Middle
Mireille ~ Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |
Rosemary ~ Distinctly Southern Style
That is such a pretty dress! Other than her iconic white halter top/ air vent photo I don’t know that I’ve seen Marilyn Monroe in anything else.
Thanks, Joanne! You should google her. There are some stunning photos of her on the beach. I think those were just her and a photographer friend having fun, but you really get the idea of just how gorgeous she was.
I love Marilyn Monroe and especially in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes! Your interpretation is great, I love that you used what you had and made it your own. Your dress is so fabulous – it looks very glam!!
xo,
Kellyann
Thanks so much, Kellyann! I used to show that video to my oldest granddaughter all the time so she could learn the song. She can still finish a few of the lyrics! I just think Marilyn was so underestimated, and I wonder what she could have accomplished if she hadn’t died so early.
These challenges look so fun!! I really loved this one, your inspiration choice is perfect! And sigh…those women in the Cary Grant movies. They would definitely be fun to dress like, I agree. But I also would need to be very cinched in to achieve that wasp waist as well. Lol.
Thanks, Erin! Can you imagine how pulled in they must have been, though women were a lot thinner back then. I wonder if they dieted or if that’s just the way they were used to eating.
So I had to hop back over because I am blog reading today and Lisa from Boondock Ramblings also posted about Marilyn Monroe. She got me started on the Cary Grant movies and is doing a summer of Marilyn! https://lisahoweler.com/2023/06/15/summer-of-marilyn-how-to-marry-a-millionaire/comment-page-1/#comment-10978 I am sitting this one out but I will be joining her for whoever she chooses for fall. Lol.
Oh, I will have to go check her out! I love Marilyn movies! Thanks for the heads up!
Such a beautiful dress! I love the color!
Thanks so much, Amy!
Your kimono is remeniscent of the dress! This was a great idea.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Thanks, Mireille! I just wasn’t sure which way to go until I remembered this video! Then, I knew!
You know I don’t know much about Marylin and her personal life but I’ve always been under the impression that she was a powerhouse in her own time and way. I look up to her confidence at the time, which I think would have been difficult to say the least. You have a beautiful dress that so flowy, I bet its perfect for hot summer days,
bosbodaciousblog.blogspot.ca
Thanks so much, Bo! I love this dress, but it gets staticky when you’re sliding out of booths in restaurants!
I have always loved and admired Marilyn. She definitely was a powerhouse. Unfortunately, she played into the dumb blonde identity a little too often to be taken seriously at first. Her later, more serious movies are amazing!
Wow – I can’t believe the women holding the candles either – their arms are not even shaking!
I know…I remember, the first time I saw the movie, being amazed at that part of the scene. I wonder how long they rehearsed that part.
Thanks, Lisa!
Funny how you said that about the women’s arms. I would have never thought of that. But gosh, you picked a good one. And just like my character, I love a woman who has a brain!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
I just remember wondering how long they had to keep their arms up there. It looks like they’re hanging onto something, but that just might make it worse. I think Marilyn often gets a bad rap. Part of that is her fault because she leaned heavily into the dumb blonde thing until she didn’t want to anymore. That studio system was an awful thing, too!
I’m trying to get caught up on my blogging and commenting…I’ll be over soon!
Thanks, Jodie!
Such a pretty look, and I love the magenta dress!
Thanks so much, Sally!
That dress is gorgeous on you! I love these colors together!
Thanks so much, Laura! I do love this dress!
Wonderful style icon to choose! I adore the mix of colors with this look Marsha. The kimono and dress look beautiful together.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thanks, Kathrine! I am not always comfortable baring my arms in public so this top was a pleasant surprise!
You picked a good one! This is such a beautiful outfit! I love the color of your dress and the pleating!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Thanks so much, Jill! I love this dress so much…I may also have it in blue…hahaha!!
Thank you for sharing the video. Like several of the other gals who commented, I have never seen much of Marilyn Monroe and really don’t know much about her. Glad to know she was intelligent and a girl boss. I also admired her figure in the video and remember reading that she wasn’t a size 4. Hallelujah!!
Your look reflects her same femininity. Beautiful color on you in both the dress and the wrap. But I don’t know of a single color that isn’t beautiful on you. That statement necklace is fabulous, too. I don’t have a lot of real gemstone jewelry but that’s okay, sometimes the fake stuff can be more fun.
Thanks so much, Leslie! I love wearing costume jewelry as much as the real stuff! And, you don’t have to worry if you lose something! As for colors, I don’t buy the ones that look bad…hahaha!!!
I have always loved Marilyn. She was just such a chameleon…I think she had to be having had the childhood she did.
Fabulous dress and magnificent kimono, my friend! I adore this color on you and I love how you took inspiration from Marilyn’s pink gown but stayed true to your own wonderful style. I am a huge fan of MM and have always admired her strength and courage in navigating Hollywood. I wonder what she would think of current day Hollywood had she lived until now!
Shelbee
Thanks so much, Shelbee! I really love the dress and the kimono and never thought to put them together until they just happened to be hanging side by side in the closet.
Oh, we are huge fans of Marilyn here. We have several coffee table books and posters and even the commemorative stamps put out a few years ago (that’s been professionally framed and was a gift to Mike). For many years, those large posters actually hung in our bedroom! When I was teaching, we had to have a welcome board at our doors with a quote (changed every day). I often used Marilyn! She was smart and definitely brave! I have always wondered if she would have truly wanted to grow old…it would be so difficult to look in the mirror at age, say 80, and remember when you looked like back in the day.
Oh I forgot to mention the chandelier…how artistic and fun is that! But I want to call it a chandelady instead of a chandelier. Ha.
Shelbee
Oh, that’s good…a chandelady! If you didn’t look closely, you’d almost miss it!
Such a beautiful dress and kimono, I love the colours! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Marilyn Monroe film – I did watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show all the way through for the first time recently though. Years ago, a friend of mine always used to put it on after a night out but every time I fell asleep before halfway through!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Thanks, Emma! I have always thought it would be great fun to go to a Rocky Horror showing at midnight. I guess it’s quite the audience participation thing!