Plastic Surgery ¦ Was Marilyn Monroe Really a Plus Sized Beauty?

There has been a debate over decades centered around whether or not Marilyn Monroe was actually a plus sized beauty or what we would consider average by today’s standards. According to a recent Orange County Register news article there is a segment of the population that believes Marilyn Monroe would be heavy by today’s standards for the top grossing movie actresses and models. Some celebrities have helped to spread that perception. Elizabeth Hurley was quoted in allure magazine as saying: ”I’ve always thought Marilyn Monroe looked fabulous, but I’d kill myself if I was that fat.” Few debate the Marilyn Monroe had what many call an extreme hourglass shape. A dressmaker who claims to have made clothes for Marilyn Monroe list her measurements as follows:

• Height: 5 feet, 5½ inches
• Weight: 118-140 pounds
• Bust: 35-37 inches
• Waist: 22-23 inches
• Hips: 35-36 inches
• Bra size: 36D

The article referenced an online style magazine that stated a British journalist wrote : ” she was not a voluptuous size 16 – quite the opposite. While she was undeniably voluptuous… for most of the early part of her career, she was a size 8 and even in her plumper stages, was no more than a 10. I can tell you this from experience because a few weeks ago, I tried to try on her clothes.” The online style magazine went on to explain that the sizes of women’s clothing have changed dramatically. Also a British size 10 dress may translate into a size 8 or even a 6 or and some styles even a 4. They also added that clothes from that era were made to be worn with tight girdles making the person fit into a much smaller size; not making the person smaller. The bottom line of the article was that no one really knows the exact size and measurement of Marilyn Monroe. What is significant about the debate is that it seems to prove that it doesn’t matter necessarily what size a woman wears. What matters is that she is proportionate and comfortable with her size. Dr. Seify helps women to understand that there are no universal bra sizes or sizing for clothing. What this means is that to have breast augmentation with the concept that a patient wants to wear a certain bra size can be misleading. This also applies to patients having liposuction or body contouring to fit into a certain size dress or jeans.  The key is to look great and feel great regardless of the size of your close or bra. Dr. Seify encourages patients to schedule a consultation to determine if body contouring procedures or breast augmentation will help them to achieve the figure and shape that they have always wanted.