What was Marily Monroes dress size, really?

June 23, 8:01 PMAtlanta Sex and Relationships ExaminerKrista Hadaway

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There has been much debate on Marilyn Monroe's dress size over the years.  Remember what Elizabeth Hurley tactlessly said in  Allure magazine in 2000?

I've always thought Marilyn Monroe looked fabulous, but I'd kill myself if I were that fat...I went to see her clothes in the exhibition and I wanted to take a tape measure and measure what her hips were.  (laughter).  She was very fat.

On the other end of the spectrum there is Roseanne's quote, stated in 1996:

I'm more sexy than Pamela Lee or whoever else they got out [in Hollywood] these days.  Marilyn Monroe was a size 16.  That says it all.

Size 16 is, however referring to a British 16, which is an 8 or 10 in America.  Actresses from the 40's, 50's and 60's usually wore costumes in movies that were custom made just for them, so size is relative.  There is also the fact that clothing that came out of this time period were cut slim, taking in account for the women who usually wore girdles or corsets under their clothing.

So why are we so fascinated with Monroe's body shape?  Maybe it's a way to preserve the thought of "bigger is beautiful", or just that anyone can be a sex symbol no matter what their weight is. 

I think the real fascination with her body is the extremely dramatic hour-glass proportion she had.  Monroe measured a 13 inch difference between her breast and hip measurement, making her vital statistics in her younger years a 36-23-35, and although her weight fluctuated throughout her career, she always maintained her curvaceous body ratio.  She was Jessica Rabbit in the flesh.  Measurements according to her dressmaker (marilynmonroepages.com):

Height: 5' 5 1/2"

Weight: 118-140 lbs.

Bust: 35-37"

Waist: 22-23"

Hips: 35-36"

Bra size: 36D

Studies have been done on this very subject, called the waist to hip ratio (WHR).  How to get yours is to measure the smallest part of your waist (no sucking in) and the biggest part of your hips (around the butt, too).  The WHR is the waist measurement divided by the hip measurement. (Example: 24 in. waist divided by 36 inch hips= .71 WHR).  Studies have been done that show that most people find an WHR of .70 to be the most attractive.  The great thing about this is that no matter what your weight, people are attracted to a curvy, womanly figure. 

I think the real reason that people have been so mystified and enchanted by Marilyn Monroe is not her size, but her confidence in her body, her intelligence, her dramatic flair, and her vulnerability.  It doesn't matter weather she was plus-sized or not, because it's obvious that plus-sized ladies can be extremely attractive and sexy, especially to men, who usually desire a pair of breasts and an ass over a stick figure. 

The ladies we see in the magazines and advertisements are skinny and fashionable and usually taller than most men.  But real guys don't want that.  The high fashion designers that choose these ladies to represent our culture and make women want to struggle for their body to look like they're 12, are usually gay or women. 

So if there is anything to be leaned from Marilyn Monroe, it is to be confident in one's own skin.  She was a beautiful woman who had an amazing career and a killer body.  She was iconic because she was unique, not because of what size dress she wore.