Marilyn Monroe the Prince and the Showgirl – All her Glitzy Outfits
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All about the Marilyn Monroe dress, Marilyn Monroe aesthetic, fashion, and costumes in the Prince and the Showgirl.
This post is all about Marilyn Monroe fashion in the Prince and the Showgirl
Marilyn Monroe The Prince and the Showgirl 1957 is a romantic comedy with fabulous vintage fashion.
Marilyn Monroe plays the beautiful showgirl Elsie who captures the attention of the visiting European Regent King, who is in England for a royal coronation.
However the arrogant Regent King gets more than he bargained for, as the blonde bombshell not only discovers a planned coup in his home country, but also captures his heart.
Given the movie is set in 1911, the vintage fashion outfits are a rare blending of 1950s style with 1900’s fashion that is shown off to full advantage on Marilyn Monroe’s legendary curves.
Although Marilyn Monroe wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award in America for this film, yet she won the equivalent awards in France and Italy for her performance.
What did Marilyn Monroe wear in The Prince and the Showgirl 1957?
In The Prince and the Showgirl, Marilyn Monroe’s vintage wardrobe ranges from retro petticoats and corsets to showgirl outfits, and a stunning mermaid style evening gown.
Marilyn Monroe’s fashion accessories include long opera gloves, a dramatic day hat, glittery jewelry, gorgeous fur stoles, and an entire collection of royal seals.
Given this film is set in 1911, Marilyn Monroe has long blonde hair, which falls to her waist. She typically styles her hair with curls pinned across the crown, and a knot in the back instead of her signature short hairstyle.
With the exception of her stage makeup look, Marilyn Monroe’s makeup style in the film is typically pink lips and subtly darkened eyelashes, which is a more natural make-up style look than her usual more dramatic look.
Who designed the clothes for the Prince and the Showgirl 1957?
The talented British costume designer, Beatrice Dawson, designed the costumes and wardrobe, including the white mermaid gown that Marilyn Monroe wears in the Prince and the Showgirl.
Marilyn Monroe Dress in the Prince and the Showgirl – Her Vintage Style Outfit: Tan Dress Costume
The Regent King is visiting England for the highly publicized British royal coronation.
That evening he attends the theater, and goes backstage to meet the cast.
Marliyn Monroe’s character Elsie waits in trepidation, as the royal Regent King makes his way down the line, afraid she’ll have to speak to him.
When he finally steps in front of her, she bows and her shoulder strap snaps! Flustered she clutches the broken strap to keep her bodice up.
Marilyn Monroe is wearing a tan fitted dress with a dazzling criss-cross bodice that is embroidered with sequined flowers.
Her dress has statement buttons down the side and is paired with long matching gloves.
She is also wearing an extravagant period hat with flowers, twigs (yes, you heard that right!) and fur.
Her earrings are simple drop pearls.
Notice her dramatic showtime makeup with the bright rouge on her cheeks and blue eyeshadow. This is not your typical Marilyn Monroe makeup style!
Marilyn Monroe Style Dress in the Prince and the Showgirl – Her Vintage Fashion: Corset Negligee
Later in the dressing room, as Marilyn Monroe’s character, Elsie, is changing out of her costume, she receives a letter.
It is an invitation to spend the evening with the Regent King at the embassy.
Marilyn Monroe is wearing a vintage corset style negligee with a contrasting white bodice.
In this candid behind the scenes shot, Marilyn Monroe has her long hair down (with rather obvious hair extensions!) and she is wearing very natural make-up, without her typical black lined eyes and red lips.
Marilyn Monroe Dress in the Prince and the Showgirl – Her Vintage Style Outfit: Petticoats
Later that evening, Marilyn Monroe’s character changes her outfit multiple times, giving us a look at her petticoat.
Notice the frills on the petticoat bodice and lacy ruffles hemming the petticoat.
We also adore her vintage white gartered hoes with the bow detailing and her silver vintage shoes.
A British foreign aid official arrives and launches into a lecture on how to properly address the Regent King and that she is not to say anything unless spoken to.
Marilyn Monroe Style Dress in the Prince and the Showgirl – Her Vintage Fashion: White Evening Dress
Marilyn Monroe’s character finally decides on a white mermaid ball gown made of crème silk, and sheer organza sleeves, with a plunging sweetheart neckline, decorated with seed pearls, and glittering rhinestones and beads.
The dress graces the floor with a voluminous and seductive ivory satin mermaid tail hem.
Notice the alluring criss-cross pattern on the bodice and how one sleeve is sheer.
Marilyn Monroe looks absolutely beautiful.
This vintage style dress is timeless and would turn just as many heads today on the red carpet!
Before stepping outside, she pulls on a very purple and quite frilly shawl with pink embroidered flowers. (This piece of clothing hints at an earlier Edwardian time period and likely reminds you of drapes from your Great Grandma’s house. Haha.)
Of course, being Marilyn Monroe, she totally pulls off this vintage frill piece with elegant aplomb!
Fun fact!
Marilyn Monroe and her love interest on screen, Sir Laurence Olivier, did not get along on set.
He would get angry and frustrated at her for forgetting lines and arriving late.
He really set off her temper one day when he told her to “just be sexy”.
Well, she may have gotten mad, but she sure got even, by delivering one of her best performances on screen.
Marilyn Monroe Style Dress in the Prince and the Showgirl – Her Vintage Fashion: “Sheet Pajamas”
The next morning Marilyn Monroe’s character rolls out of bed and wanders into the other room wrapped in a frilly sheet.
It’s rare that you see Marilyn Monroe with so little make-up on and with long hair extensions.
Notice the embroidered roses and royal arms on the bright barbie pink sheet… talk about slightly cringe vintage style.
Later the Regent King’s son, the Prince, comes in and asks her to dial a number for the ambassador. He then speaks swiftly in German.
After he hangs up, Marilyn Monroe’s character translates what he said – he’s planning a coup and will overthrow his father and take over running the country on his own.
He is terrified that she will tell the Regent King, but she doesn’t care, saying that there are always revolutions in his country.
Marilyn Monroe Dress in the Prince and the Showgirl – Her Vintage Style Outfit: White Evening Dress & Trenchcoat
Marilyn Monroe requests a cover-up before going outside, and the only one that could be found is from the housemaid.
Marilyn Monroe’s character pulls on a tan trench coat over her evening gown.
The resulting outfit is an interesting mix of vintage evening elegance with casual classic. Do you think it works?
Marilyn Monroe Style Dress in the Prince and the Showgirl – Her Vintage Fashion: Evening Gown + Fur Wrap
The queen decides that Marilyn Monroe will be her lady in waiting at the coronation.
The queen adds a glittering diamond choker and extravagant diamond necklace to her outfit, as well as a fur wrapper trimmed with feathers and white gloves.
A fancy clip-in veil and a royal seal are the finishing touches for her outfit.
Notice how the simple addition of jewelry, gloves, and the glam wrap completely changes the look.
Fun fact!
There were three to four copies of Marilyn Monroe’s iconic white dress in various sizes since her weight was fluctuating so much during the filming of the Prince and the Showgirl.
This was because she was fighting a number of illnesses that caused drastic water retention.
Sadly, as she so desperately wanted to have a child, she also suffered a miscarriage during the filming (she was married to the playwright Arthur Miller at the time).
Marilyn Monroe Dress in the Prince and the Showgirl – Her Vintage Style Outfit: White Evening Dress + Tiara
Later that evening when the prince realizes that Marilyn Monroe’s character Elsie is keeping his secret about his planned revolution, he asks her to the embassy ball.
Of course for the grand occasion, her mermaid evening gown needs additional fashion accessories!
For the ball, Marilyn Monroe is wearing her stunning white mermaid gown, with a glittering diamond choker and statement necklace, diamond earrings and diamond bracelets on top of her gloves.
She also is wearing a dramatic purple sash with an even more important royal seal, as well as glittering royal tiara.
As if she didn’t before, now she looks even more like a true fairytale princess!
She also whisks out a matching white lace fan.
As the Regent King takes her out on the floor for a dance, she proceeds to negotiate on his son’s behalf for his asks (a motorcycle and democratic election) to bring peace to Europe.
Over the course of the evening the Regent King starts to fall for Marilyn Monroe’s character, and she definitely has fallen for him. He reluctantly agrees to make peace with his son, as he prepares to depart back to his country.
The next morning, he sadly kisses her goodbye, and tells her that in eighteen months he plans to abdicate the throne to his son, and he will be free to do as he chooses.
She eagerly gushes that her showgirl contract ends then, so she will be free too.
This post was all about the Marilyn Monroe dress, fashion, and costumes in the Prince and the Showgirl.
What are your thoughts on the Marilyn Monroe dress, fashion, and costumes in the Prince and the Showgirl?
Given her glam vintage wardrobe, which looks are your favorite?
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Originally publish Jul 31, 2023. Updated Sep 02, 2024
