How Marilyn Monroe Wore White Swimsuits

last updated 14 August 2019

Hollywood lost Marilyn Monroe over 50 years ago, but as we all know, she remains as iconic as ever. When I heard it was her birthday today, it suddenly hit me: We can definitely thank Monroe for the resurgence of white high-waisted bikinis.

Aside from her infamous white halter dress, I think Monroe's swimsuit moments were some of her most memorable looks, and they're definitely worth copying for summer. Luckily, there are plenty of brands on board with the white high-waisted bikini, including Zimmermann and Norma Kamali. Scroll down to see how Monroe perfected the look back in 1954, and then shop my picks so you can pull off the trend in 2018. PS: Happy birthday, Marilyn!

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Shop the Trend

Zimmermann

Lumino Daisy Appliquéd Bikini

Available in sizes 0 to 3.

Marysia Swim

Santa Monica Bikini Bottoms

Bottoms and Antibes Scallop Bikini Top ($141) available in XS to L.

Norma Kamali

Bill Ruched Bikini Briefs

Available in sizes S to L.

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Erin got her start as a Who What Wear intern in 2011—back when the site only published a single story per day. (We have since increased that number twentyfold.) She graduated magna cum laude from USC and lives in Los Angeles. In college, she also interned at Refinery29, where she was promoted to editorial assistant and then assistant editor. After nearly three years at R29, she came back to WWW in 2015, where she is now the Associate Director of Fashion News. From the Oscars to the Met Gala, she leads the site's entire red carpet coverage strategy. She specializes in celebrity and fashion news but also enjoys writing travel features and runway reports. She frequently contributes to WWW's social accounts and has a sizable following on her personal TikTok.