Glam up, Monroe-style

How a bit of Hollywood inspiration can revive your everyday wardrobe

Day in, day out, we open up our closets and see the standby clothes that we wear for work and play. Even if you have an array of items you love, it can sometimes feel like you’re reaching for the same looks too often and falling into a fashion rut. However, there’s no better time than now to breathe new life back into what you wear.

Looking at trends on the runway and off, it’s clear that the touches of glamour that define Hollywood style icons are in — and they make it easy to change your look with just a little effort. Every wardrobe built around basics can look dramatically different just by changing a bit of styling — and you don’t need to have a fashion model’s pit crew of pros to make it happen. All you need is the right inspiration and you’ll start discovering just how versatile your wardrobe can be.

Take Marilyn Monroe, for example. Her most famous looks are the very essence of red carpet glamour and movie star extravagance. But it wasn’t all glittering gowns and luxurious furs for her all the time. In her off-screen moments, she used styling and carefully chosen details to keep the allure that she was known for — without going over the top. Use the same idea to reinvigorate your existing wardrobe with tips like these:

• Ballet flats: It really is possible to find a middle ground between chic and comfortable, and there’s no better shoe for treading that line than ballet flats. Simple, unadorned flats with rounded almond toes can dress up jeans and work equally well with skirts. They give every look a bit of subdued, yet classic glamour. Keep a few pairs in subdued hues that go with everything and one or two in a colour that really pops, like a candied-apple red.
• Jewellery: Even a simple T-shirt and jeans can be transformed with the right jewellery, and it can just as easily serve as the centrepiece of more dramatic, formal attire. Marilyn Monroe’s unique sense of style — often expressed through jewellery — is easy to capture, if you have the right pieces. Of course, if you have the resources, you could go straight for the originals. Jewellery Television’s Marilyn Monroe jewellery line, which features more than 70 pieces, has unique authenticity, being officially authorised by her estate. The line covers all the style bases, from elegant basics to fashion pieces that evoke Monroe’s diamond-loving on-screen persona.
• Cigarette pants: One of Marilyn’s key wardrobe staples, as is evidenced by casual, at-home photos, was a great pair of cigarette pants. Cut slim, but not skin-tight, close to the leg, and cropped above the ankle, cigarette pants make it easy to look pulled together in an instant. They can be dressed up with jewellery for a night out, or be your go-to choice for looking great around the office. They also pair easily with a variety of shoes, from flats to some of the bolder heels that have been popular on recent runways.
• Cat-eye eyeliner: This one make-up move ensures maximum impact 
with minimum fuss, but it’s good to 
employ a somewhat restrained approach. A dark swoop of black liquid eyeliner adds emphasis to your eyes, making them look wide, but don’t go overboard — too much can look like part of a costume. A marker-style eyeliner pen is an easy way to start if you’re not an eyeliner pro yet.

Using Hollywood style as your fashion inspiration doesn’t mean you need to be paparazzi-ready every day. You can use touches here and there to update your wardrobe for a look that’s fresh and subtly glamorous and ready to go.

BPT