SO much more than meets the eye.
By Emily Ratay — Written on Feb 10, 2017
If you know anything about Marilyn Monroe — and I mean anything — then it’s probably her signature platinum blonde hair and her pout.
Simply put, Marilyn was STUNNING. Of course she was! We’ve all seen pictures of her. Her beauty was almost otherworldly, and even after more than 50 years later, she’s still considered the ideal symbol of beauty.
But more than her sexy looks, hourglass shape and breathy voice, she was smart. And she owned it.
She knew, like you and I know even now, that there is a huge controversy around what size woman is most beautiful, or grouping “plus size” women into an entirely different category in the fashion industry as if they’re a totally different species.
But even when people questioned (and still do question) her size, she shot it all down, always saying that there was more to beauty than your physical appearance.
Sadly, people didn’t give Marilyn Monroe the credit she deserved for her intelligence; she was FAR from the dumb blonde she played in a lot of her movies, yet that was her most common role.
But even with these hardships and criticism surrounding her, Marilyn Monroe was NOT a pushover.
She spent a lot of her time making sure young girls — and women who didn’t have the same hourglass shape as her — knew how important inner beauty and intelligence were.
She knew that she was a sex symbol and that so many people coveted her body, but she desperately tried to be more than that.
All of this is what makes her one of my biggest role models, and why she should be yours, too.
She’s taught me that you can be pretty and smart (an important lesson for a girl at any age), and that having a multi-faceted personality is so much sexier than good hair and a nice butt.
Keep reading for some of Marilyn Monroe’s BEST quotes about real beauty and why being beautiful on the inside is SO important.
If you’re looking for a little inspiration, we’ve got the best quotes to share and savor. For quotes from the most inspiring celebs, activists, and poets, look no further! You might even find the quote that motivates the best parts of your life (and love!) forever.
On being yourself.
“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” — Marilyn Monroe
On loving your body.
“To all the girls that think you’re ugly because you’re not a size 0, you’re the beautiful one. It’s society who’s ugly.” — Marilyn Monroe
On being a woman.
“Your clothes should be tight enough to show you’re a woman, but loose enough to show you’re a lady.” — Marilyn Monroe
On always listening to yourself.
“Always be yourself, retain individuality, listen to the truest part of yourself.” — Marilyn Monroe
On not caring what others think.
“When it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, then I’m already better than them.” — Marilyn Monroe
On being loyal to yourself.
“I want to grow old without facelifts. I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I have made.” — Marilyn Monroe
On accepting who you are.
“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.” — Marilyn Monroe
On not judging a book by its cover.
“Boys think girls are like books. If the cover doesn’t catch their eye, they won’t bother to read what’s inside.” — Marilyn Monroe
On agelessness.
“I don’t mind being burdened with being glamourous and sexual. Beauty and femininity are ageless and can’t be contrived, and glamour, although the manufacturers won’t like this, cannot be manufactured. Not real glamour; it’s based on femininity.” — Marilyn Monroe
On succeeding.
“I live to succeed. Not to please you or anyone else.” — Marilyn Monroe
On committing to your work.
“If I play a stupid girl and ask a stupid question, I’ve got to follow it through. What am I supposed to do, look intelligent?” — Marilyn Monroe
On being your own hero.
“How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself.” — Marilyn Monroe
On being a sex symbol.
“A sex symbol becomes a thing. I hate being a thing.” — Marilyn Monroe
On being smart.
“A wise girl knows her limits. A smart girl knows that she has none.” — Marilyn Monroe
On encouraging young girls.
“No one ever told me I was pretty when I was a little girl. All little girls should be told they’re pretty, even if they aren’t.” — Marilyn Monroe
Life doesn't always seem fair, but you'll get through it anyway.
Photo: Pinterest
"Sometimes, good things fall apart so better things can fall together." — Marilyn Monroe
You've got to be your #1.
Photo: Pinterest
Always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, when who will, sweetie?" — Marilyn Monroe
Things aren't always going to go your way, but that's good.
Photo: Pinterest
"I believe that everything happens for a reason . People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." — Marilyn Monroe
A hard fact of life.
"They will only care when you're gone." — Marilyn Monroe
Start living right now and stop making excuses.
Photo: Pinterest
"We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets." — Marilyn Monroe
Don't let things happen just because you think they should.
Photo: Pinterest
"A girl should be like a butterfly. Pretty to see, hard to catch." — Marilyn Monroe
All we really want is to be loved.
"I always felt insecure and in the way, but most of all I felt scared. I guess I wanted love more than anything else in the world." — Marilyn Monroe
No one's perfect.
Photo: Pinterest
"I'm pretty, but I'm not beautiful. i sin, but I'm not the devil. I'm good, but I'm not an angel." — Marilyn Monroe
I'm good as I am, thank you.
Photo: Pinterest
"I don't need a king I'm already the queen." — Marilyn Monroe
We're all in this together.
"Creativity has got to start with humanity and when you're a human being, you feel, you suffer." — Marilyn Monroe
Always dress up like it'll be your last day on Earth.
Photo: Pinterest
"It's better to be late than to arrive ugly." — Marilyn Monroe
It's time you start making some waves.
Photo: Pinterest
"Well behaved women rarely make history." — Marilyn Monroe
Fame never lasts.
"Fame will go by and so long, I've had you, Fame. If it goes by, I've always known it was fickle." — Marilyn Monroe
The best thing you could possibly do is to smile.
Photo: Pinterest
"Keep smiling because life is a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." — Marilyn Monroe
It's a hard pill to swallow.
Photo: Pinterest
"All a girl really wants is for one guy to prove to her that they are not all the same." — Marilyn Monroe
You are in control of your life.
"This life is what you make it." — Marilyn Monroe
We all make mistakes, but we deserve love even so.
Photo: Pinterest
"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." — Marilyn Monroe
Be YOU.
Photo: Pinterest
"Be real, be yourself, be unique, be true, be honest, be humble, be happy." — Marilyn Monroe
We deserve the very best.
"We are all of us stars and we deserve to twinkle." — Marilyn Monroe
Sometimes you have to fight through your depression.
Photo: Pinterest
"She was a girl who knew how to be happy even when she was sad. And that's important." — Marilyn Monroe
You should only be yourself and nothing less.
Photo: Pinterest
"Take me as I am, or watch me as I go." — Marilyn Monroe
Live as fast as you can, for as long as you can.
Sometimes I think it would be easier to avoid old age, to die young, but then you'd never complete your life, would you? You'd never wholly know you." — Marilyn Monroe