the Monroe bum-wiggle

[Miss Golightly]

Marilyn did possess some corset style bras (some of which went for auction in the Christie's auction a few years ago) but she tended not to wear underwear as it would "spoil the lines".

Speaking of Marilyn's clothing - I was fortunate enough to head up to the Newbridge Icon Museum in County Kildare at the weekend to see some of her clothing and furniture that will be going up for auction next month. She truly had incredible style - there were a number of Pucci pieces including capri pants, tops and a beautiful pink dress along with pieces from her movies like the ornate robe she wore in The Prince and the Showgirl. When you see her clothes in real life you can see how small her frame was - particulary with the Pucci items.

The Icon Museum is a great place to visit - they have clothing belonging not only to Marilyn but to Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Tippi Hedren, Judy Garland, Gloria Swanson and Greta Garbo to name a few and there will be more added later:

http://www.newbridgesilverware.com/?operation=section&sid=33

With regards to the famous Monroe wiggle it's a myth that she cut off part of the heel of one of her shoes or that she was double-jointed (a popular story in the 1950's!). To quote the lady herself " 'I learned to walk as a baby and I haven't had a lesson since.'

 

[cherry lips]

The hip wiggle (it's not as much in the bum as it is in the hips) is definitely a thing you can learn to do, I was just vacationing in southern Europe and almost every woman down there sways her hips. lol I was brought up amongst such women and taught the wiggle by observing. In Denmark, there isn't as much wiggle.

Maybe if your hips are very wide, it might come naturally, but a small hipped girl can easily learn it.

Do you think you can teach me?.. (I don't have much of a bum or hips.)

 

[JennyLou]

The hip wiggle (it's not as much in the bum as it is in the hips) is definitely a thing you can learn to do, I was just vacationing in southern Europe and almost every woman down there sways her hips. lol I was brought up amongst such women and taught the wiggle by observing. In Denmark, there isn't as much wiggle.

Maybe if your hips are very wide, it might come naturally, but a small hipped girl can easily learn it.

Forget about swaying hips, I just wish I could walk better in regular heels and for longer periods of time. But, I'll just need to practice more and hopefully someday be ready to learn the hip wiggle.

 

[Lily Powers]

Miss Golightly, thank you for that link. If I had the funds to arrange a fun, spur of the moment vacation, I'd head over the pond and visit that museum.

Marilyn Monroe had some nifty beauty tricks. I read somewhere that she achieved her unique upper lip movement in order to keep her upper lip looking full when she smiled (as opposed to the thin upper lip many people get when they aren't quite as self conscious about smiling before a camera). I tried to emulate it in front of a mirror when I was younger, but even without anyone catching me doing that, I felt ridiculously foolish.

 

[Laura Chase]

Do you think you can teach me?.. (I don't have much of a bum or hips.)

Haha, me neither, love! But sure, we'll practice next time!

 

[Red Diabla]

Continuing to be Off-Topic

fftopic: yes, we do a lot of strength/circuit training and a lot of drills to practice falling safely to help prevent injury. that said, sh*t happens, and we accept the fact that we may sustain injuries, just like athletes of any other sport. the most common knee injuries are bursitis, torn meniscus, and torn ACL or other ligament injuries. actually, female athletes are more likely to sustain knee ligament injuries than men, no matter what sport they play.

fftopic: Plyometrics are a HUGE help for women athletes in keeping the knees working. Plyos basically build up the muscles around the knees to help support the ligaments and such so that they'll have less of a tendency to tear.

My league calls plyos "Tarametrics" because I'm the one that insists on having everyone do them as a preventative measure. It's exercise that everyone hates doing, but loves the results.

RD

PS: I wish I could walk like a woman, but I don't. I stomp around like an angry man. At least most people are less likely to give me grief of any kind because they're afraid of me!

 

[Darhling]

Walking the wiggle:

1 : Take smaller steps.
2 : Move the hips from side to side!!
3 : Shoulders back and hips forward. This also looks better posture wise.

 

[michou1930]

Walking on a invisible line

Want to wiggle? I am - although not blessed with a lot of curves - a natural wiggler and with no intention. I never know how it happens until I attended a Tai Chi class and the teacher asked us to simply walk and stop when both feet were on the ground, one in front of the other.
Apparently most people move their feet apart from each other in hip width (dear me, explaining this in English is not easy) while I move my feet as if I were walking on a line - like walking on a rope. Which gives the wiggle (but makes you less stable on your feet).

Funny coincidence: just a week after this revelation I watched a German talkshow on TV. One of the guests was a photographer who often worked with Marilyn Monroe and he talked about her wiggle walk. He showed a picture of her walking on the beach, back to the photographer and her footprints clearly visible - one following the other on an invisible rope. He said that this was so typical for her and the reason why her hips were swaying that much.

Did this story help?

 

[Medvssa]

Walking the wiggle:

1 : Take smaller steps.

I stride like a soldier but none-the-less the wiggle is very much there! (comes naturally).

 

[LelaViavonie]

I too have always had a wiggle in my walk.. but never noticed it until now that you ladies mention it.. I think it might be the latin in me.. we all have a wiggle and swager in our walks

 

[*martini*time*]

I always seem to wiggle when i wear heels...i think i just feel slightly more sassy when i'm in heels therefore result in a bum-wiggle.

 

[Barbigirl]

My Mother Said

When you wear high heels your gait should always be: heel to toe and one foot directly in front of the other!

It makes your wiggle natural when you learn to walk that way.

She couldn't stand to see her girls clomping around like we were wearing combat boots.

 

[Caity Lynn]

The "Cat walk" one feminine thing I do well. My bum is my best asset

( as rated by guys in my school, and it got back to me, 5-6 on the scale because I'm a B**** but have a nice bum, I ironically it's all the jerk guys that I AM a b**** to because they're rude and crass and ill mannered)

Anyway, My cat walk is completely adopted.

I purposely walk with my shoulders back because one is slightley off of the other one (broken collar bone) and I'm taller, and rather self consiouse, so I walk with my back straight to give the impression I'm confident.

I walk with a sway much as others have described, feet in front of each other, and use those hips!!! lol

 

[*martini*time*]

The "Cat walk" one feminine thing I do well. My bum is my best asset

( as rated by guys in my school, and it got back to me, 5-6 on the scale because I'm a B**** but have a nice bum, I ironically it's all the jerk guys that I AM a b**** to because they're rude and crass and ill mannered)

Anyway, My cat walk is completely adopted.

I purposely walk with my shoulders back because one is slightley off of the other one (broken collar bone) and I'm taller, and rather self consiouse, so I walk with my back straight to give the impression I'm confident.

I walk with a sway much as others have described, feet in front of each other, and use those hips!!! lol

fftopic: Honey, I'm tall too, never under-estimate yourself. Be tall and be proud. There are plenty of ladies out there who wish they were you! Its funny, reading your post, i was rated nice bum in school too, but people thought i was a b**** too...

But don't worry about being tall...you can reach stuff on the top shelf

 

[Medvssa]

I had been thinking about this as I was walking today, to which normally I do not pay any attention and the best way I could describe the movement is to try and trace ∞'s with your hips, I hope that helps someone

 

[LelaViavonie]

I had been thinking about this as I was walking today, to which normally I do not pay any attention and the best way I could describe the movement is to try and trace ∞'s with your hips, I hope that helps someone

Thats a great example!
It reminds me of the Samba and belly dancing.. just let the hips do the work

 

[pdxvintagette]

Jean Harlow was known for eschewing foundation garments, and although this was considered quite sexy/scandalous at the time, she apparently just didn’t like wearing them as she found them uncomfortable and didn't like the lines they created underneath her clothing.

As for the wiggle, no special shoes are required.

And of course, if you were Jean Harlow, you didn't need foundation wear anyway!

 

[Medvssa]

It reminds me of the Samba and belly dancing.. just let the hips do the work

Funny because I don't dance lol I guess it is in the genes

 

[LynnLaBlanc]

I heard that part of Marilyn's walk was due to something that was wrong with her hips... I have no verification, however.

That being said, it wouldn't surprise me if it was true. I've always had a wiggle walk and my legs/ hips are slightly misaligned.

(I don't look deformed or anything, really. I just walk sort of like I'm on a tightrope.
I didn't know about the misalignment until after I hurt my hip in a sports injury. A doctor told me and just advised more stretching).

 

[Butterfield 8]

Actually I find that if I wear any pair of shoes long enough, I automatically end up with one heel slightly shorter than the other -- the right side always wears down faster than the left. However, the "bum wiggle" has done me no good at all -- I guess you actually have to *have* a bum for it to work!

Hmm, I thought it was a well known fact that she didn't wear undies.