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The Iconic Moment: Story and Photos of Marilyn Monroe's Flying Skirt

Marilyn Monroe’s iconic flying skirt scene from the 1955 film “The Seven Year Itch” is one of the most memorable moments in Hollywood history. The scene was filmed on a busy street in New York City, where Monroe stood over a subway grate while a strong gust of air from a passing subway train lifted her skirt, revealing her white undergarments.

The scene was carefully choreographed and used a wind machine to create the dramatic effect of Monroe’s skirt flying up. The scene was a massive hit with audiences and quickly became one of the most iconic moments in Hollywood history. Marilyn Monroe’s beauty and charm, combined with the playful and flirtatious nature of the scene, made it an instant classic. Monroe’s dress for this scene was a famous white halter-neck dress designed by William Travilla. The dress was made of a lightweight fabric and had a full skirt, which was perfect for the scene as it created a dramatic effect when the wind lifted it.

The iconic “flying skirt” moment was conceptualized by photographer Sam Shaw, who had met Marilyn Monroe on the set of “Viva Zapata!” in 1951. At the time, Monroe was a rising starlet in the early stages of her career. The two of them developed a close friendship, and Monroe referred to Shaw as “Sam Spade.” When Monroe was cast in the lead role in Billy Wilder’s film “The Seven Year Itch,” Shaw was reading the script and had a flash of inspiration. He had previously attempted a similar idea in the 1940s during a photoshoot for “Friday Magazine,” in which a girl’s skirt was blown up in a wind tunnel, resulting in a famous cover photo. Shaw suggested to producer Charles Feldman that they recreate this scene as a set piece for the film, with a blast of air from a grate sending Monroe’s dress flying.

The scene was filmed twice, once for the movie and again for a publicity event in New York for the press. The original movie scene was shot outside the Trans-Lux Theatre on Lexington Avenue in the early hours of the morning. Monroe wore a light ivory cocktail dress with a plunging neckline made of two pieces of soft fabric that met at the back of her neck. A wind machine beneath the grate caused the dress to billow above her waist, revealing her legs. The noise from the crowd made the film footage unusable, so the scene was re-shot on a closed set in Los Angeles, with only photographers in attendance.

The flying skirt scene quickly became one of the most iconic moments in Monroe’s career, and it was widely reproduced in the media. The scene was seen as playful and flirtatious, and it helped to solidify Monroe’s status as a sex symbol. The photograph of the flying skirt was featured in magazines, newspapers, and advertisements all over the world.

The popularity of the flying skirt incident has endured over the years, and it is still widely remembered today. The dress worn by Monroe in the scene is considered to be one of the most famous dresses in the history of Hollywood, and it has been referenced in numerous pop culture references. The flying skirt remains one of Marilyn Monroe’s most recognizable moments, and it is a testament to her timeless beauty and charm.

#1 Marilyn Monroe standing over a subway grate with her white dress blowing and co-star Tom Ewell looking on in 1954 during the filming of “The Seven Year Itch” in Los Angeles

#2 Marilyn Monroe standing over a subway grate with her white dress blowing and co-star Tom Ewell

#3 Marilyn Monroe standing over a subway grate with her white dress blowing and co-star Tom Ewell

#4 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate at the corner of 51st Street and Lexington Avenue with co-star Tom Ewell in September, 1954

#5 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate at the corner of 51st Street and Lexington Avenue with co-star Tom Ewell in September, 1954

#6 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate on set in 1954 during the filming of “The Seven Year Itch” in Los Angeles

#7 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate on set in 1954 during the filming of “The Seven Year Itch” in Los Angeles

#8 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate

#9 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate

#10 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate

#11 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands

#12 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing

#13 Marilyn Monroe from the Making of “The Seven Year Itch”

#14 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing, 1954

#15 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate

#16 Marilyn Monroe’s flying skirt from ‘The Seven Year Itch’

#17 Marilyn Marilyn Monroe’s flying skirt from ‘The Seven Year Itch’

#18 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate

#19 Marilyn Monroe’s flying skirt from ‘The Seven Year Itch’

#20 Marilyn Monroe from the making of “The Seven Year Itch”

#22 Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing as she stands over a subway grate

#27 Marilyn Monroe stands on a subway grate and laughs as the wind blows the skirt of her white halter dress next to Austrian-born director Billy Wilder

#28 Tom Ewell and Marilyn Monroe in a scene from the movie The Seven Year Itch.

#29 A crowd stands in front of Loew’s State movie theater in Times Square with a cut-out of Marilyn Monroe with the skirt of her white dress blowing from the famous scene in “The Seven Year Itch” in 1955

#31 Marilyn Monroe Poster Installed. Spectators gawk in Times Square as a fifty-two-foot figure of Marilyn Monroe is erected on the front of Loew’s State Theatre.

Written by Luna James

Luna James is a celebrity writer with a passion for all things Hollywood glamour. When she's not busy dishing the latest gossip, you can find her cozied up with a steaming cup of coffee, lost in the world of classic films. With a love for all things glitz and glam, Luna is always on the lookout for the next big story.

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