The Story Behind Marilyn Monroe’s Iconic “Flying Skirt” Moment

On September 15, 1954, Marilyn Monroe’s famous image known as “The Flying Skirt” was captured by her lifelong friend Sam Shaw. Her ivory silk dress, designed by William Travilla, flew above her head exposing her legs. This unexpected moment ended up being a classic scene in Monroe’s film The Seven Year Itch. This moment was sensational and timeless. Here I am fifty years later still raving about Marilyn Monroe’s flirtatious aura. 

It was on Lexington Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Street that Miss Marilyn Monroe stood on top of the subway grate at 1 o’clock am with around 2,000 to 5,000 viewers in the crowd roaring and awaiting her famous scene. 

By Sabrinap2015 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39455762

Much of a tease, she still took percausions to make sure she was not giving too much a show. Monroe wore two pairs of white underwear. The dress draped on her body so beautifully and was created with such thought by the designer. Travilla used a rayon-acete crepe fabric cut with sunburst pleats creating a beautiful flow as the wind struck her from the vent. The halter neck with a revealing neckline and exposed shoulders to play into her seductive character. Marilyn was known as a sex appeal most of the audience there were men waiting for her skirt to blow up. With that they still found away to find flaws in her natural beauty. It is thought that the designer put pads in her dress for her boobs because they were thought to be too far apart and did not meet the beauty standard. The beauty of the dress was only met by the beauty of the woman. Her presence and laughter enamoured the people and city around her creating such a timeless look that has remained a staple pop culture phenomenon up until today.