Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWho Came Up With the Term ‘The Marilyn Monroe Effect’?What the Marilyn Monroe Effect Looks Like in ActionDoes the ‘Fake It Until You Make It’ Mindset Really Help Boost My Confidence?How Does Building Confidence Improve Your Mental Health?Can the Marilyn Monroe Effect Backfire on You?How to Improve Your Self-Confidence—Authentically

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Who Came Up With the Term ‘The Marilyn Monroe Effect’?

What the Marilyn Monroe Effect Looks Like in Action

Does the ‘Fake It Until You Make It’ Mindset Really Help Boost My Confidence?

How Does Building Confidence Improve Your Mental Health?

Can the Marilyn Monroe Effect Backfire on You?

How to Improve Your Self-Confidence—Authentically

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The Marilyn Monroe Effect refers to the enchanting blend of confidence, sensuality, and timeless beauty that the legendary Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe personified.

Born Norma Jeane Mortenson in 1926, Marilyn Monroe grew into an American cultural icon whose influence spans across decades.

Today, the love of Marilyn Monroe continues to transcend generations, capturing the hearts of Gen Z. They’ve re-popularized the Marilyn Monroe Effect through the lens of modern feminism andbody positivity.

Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are flooded with young influencers recreating Monroe’s iconic looks and adapting her style to modern fashion. Moreover, as advocates for body positivity, Gen Z embraces Monroe’s fuller figure as a symbol of natural beauty and self-acceptance.

However, the term “The Marilyn Monroe Effect” can’t be attributed to a specific person. It evolved as a way to describe the lasting impact of Marilyn’s persona on popular culture and individual self-expression. The term likely came into everyday use in the late 20th century as Marilyn’s legend endured.

It was an attempt to categorize the enduring appeal and the inspiring aspects of her image, which seemed to empower people to embrace their femininity, sexuality, and self-confidence unabashedly.

When a person channels their inner Marilyn Monroe, it is apparent in both their appearance and demeanor. They exude confidence, grace, and glamour, often with a touch of sensuality. Some of the characteristics include:

The “fake it till you make it” philosophy is a widely recognized approach that involves adopting a certain facade or attitude, even when it might not feel genuine initially, in the hope that with time it becomes part of your actual persona.

This positive feedback can be internalized, gradually making you actually feel more self-assured. However, it’s essential to maintain authenticity and not let this turn into a mask that disconnects you from your true self.

A “Fake it until you make it” mindset can certainly help boost your confidence, but it should be used in tandem with other tools to ensure a lasting outcome. These include learning from self-help books, hiring a coach, and/or working with a therapist, which can ultimately help understand the underlying causes that are inhibiting confident behavior,Janae Kim, a licensed psychotherapist specializing in trauma and anxiety, says.

Boosting your confidence has several mental health benefits, including:

If taken to an extreme, trying to embody the Marilyn Monroe Effect can backfire. For instance, trying too hard to emulate someone else can cause you to lose touch with who you genuinely are.

Marilyn Monroe’s image is also a product of the times and the Hollywood sheen. Trying to live up to such an image could cause you to set unrealistic standards of beauty and behavior for yourself.

Striving for an unattainable ideal could lead to issues like anxiety,depression, or low self-esteem when there is a failure to measure up to that ideal.

Here are some scenarios and tips for authentically boosting your self-confidence:

To improve your self-confidence authentically, focus on your strengths and accomplishments. We can actually grow in the areas of our greatest strengths rather than our weaknesses. So acknowledge your flaws without dwelling on them. Set realistic goals and celebrate your successes. Surround yourself with positive people who believe in you. And most importantly, be true to yourself, Campbell adds.

While the Marilyn Monroe Effect can inspire confidence and glamour, it is essential to adapt these qualities in a way that remains true to one’s authentic self. Balance is key: take inspiration but weave it into the fabric of your unique personality and identity. By embracing both the allure of Marilyn’s persona and the authenticity of your character, you can find an empowering path to self-confidence.

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Feuerherd P.The many meanings of marilyn monroe.JSTOR Daily.Mann DL. Fake it till you make it. JACC: Basic to Translational Science. 2022;7(1):99-100. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jacbts.2021.12.004Miragall M, Etchemendy E, Cebolla A, Rodríguez V, Medrano C, Baños RM.Expand your body when you look at yourself: The role of the posture in a mirror exposure task. Costantini M, ed. PLoS ONE. 2018;13(3):e0194686.

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Feuerherd P.The many meanings of marilyn monroe.JSTOR Daily.Mann DL. Fake it till you make it. JACC: Basic to Translational Science. 2022;7(1):99-100. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jacbts.2021.12.004Miragall M, Etchemendy E, Cebolla A, Rodríguez V, Medrano C, Baños RM.Expand your body when you look at yourself: The role of the posture in a mirror exposure task. Costantini M, ed. PLoS ONE. 2018;13(3):e0194686.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Feuerherd P.The many meanings of marilyn monroe.JSTOR Daily.Mann DL. Fake it till you make it. JACC: Basic to Translational Science. 2022;7(1):99-100. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jacbts.2021.12.004Miragall M, Etchemendy E, Cebolla A, Rodríguez V, Medrano C, Baños RM.Expand your body when you look at yourself: The role of the posture in a mirror exposure task. Costantini M, ed. PLoS ONE. 2018;13(3):e0194686.

Feuerherd P.The many meanings of marilyn monroe.JSTOR Daily.

Mann DL. Fake it till you make it. JACC: Basic to Translational Science. 2022;7(1):99-100. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jacbts.2021.12.004

Miragall M, Etchemendy E, Cebolla A, Rodríguez V, Medrano C, Baños RM.Expand your body when you look at yourself: The role of the posture in a mirror exposure task. Costantini M, ed. PLoS ONE. 2018;13(3):e0194686.

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