Marilyn Monroe's Sling Bra

Well, this is what the fuss is all about. A couple of days ago Bournemouth's local newspaper telephoned me to discuss this bra, which was owned by Marilyn Monroe and is up for auction this weekend in glamorous Heathrow (expected to fetch £2,000). Bras like the above were very unusual and were worn rather like quarter cup bras are today - they expose the top half of the breast including the nipple so that under thin/tight clothing it looks like the woman isn't wearing a bra.

The bras were known as sling bras (I was misheard somewhere along the line and now news agencies from Indiana to Delhi are referring to it as a 'fling' bra, oh dear!) and although I've seen several European versions I haven't seen any American pieces. During the 1950s Hollywood actresses didn't have the relationship with big designers that they do today and their costumes and most of their public-wear would have been made by whichever studio they were signed too (Audrey Hepburn was one of the first actresses to work closely with a designer - Givenchy - in the early 1960s). I imagine that this bra would have been made to go under one of the skin-tone dresses that Marilyn was so fond of wearing. The bra also looks like it was a halterneck - Marilyn was also very fond of halterneck styles and the white 'standing over air vent' dress she wore in The Seven Year Itch was a halterneck. Could this be the bra she wore under it?

Technical note - check out the velvet trim. I've several couture vintage bras which all feature velvet on the inside of the boning and straps - a very luxurious touch!