Marilyn Monroe in a potato sack, 1951
American icon Marilyn Monroe has a number of famous photographs; we’re all familiar with her “flying skirt” photo, but not many people know the story behind the potato sack photo. What strikes us most about the photo, before we delve into its background story, is how gracious the actress looked all the time, even while wearing a potato sack.
With all her fame, Marilyn Monroe was often criticized and was considered a controversial figure due to her scandalous outfits. One outfit in particular – a red dress the model wore in 1951 – caught people’s attention. A journalist pointed out the dress was “cheap and vulgar,” and that she would’ve looked better wearing a potato sack. Monroe wanted to have the final word, and so she put on a potato sack.