Short answer:

No. No she wasn’t.

Longer Answer:

It has often been stated, usually via a meme on Facebook by a less than skinny woman, that Marilyn Monroe was a size 16 and a whole lot sexier than these size double zero models of today. I can’t argue the fact that size zero women are not very good looking. If I wanted to see ribs I’d eat at Chili’s. However, Ms. Monroe was not a size a 16.

When it is stated that Ms. Monroe was a size 16, they’re talking about a British 16. Convert that to a US size, and you get a size 12. That’s still bigger than a size zero, but even that is probably wrong.

According the dressmaker who made the clothes for Ms. Monroe, her measurements were as follows:

Height: 5 feet, 5½ inches
Weight: 118-140 pounds
Bust: 35-37 inches
Waist: 22-23 inches
Hips: 35-36 inches

Ms. Monroe had an extreme hourglass figure that makes it hard to peg down just what exact size Snuggie she would have been picking up from Walmart. When her dresses were on display at a museum they had to have special dummies made up to display them because nothing was made to hold those measurements.

British journalist Sara Buys offers more insight, as she actually got a chance to try on some of her clothing.

“For most of the early part of her career, she was a size 8 and even in her plumper stages, was no more than a 10,” Ms. Buys reported.

Again, that’s a British 10, which would convert to something like a 6 here in America. Of course, who knows how accurate just trying on a dress can be at guessing a size. But the bottom line is, Ms. Monroe was a lot smaller than some like present.

At any rate, I’m sure we can all agree Ms. Monroe looks a lot better than Nicole Richi. Blech!

Ms. Monroe above looking good. Ms. Richie to the right looking like a shrink wrapped skeleton.