I received a question recently on how to style hair like Marilyn Monroe. There’s two ways I’ll explain, but note that there are several paths to this final result! For this look, I’ll be assuming you’re starting with around chin to collar bone length hair. For variations and product reccomendations, check the end of this post.

Wet Set - Prep time is one hour, plus over night.

*Need products, spray bottle to keep hair wet if needed, bobby pins and scarf or kerchief.

• Start by washing your hair VERY thoroughly. I’d suggest to use a deep conditioner as you’ll be using several products and you’ll want to maintain as much moisture as possible.
• Towel dry your hair until it’s about 50% damp and not dripping.
• Put in a de-frizzing or anti humectant product and comb through. Then apply a styling lotion, liquid pomade or some type of creamy product that will provide a good amount of hold. Comb this through as well.
• Make a side part starting above your temple on either side. Take a 1” by 1” section (does not have to be a perfect square) and comb the section perpendicular to your scalp. Do this tightly so the section ‘ribbons’.
• Wrap the hair around your finger in to a curl. Remove your finger and lay the curl flat to form a circle. Bobby pin with two pins directly over the curl to form an X.
• Do this to your entire head, be sure to alternate directions. The small the sections you use, the tighter the curl. I wouldn’t recommend any tighter than a 1” section as it could get a little fro like!
• Lightly mist your head with a firm hold hair spray. Wrap your entire head in a scarf and sleep on it.
• The next morning, remove all pins. Take a smoothing serum and warm it up in your palms. Flip your head upside down and shake out all the curls. 
• Admire your lion’s main as it is HUGE I’m sure. Back comb individual curls at the root to provide lift, and comb out any curls that are too wild. If you spray curls then quickly comb them, they sculpt a little better in the direction you’d like.
• Finish with a firm hold spray, apply some lipstick and a fake mole and you’re done!

Thermal Set - About 20-30 minutes.

*Need products, 1” curling iron (or desired) and pin curl clips or bobby pins.

• Start with second day hair, or hair on it’s best day. Hopefully when you last washed it you put in some kind of product! (Updo’s and styles stay better this way)
• Make a side part above your temple. With a 1” curling iron, take sections of your hair starting at the nape and working up about 2” by 1” and curl. For the nape, curl with the rod parallel to the floor. When you release the curl and it is still hot, wrap the curl into a cylinder as if there is an invisible curling iron in it still. Clip and move on to your next curl.
• Do this to the entire back of your head. Around the face, do the same but make the curls up and down, and curled away from your face. Your bangs or the section that would be bangs you’ll want to curl parallel to the floor, going towards your face.
• Once your entire head has been curled and pinned, allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Spray thoroughly with a firm hold hair spray and allow to dry for about 2 minutes.
• Release all clips. Warm up a smoothing serum in your palms, flip head upside down and shake all curls out.
• Back comb individual curls at the root to provide lift where needed, and with a wide tooth comb, comb out any curls that are too wild. Spray and mold with a comb while still damp from the spray to create larger curls in specific directions.
• Apply lipstick and a fake mole and admire!

Variations and Products

• Fine hair I reccomend doing the wet set as it will hold better. Use a medium hold liquid gel or pomade as your setting gel, volumizing spray, and a firm hold hair spray (though not too much as it could way it down!). Aveda’s Confixor is great for setting, Volumizing Tonic for wet roots, Light Elements Smoothing Fluid to smooth out the curls and Control Force Hairspray.
• Medium hair Lucky you! Both methods are great for you and most products will do fine. Use the same as for fine hair, but you can use a bit more. I’d substitute the Confixor for Aveda’s Men’s Pure-formance Liquid Pomade. It smells amazing too!
• Coarse hair I’d recommend using the thermal method. The wet set could be a bit more difficult to achieve those final results and thermal has more control. I’d use Aveda’s Anti-Humectant pomade to prevent frizz and repel moisture and layer with Confixor, Brilliant Emoliant Gloss for smoothing out the curls and Control Force Hairspray.
• Longer than Collar Bone Length Hair Do the method for your hair type. Then take a curl after they have all been smoothed out and hold the ends taut. With your thumb and fore finger, drag up the curl to create a loosely back combed and now shorter curl. Take bobby pins and secure at the nape. Spray and mold curls as needed.