Marilyn Monroe - Marilyn Monroe, 50 Years On. Her Legacy As Strong As Ever

This Sunday (August 5, 2012) will mark the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's death. The legendary screen actress may have led a tragically truncated life, but her legend endures. The blonde bombshell is every bit as iconic now, in 2012, as she was during her dazzling career, in the 1950s. Her platinum blonde hair has been oft-mimicked, set off with scarlet red lipstick. Many of her outfits have become sticking points in modern fashion and pop culture. The white dress that she so famously wore over the subway grate in 'Seven Year Itch' sold at auction last year or a staggering $5.6 million. The appeal of Marilyn Monroe goes way beyond those who were around to witness her and enjoy her work the first time round.

Marilyn's style has filtered down through to a huge number of some of today's biggest pop stars. Her influence on Madonna's image is undeniable. You can see it in the likes of Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera. And back in June, Lady GaGa posted a photo of herself, on what would have been Monroe's 86th birthday, saying "Happy Birthday Marilyn - They'll never take our blonde hair and lipstick" and made up just like her icon.

Recently, Michelle Williams earned herself an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Marilyn in the movie 'My Week With Marilyn.' It just goes to show that the woman who famously sang 'happy birthday' to the US president back in 1962 has not been forgotten. 50 years down the line, her image remains omnipresent and her legacy is an impressive one.