Everyone has seen that picture. You know the one—Marilyn Monroe, the world’s most famous blonde bombshell, grinning ear-to-ear while wearing what looks like a literal potato sack. It’s a legendary piece of Hollywood lore. But why did she actually do it? Most people think it was just a funny publicity stunt. Honestly, it was a bit more calculated than that. It was a middle finger to a gossip columnist who dared to suggest Marilyn was only attractive because of her expensive clothes.
She proved them wrong. Obviously.
The Insult That Started It All
The year was 1951. Marilyn was 24 and her career was starting to catch fire. She’d just appeared in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve, and people were noticing. At a party at the Beverly Hills Hotel, she wore a red velvet dress that was, well, a bit daring for the time. It was cut low. It was tight. It was classic Marilyn.
A female gossip columnist—some sources say it was a writer for the Los Angeles Herald-Advertiser, others point toward a more general consensus of the "cattier" press of the era—wrote a scathing review of her outfit. The critic claimed Marilyn looked "vulgar" and "cheap" in the red dress. Then came the line that changed history: the writer suggested the actress would look better in a burlap sack.
Most stars would have cried or fired their stylist. Marilyn and the Twentieth Century Fox publicity team did something better.
They went and found a sack.
Behind the Scenes of the Burlap Photoshoot
The studio didn't just grab a random piece of trash. They actually sourced a genuine Idaho potato sack.
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Earl Theisen was the photographer tasked with capturing the moment. He was a veteran for LOOK magazine and knew exactly how to frame a star. They cut armholes and a neckline into the coarse, scratchy material. It wasn't tailored. It wasn't "glamorized" with silk lining. It was a literal bag that had recently held 100 pounds of potatoes.
The results were staggering. Marilyn looked incredible.
She posed with her hand on her hip, a radiant smile, and that signature effortless glow. The photos were released to the wire services and immediately went viral—or whatever the 1951 equivalent of viral was. Every newspaper in the country ran them. The message was loud and clear: Marilyn Monroe didn't need Dior or Chanel to be the most beautiful woman in the room. She had "it," regardless of the fabric.
The Idaho Connection
The story gets even better. When the farmers in Idaho saw the photos, they were ecstatic. Think about it. The most famous woman in the world was wearing their "brand."
The Idaho Potato Commission (yes, they existed back then too) was so thrilled with the free publicity that they actually sent Marilyn several sacks of potatoes as a thank-you gift. Marilyn later joked that there was a potato shortage at the time and she and her roommates ended up eating them all. It’s one of those rare moments where a celebrity clap-back actually benefited the agricultural industry.
Why the Burlap Sack Photos Matter Today
We live in an age of Instagram filters and "get ready with me" videos that take four hours to produce. We're obsessed with the "clean girl" aesthetic or "quiet luxury." But Marilyn’s burlap sack moment was the original "I woke up like this."
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It challenged the idea that glamour is something you buy. In the 1950s, the studio system was incredibly rigid. Actresses were molded into specific archetypes. They were told how to walk, how to speak, and certainly what to wear. By leaning into the "insult" of the burlap sack, Marilyn reclaimed her own image. She showed a sense of humor that the public hadn't fully seen yet.
It also highlighted her physique in a way that actually felt more "real" than the corseted gowns of the era. The sack was shapeless, yet on her, it looked like high fashion.
Debunking the Myths
You might hear people say this was a protest against the fashion industry. Not really. Marilyn loved fashion. She loved her gowns and her furs. This wasn't a deep political statement about the ethics of the garment trade. It was a specific response to a specific insult.
Some fans also believe she wore the sack to a red carpet event. That’s a total myth. The burlap sack was strictly for a controlled studio photoshoot. She was savvy. She knew the power of a still image. She didn't need to walk down Hollywood Boulevard in it to make her point. The photographs did the heavy lifting.
The Lasting Legacy of the Idaho Potato Sack
The burlap sack photos are now among the most reproduced images of her. You’ll find them on posters, t-shirts, and in every biography ever written about her. Why? Because they capture the essence of her appeal—a mix of high-voltage sex appeal and "girl next door" playfulness.
It’s a reminder that true charisma is internal.
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If you look at the photos closely, you can see the rough texture of the hemp. It looks uncomfortable. It looks itchy as hell. But her expression doesn't show a hint of discomfort. That’s the work of a professional. She was selling a dream, even when the costume cost less than a nickel.
How to Apply the "Burlap Mindset"
If you're looking for a takeaway from this Hollywood anecdote, it's about confidence and framing. Marilyn didn't argue with her critics. She didn't write a long-winded rebuttal. She showed them.
- Own the Narrative: When someone tries to define you by your flaws or your "cheapness," lean into it. Turn the critique into your brand.
- Simplicity Wins: Sometimes the most stripped-down version of your work or your image is the most powerful.
- Humor is a Weapon: Taking yourself too seriously is the fastest way to lose an argument. Marilyn’s laughter in those photos made the columnist look small and bitter.
To truly understand the impact, you have to look at the "Red Dress" photos and the "Burlap" photos side-by-side. In the red dress, she looks like a movie star. In the burlap sack, she looks like an icon. There’s a difference. One is about the clothes; the other is about the woman.
The next time you feel like you need the perfect outfit or the perfect gear to start a project, just remember the Idaho potato sack. If Marilyn could conquer the world in a bag used to haul tubers, you can probably manage with what you have in your closet right now.
To see the real-world impact of this event, look up the original 1951 press clippings. You'll see how the narrative shifted overnight from "Marilyn is vulgar" to "Marilyn is a natural beauty." It remains one of the most successful PR pivots in the history of the entertainment industry.
Next Steps for Your Research:
Verify the specific photographer's name, Earl Theisen, and look for the original 1951 wire captions that accompanied the photos. Compare these images to her later work with photographers like Richard Avedon or Bert Stern to see how her "natural" image evolved into the more staged, tragic "Marilyn" persona of the early 1960s. This specific moment in 1951 represents the last vestige of her early, unburdened Hollywood starlet phase.