Should another Marilyn Monroe biopic be in the works, Sydney Sweeney could step into the blonde bombshell's shoes with ease. What started as fans seeing sartorial similarities here and there (i.e. the stars' shared halter necklines and platinum blowouts), has evolved into a full-blown red carpet campaign: Sweeney longs to be your modern Monroe.
On December 15, the actor's current project, The Housemaid, and its L.A. premiere spotlighted her latest Monroe-inspired maneuver. Sweeney arrived at the TCL Chinese Theatre in her most on-the-nose homage yet: a stark white halter gown crafted just for her by Galia Lahav. The plunging style suggested Sweeney and stylist Molly Dickson handed the designer a photo of Monroe's most iconic dress and said, "We'll take this, please."
It fit her silhouette like a glove, beginning with a cinched corset, a peekaboo bodysuit, and a floor-grazing, feather-trimmed hem. The voluminous skirt became more transparent with each pose. (Sweeney couldn't resist twirling it during her step-and-repeat.) Certain angles revealed the blink-and-you'll-miss-it pleating around her bodice, which unfurled toward the train.
Much like Monroe, Sweeney didn't pull focus from her gown with over-the-top jewelry. Her décolletage remained bare, while diamond drop earrings peeked out from beneath her bombshell waves. A ruby red lip was the cherry on top of her tribute to the late star. After all, who needs accessories aplenty when a feather boa lines the hem of your gown?
The similarities between Sweeney's The Housemaid gown and Monroe's most famous white dress are undeniable. In 1955's Seven Year Itch, the actor wore an almost identical halter, complete with a corset and a pleated midi skirt. When Monroe posed over a New York City subway grate, however, her dress was feather-less and three inches shorter.
For Sweeney, the Monroe-coded moments didn't end once The Housemaid credits rolled. The Euphoria star joined her co-stars at Tao for a festive after-party. Dickson traded one white look for another, this time from Shushu/Tong. (Fans know the dynamic duo adores a singular color story: See Sweeney's all-crimson Patou set earlier this month.)
Sequined floral appliqués dusted the silk-blend satin mini. Once again, Sweeney accessorized with diamond earrings and a matching bracelet instead of a statement necklace. Sweeney's monochrome look ended with pointy white lace pumps, courtesy of Black Suede Studio.
Marie Claire has been following Sweeney's parade of Monroe-inspired looks for months. Back in October, contributing fashion writer Kelsey Stiegman flagged her hip-padded Stella McCartney mini—specifically its pleated tulle—as Sweeney's unofficial audition to portray Monroe. Though another biopic isn't public knowledge (Ana de Armas just played her in 2022's Blonde), the Galia Lahav gown could incite Hollywood to create one just for Sweeney.
