Happy birthday, Marilyn Monroe. The iconic sex symbol would have been 88 years old today. In the years since Monroe’s death in 1962, candid photos of the blonde bombshell have surfaced that reveal a different side to the glamorous starlet who seemed to adore the cameras. Tousled, intimate portraits of Marilyn without her familiar sheen of lipstick, deeply engrossed in books and allowing us a glimmer of her everyday life suggested the actress was much more than her “dumb blonde” persona. Marilyn was doing the no makeup selfie before Gwyneth. She showed a passion for good food and felt comfortable in her own body (most of the time) before Hollywood’s current everywoman Jennifer Lawrence made a show of it. The actress craved respect, but she was unafraid to be playful and goofy. And sometimes she just didn’t give a damn. We have the photo evidence to prove it.

Image via

Image via

Image via