Marilyn Monroe voted best beach body ever

She turned heads with her hourglass silhouette.

And now after almost fifty years since her death, Marilyn Monroe has been named the Top Beach Body Of All Time.

The Hollywood actress beat ultra-slim stars including Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and Miranda Kerr to the title, suggesting that the nation’s obsession with size zero might be on the decline.

Monroe’s curvaceous figure – which her dressmaker claimed measured 37-23-36 – is best seen in films such as Some Like It Hot and the Misfits, in which she models an array of swimwear.

Others to make it on to the list of top ten were Christina Hendricks, Amy Childs and Kim Kardashian, all boasting cup sizes ranging from C to GG.

British clothes store Debenhams, which commissioned the survey, now predicts a trend towards the fuller figure and last season it reported a 58 per cent increase in sales of bust-boosting bikinis.

Sasha Nagalingham, a spokesperson said: ‘With the average cup size of the list going from a C to a D in just one year, they are proof that a voluptuous figure is even more desirable that ever before.

‘And women want to imitate the look; sales of gel-filled bust-boosting bikini tops increased by 58 per cent last season and we have extended the range ready for the spring 2012 swell.

‘Our results tell us that looking great on the beach is not about being the thinnest or the youngest woman around.

‘Women are increasingly appreciative of figures that symbolise all the great things about womanhood.’

Monroe topped the poll of celebrity beach bodies, beating modern day pin-ups Christina Hendricks (second place) and Kim Kardashian (forth place).

While the original Bond girl Ursula Andress and ‘One Million Years BC’ star Raquel Welch made it into the top ten, despite it being decades since they wowed cinema-goers with their toned bodies.

Last year Marilyn came second in a poll naming the Best Celebrity Body of All Time, while Kelly Brook was crowned winner.

And as with the recent survey slimmer women such as Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham were less popular, coming in at 21st and 22nd respectively.

Jenny Caven, director of Slimming World  which commissioned the survey, said: ‘We think it sets a good precedent for women.

‘We shouldn’t all struggle to be really skinny.

‘This is a good example for young women to see that real women have real curves.’

And proving there is no barrier to sexiness, Oscar-winner Dame Helen Mirren, 66, nabbed seventh place in the recent poll after photos emerged of her looking decades younger in a revealing red bikini.

Commenting on the results Sasha Nagalingham added: ‘With ‘My week with Marilyn’ making waves and Mad Men now established as a cult classic, it’s not surprising Marilyn Monroe and Christina Hendricks are front of mind when it comes to celebrating the female form.’

This summer marks the fiftieth anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s death, which occurred August 5, 1962.

by Harry Harper