Why Gen Z are obsessed with the Marilyn Monroe effect

The Marilyn Monroe effect has been captivating Gen Z in recent weeks who say it’s the key to gaining confidence and boosting your appearance.

Mikaela Wilson, from Canada, took to TikTok to explore the term which was originally coined by Amy Greene – the wife of the blonde bombshell’s photographer.

The 21-year-old, who is a content creator and psychology student, laid bare her own experience of the Marilyn effect before telling her followers how they too can emulate it.

And other social media users were quick to heap on the praise for Mikaela’s tips before sharing their own stories of success. 

Mikaela Wilson, from Canada, took to TikTok to explore the Marilyn Monroe effect which has been captivated Gen Z in recent weeks

The term was first coined by Amy Greene who was the wife of the blonde bombshell’s photographer

In the clip, which has so far been viewed more than 1.3 million times, Mikaela speaks directly to camera as she gets ready.

She begins: ‘If you haven’t heard about the Marilyn Monroe effect, you need to listen up.

‘I first learned about it in one of my psychology classes, and what it is, is a psychological phenomenon that explains how Marilyn Monroe went from Norma Jeane Mortenson, who was just your average, everyday person, to becoming Marilyn Monroe and getting recognized on the streets, all by changing how she carried herself.

‘She could basically walk around wearing the exact same thing and go about her errands completely unnoticed or she could turn on her Marilyn persona and people would come up to her, people would recognize her and she was suddenly in the limelight, a star.

‘Psychologists are constantly using this to explain to their patients that confidence really is how you carry yourself and being attractive is really just about your body language.’

Mikaela continues: ‘I really used to struggle with confidence and self love and then I tried to implement the Marilyn effect into my everyday life and I noticed it really did change how people responded to me and in turn how I felt about myself.

‘These are the ways that I did it – smile more and be warm, be friendly, genuinely just be nice to people, have good posture, sit up straight, stand up straight, carry yourself with confidence, look people in the eye, shake their hand, introduce yourself when you meet them.

‘If you’re lost when it comes to this, just try to picture yourself like you’re writing a book and you are the character – except the character is the glowed-up version of you – the Marilyn Monroe to your Norma Jeane.’

Mikaela said the psychological phenomenon explains how the iconic star went from Norma Jeane Mortenson to Marilyn Monroe

Other social media users were quick to heap on the praise for Mikaela’s tips and share their own stories of success

She concludes: ‘Figure out that character and then emulate it when you’re not feeling confident enough to be yourself.’

Dozens of other social media users were quick to flood to the comments with praise before sharing their own stories of success.

One wrote: ‘I have emulated this aura now and it changed exactly how people perceive me. This is 100% accurate.’

Another added: ‘I love how you explained it, so accurate.’

And a third simply said: ‘This is so true.’