Taylor Swift Had a Marilyn Monroe Iconic Moment During 2011 Live Concert After First 'Speak Now' Release

An incident involving Taylor Swift's wardrobe once reminded many of Marilyn Monroe's iconic blowing-dress moment but it could only be seen from one particular angle, until recently. In 2011, shortly after the release of Taylor's first Speak Now album, she embarked on a tour at the age of 21. At the time, she had almost attained pop star status and her renown was rapidly rising.

She made a stop in St. Louis for one of her performances and as she was performing, a gust of wind blew up her blue dress on stage. Taylor was able to handle the situation like a pro, returning to her singing and appearing as though nothing had happened. This scene, which at the time went viral, was caught on camera, although from the back angle, per TMZ.

Swift's quick hands prevented her from baring her frontside, which was actually photographed at the time by a longtime fan on the front row who took what can only be called an iconic picture, particularly when you see how it compares to Marilyn Monroe. TMZ has now obtained the viral photo, shot from a different angle and the resemblance between the two starlets is almost uncanny. Swift's left hand is holding the dress down while the other hand holds the microphone as she leans forward. She is actually doing the same stance that Monroe did in The Seven Year Itch, where she was standing over a subway grate and a gust of wind surged up through her dress. The two shots are eerily similar, and given how successful Taylor has become, one could even argue that it was fate, given how naturally it occurred.

The iconic photograph of Marilyn Monroe laughing as her skirt is blown up by a subway vent was taken on September 15, 1954, while The Seven Year Itch was being filmed. Her husband, Joe DiMaggio was furious with the sight and the couple soon got divorced because he thought it was ostentatious, per History.com. Photographer George S. Zimbel recalled that as Monroe's displeased husband rushed across the set and abruptly departed the scene, everything fell dead silent. After an argument broke out between the two after the shoot at their hotel, Monroe filed for divorce from the baseball player and claimed "mental cruelty" as the reason for their separation, per The Guardian.

Despite the rather tragic backstory behind Monroe's iconic dress blow-up, we have reason to go back to her photo from that day and to Taylor Swift's 2011 concert shot. Speak Now (Taylor's Version) has been released again—13 years after the original on July 7, 2023, so it's kind of like an anniversary. Swift is back on tour once more and is more popular than ever.