0 Marilyn Monroe placed marbles in her bra

An exhibition in London has divulged the tricks Marilyn Monroe used for showcasing her distinctive looks and publicising her attractions.

The exhibition organised at the Getty Images Gallery - to mark the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s death- has analysed 66 largely unseen Monroe images from its 90 million-strong archive, plus new video footage and 12 of her most memorable outfits, the Telegraph reported.

"She always wore a bra to bed because she didn’t want her breasts to sag," said Monroe expert Gene London.

"She was obsessed with Jean Harlow. When she learned that Jean put ice on her breasts to make them stand up, Marilyn tried that, but the only thing that happened was that her breasts turned blue.

"So, Marilyn took to placing marbles in her bras, or she’d take three buttons… and sew the buttons together and place those inside her dress."

Some of the other tricks the actors used included shaping her nose, sharpening her cheekbones, making her eyes look more deep-set, arching her brows, and emphasising her heart-shaped face.

A plumper and fuller pout was created using five different varieties of lipstick and gloss: darker reds on the outer corners, lighter shades in the middle to lend dimension, with a highlighted cupid’s bow and bottom lip.