Born plain Norma Jean Baker, she grew up to become the leading lady that rocked Hollywood - but all too soon Tinsletown chewed her up and spat her out.

Fifty-one years ago today Marilyn Monroe was found dead at her home on Los Angeles, in circumstances that have been the subject of countless conspiracy theories in the years since.

She died at only 36 years of age, but her legacy lives on. Here are eight life lessons we learned from the original blonde bombshell.

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On making the most of now...

“We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.”

 

On dressing to impress

"Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world."

 

On embracing your quirks

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”

 

On what other people think of you

“When it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, then I'm already better than them."

 

On the way to a woman's heart

“If you can make a woman laugh, you can make her do anything.”

 

On letting go

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”

 

On being a woman

 

“Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.”

 

On accepting yourself

“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.”