I saw these pictures at missvintage.com. These women are the most celebrated and admired icons- none of which were born perfect. (No, Audrey Hepburn didn’t come out of her mother’s womb wearing a black shift dress and pearls.. or with that name at that.) And as hard to imagine it is, some of them were mere plain-janes (and sometimes worse) before each of the drastic makeovers they went through. So it’s about time you quit sulking about and blaming your gene pool. If they could do magic like this before the time of fancy hair extensions, miraculous age defying makeup or plastic surgery, then there must be hope for everyone now.
Ann Margret(Ann-Margret Olsson) and Audrey Hepburn (Edda Kathleen van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston)
Bette Davis(Ruth Elizabeth Davis) and Brigitte Bardot(Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot)
Clara Bow(Clara Gordon Bow) and Doris Day(Doris Mary Ann Von Kappelhoff)
Faye Dunaway(Dorothy Faye Dunaway) and Ginger Rogers(Virginia Katherine McMath)
Glora Swanson(Gloria May Josephine Svenson) and Grace Kelly(Grace Patricia Kelly)
Greta Garbo(Greta Lovisa Gustafson) and Gypsy Rose Lee(Rose Louise Hovick)
Ingrid Bergman and Janet Leigh (Jeanette Helen Morrison)
Jayne Masfield(Vera Jayne Palmer) and Jean Harlow(Harlean Harlow Carpenter)
Joan Crawford(Lucille Fay LeSueur) and Lana Turner(Julia Jean Mildred Frances Turner)
Marlene Dietrich(Maria Magdalena Dietrich) and Marion Davies(Marion Cecelia Douras)
Marilyn Monroe(Norma Jean Mortensen) and Rosalind Russell
Sophia Loren(Sofia Villani Scicolone) and Tempest Storm(Annie Blanche Banks)
Veronica Lake(Constance Frances Marie Ockleman) and Katharine Hepburn(Katharine Houghton Hepburn)
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Hi Crichi, been trying to reach you:) Please check email:)
cool! they all changed their names?
Great comparisons. Though you have to admit, Audrey Hepburn still looked beautiful even before her “makeover.” No wonder she’s my dad’s favorite actress of all time!
I thought some of them looked better before the makeovers.
By and large, though, wow!
Very interesting article, although it’s pretty clear that at least a few of these ladies had rhinoplasty at some point in their careers. Cosmetic rhinoplasty was being practiced in the U.S. as early as 1898 (and was invented in 500 BC according to Wikipedia!), so none of these gals lived in a “time before plastic surgery”. Still it’s great to see these photos of our most iconic female stars!
Gloria Swanson looked like she was going to kill some one before her makeover…and she wasn’t to hot afterwards either
Wow that’s amazing. Some of those are horrendous, but I think Marilyn Monroe, Clara Bow, Ingrid Bergman, and Audrey Hepburn were all pretty before.
I think that in the case of Marilyn Monroe (whom I have always loved dearly), what we’re seeing here, is a photo of them prior to make-up. Her hair is likely pulled tightly back to accommodate a wig or hairpiece. With the the multiple bleaching her hair endured it must have been necessary to let her natural, more brunette hair grow out from time to time.
You can see the eyebrow shape is pretty much the same, just less defined. She had a slight ‘nip and tuck’ of both her nose, and chin before she was a ’star’. But the writer who said some were lovely both before and after, was absolutely correct. Bette Davis was never known for her great ‘beauty’, and the press being what it is, is always looking for the ‘worst’ pics to display. Much of it is putting your best foot forward. Head high, back straight, and that ’special’ look in the eye.
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