Marilyn Monroe's dress voted 'most iconic outfit of all time'

Marilyn Monroe's dress which blew up over a subway grate in the film The Seven Year Itch Credit: Reuters

Marilyn Monroe's dress which blew up over a subway grate in the film The Seven Year Itch has been named "the most iconic outfit of all time".

The halterneck dress topped a poll of more than 2,000 adults, followed by the slippers worn by Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz, Olivia Newton John's black leather trousers in Grease, and Ursula Andress's bikini in Dr No.

The survey was carried out by the British Heart Foundation to mark the launch of its Ramp Up The Red campaign, which aims to fund research into heart disease.

The BHF is asking the British public to raise funds on February 7 by wearing red make up, red clothing or throwing a red party.

Actress Pamela Anderson is shown in a 1995 publicity photo for her syndicated television series "Baywatch." Credit: Reuters

Many of the outfits in the survey's top 10 involved red, including swimming costumes in Baywatch, Michael Jackson's leather Thriller suit and Jessica Rabbit's dress in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Polly Shute, fundraising project director at the BHF, said: "Red is not only a fabulous colour to make you stand out from the crowd, but you will also be helping a great cause."