You Won’t Believe How Much This Marilyn Monroe Dress Sold for at Auction
Marilyn Monroe (who would’ve worn a size 4 by today’s standards where she once wore a size 8), is undeniably one of the most iconic figures of our time, so it’s no surprise that one of her most renowned fashion choices would catch a pretty penny at auction.
What has us seriously stunned, however, is the sheer AMOUNT of pennies that went to the dress she famously wore to serenade JFK with a breathy “Happy Birthday” back in 1962. (Hint: It’s more than Luke’s diner cups, that’s for sure!) As of Thursday, the dress was sold on Julien’s Auction for a whopping $4.8 million dollars, making it the most expensive dress ever sold at auction. Wowza!
The lucky recipient was Ripley’s Believe It or Not, who plans to pull a Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (soon to become a film trilogy) arrangement with the dress, first showing it in Hollywood and then touring it around its 32 national locales.
Designed by Jean Louis from a sketch of Bob Mackie’s (his first out of college), it’s not only Marilyn that makes the dress special, however: It is reportedly adorned by 2,500 hand-sewn crystals.
While the dress is no longer up for grabs, there’s plenty of Marilyn’s personal effects still available here.
In the meantime, let’s reminisce on the dress with the video that started it all, shall we?
Do you think Ripley’s paid too much for the gown? Share with us @BritandCo.
(h/t ET, photos via L. J. Willinger/Keystone Features/Getty Images + Julien Auctions)
