The Most Expensive Dress a Marilyn Monroe Original

April 5, 2006 | Posted by Allison as The Most Expensive at 1:01 pm | (40) Comments »

Marilyn Monroe Dress JFK Most Expensive.jpgThis morning I became fascinated by the idea of finding out the most expensive dress ever.  I’m not sure what prompted this question in my brain, yet there it was nonetheless begging an answer.  And by Jove, I think we’ve got it!

In a unique TV event, Christie’s did a live broadcast of the fifty-five lots from The Personal Property of Marilyn Monroe auction on October 27, 1999.  Up for auction was the Eternity Band given to Monroe by her third husband Joe DiMaggio which went for $700,000; her Happy Birthday Mr. President Invitation which ended up going for $115,000 and the most exciting auction of the evening was Marilyn’s Happy Birthday Mr. President dress which she wore at the infamous birthday tribute to President John F. Kennedy at the Madison Square Gardens on May 19th, 1962.

The dress Marilyn Monroe donned that birthday evening was a full length evening sheath dress of flesh colored gauze encrusted with rhinestones embroidered in a rosette motif.  The dress that Monroe sang the sweet “Happy Birthday Mr. President” song which now lives in infamy, was sold at Christie’s that October evening for $1,150,000.  The dress was originally made for Monroe for approximately $2,500.  Now, I call that a good investment. 

 

 

40 Comments »

  1. tracee Said,

    January 18, 2007 @ 5:48 pm

    this is ugly ….kind of country-ish

  2. kRYSTAL Said,

    April 11, 2007 @ 6:11 pm

    This is a beautiful, legendary piece that will be remembered for decades. It deserves the respect she held.

  3. michguy Said,

    July 20, 2007 @ 11:27 pm

    This is perhaps the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. It’s a rare thing for a dress to not only be created for, but be so entirely made perfectly for a woman. This dress was made to be worn by Marilyn, and only Marilyn.

  4. ashley Said,

    August 28, 2007 @ 3:30 pm

    i lovve thhis dress is beautiful

  5. pete Said,

    September 15, 2007 @ 8:35 pm

    this is a beautiful dress :)
    tracee you have no idea and no class … your ugly !

  6. Liza Said,

    October 3, 2007 @ 5:14 am

    Hi
    I want to purchase this clothes

  7. angy Said,

    October 27, 2007 @ 7:40 pm

    thats like beutifull! i want that dress id were it on my weddin … its beutifull yet very very expensive

  8. Iva Said,

    January 7, 2008 @ 5:43 pm

    This is the most glamorously sophisticated dress of its time and was worn by a very beautiful, intellegent, talented and misunderstood woman. Anyone who thinks this dress has anything to do with country attire — has to be very fashion challenged and probably only wears blue jeans.

  9. Jake Said,

    January 7, 2008 @ 7:59 pm

    First, that dress cost $12,000. Even in That time and secondly, Joe DiMaggio was NOT her third husband. Arthur Miller was :)

  10. laarni t.javier Said,

    January 8, 2008 @ 12:39 pm

    wow…. its so expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i think i wasnt born that time yet..but i can truly say how glamorous that gown is……… simply amazing

  11. anniey Said,

    January 22, 2008 @ 9:14 pm

    i love diz dress..
    hope i’d have one…

  12. sandra mendoza Said,

    January 30, 2008 @ 6:12 pm

    someday i will buy this dress and add it to all my marilyn collectibles!

  13. Carlie Said,

    February 19, 2008 @ 4:28 pm

    This dress is so gorgeous I want a replica made for the dress I change into from my wedding dress.

  14. porsha Said,

    February 25, 2008 @ 5:22 pm

    THIS DRESS IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO B-E-A-U-TIFUL! I ONLY WISH I HAD THE MONEY CUZ MAN I WOULD WERE IT TO MY PROM! LOL! BUT YEA ITS A VERY AMAZZZZZZING DRESS! SHE DEFFINATLY HAD A CLASSY STYLE!

  15. aileen (philippines) Said,

    March 11, 2008 @ 10:37 pm

    WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! SO AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL AND REALLY FANTASTIC….I LOVE IT!!!BUT ITS SO VERY EXPENSIVE…HEHEHEHEH….

  16. ale Said,

    March 17, 2008 @ 12:35 pm

    OMG!
    this is a hot dress i would pay millions to wear such a legendary dress
    wich belong to my idol!
    sorry tracee but you have no sence of style!=(

  17. Rachel Said,

    April 6, 2008 @ 11:57 pm

    Thanks Pete. I said the same thing. Anyone who cant appreciate this classic peice of nostalgia has no idea what class is. I watched this dress go at auction and cried when the final bid was given. Its sad that Marilyn wasnt treated as priceless in life as we treat her now.

  18. Lacey Said,

    April 16, 2008 @ 2:28 pm

    This is the most beautiful dress i have ever seen, i just wish i was alive then to see marilyn wear it and sing to jfk in it. she was such a pretty girl, and i wish i could have seen her in person.

  19. MADALYN VIDAL Said,

    April 23, 2008 @ 2:25 pm

    MARILYN MONROE IS AND ALWAYS BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, SEXIEST, MOST WATCH WOMAN IN THE UNIVERSE. MADONNA, DOES NOT COMPARE !!

  20. Monroe Said,

    April 26, 2008 @ 8:06 am

    I love that dress ! Marilyn Monroe is my biggest IDOL <3

  21. Whitney Said,

    May 6, 2008 @ 9:57 am

    she was soooo pretty. not only pretty but elagent and classy….. no one else can conpare

    Whitney

  22. prabhakar Said,

    May 17, 2008 @ 6:45 am

    woooow . this is the most glamorous dress worn by the most glamorous woman of the universe ,captured the hearts of men till now u are my idol and forever be marilyn though u are not there but I am your greatest fan and I luv u

  23. Jenny Said,

    July 18, 2008 @ 5:11 pm

    Ok, somone is retarded if they think this dress is ugly, you need ot be slapped. Ans someone is retarded if they think they can buy this as a prom dress…Obviously you are never going to get a chance to purchase this dress, and no offense, Im glad for that because this is something you cant replace. This is the only dress like this in the world, ever.
    What are the chances that someone is the same exact size and shape as her to fit in this dress anyway, it was made for her body alone…seriously.

  24. Charlene Said,

    August 5, 2008 @ 7:16 pm

    OMG! I love this dress. It has inspired my wedding dress. I though of wearing a dress closer to the “7 Year Itch”.(Me and My Fiance were going to do Old Hollywood Glamour as our theme for our wedding) But this one is SO much more..elegant. I have fell in love!

  25. paige Said,

    September 8, 2008 @ 5:04 pm

    htis is the most beautiful dress that i have ever seen! its gorgeous! i love marilyn monroe! she is my idol. and she deserves all the respect you have. she went through some really tough times. and i appreciate her for that. and she is beautiful! so that dress fits her well and suits her. she wore that for JFK! and he was my fav. presadent and she was my fav….. person! :) (:

  26. 101 Said,

    September 8, 2008 @ 7:16 pm

    WHO made thiis dress?

  27. Lyssa Said,

    September 17, 2008 @ 11:30 am

    OMG this dress is to pretty! i’m a huge fan of hers and this dress is not country-ish. For that time period it and still is stunning! I wish i could have that haha

  28. miss. ana Said,

    January 13, 2009 @ 7:24 am

    tracee, you must have bad taste, this dress is beautiful, just like marilyn

  29. sierra lopez Said,

    March 6, 2009 @ 2:28 pm

    hey everyone my name is sierra
    let me tell you guys this hannah montana sucks. selena gomez is the best. she sings better than hannahn montana. she is so jealous if selena dates joe jonas. i love you joe jonas<<<

  30. kels Said,

    April 16, 2009 @ 11:01 am

    wth sierra…tht was really random!!!!!!!!!!! but this dress is epically amazing!!!!!!!!!!! i love love love it!! <3

  31. bolllyy Said,

    June 18, 2009 @ 9:21 pm

    it was 1962 so you cant exactly say its old and ugly +x its still gorgous now :o :) xx my grandmaw was her 2nd cousin doesnt really make me anything but uts still kinda cool :D

  32. Erik Said,

    June 29, 2009 @ 2:02 am

    This dress is designed by Jean Louis. I’ve never read about it’s original price, and doubt it’s ever actually been revealed. Mr Louis has always been private about his clients and business. Not only is he known for this gown, but also the notorious flesh gown that Marlene Dietrich had to be sewn into for her Vegas stage debut. He has 14 Academy Award nominations for Best Costume Design.

  33. Mason Said,

    July 30, 2009 @ 8:11 am

    Pictures do no justice to this gown. I saw this gown and other Monroe items at Christies in Beverly Hills back in 1999. The gown is actually a pinkish / beigh color. The gown was fitted on a headless and armless clear mannequin, I was able to see right through it and the wall behind it!!! And the beads!!!! One of the most beautiful gowns ever

  34. toni Said,

    August 3, 2009 @ 12:27 pm

    tracee, u aint got a clue, marilyn is a legend, everyone knows that, and she died before i was born. a beautiful but missunderstood woman who was taken before her time. u are ugly and nasty both inside and out.

  35. Polly Said,

    August 5, 2009 @ 12:48 am

    Kinda stupid to spend so much money on a dress don’t you think? Still, it IS pretty impressive. With it’s wispy gauzy fabric and glittering rhinestones. Yet other than that, it is plain. This is for her, nobody else will ever look as good as her in that dress. However, although it is extremely beautiful and elegant, I do not want it even if I had the money to buy it. It doesn’t suit me.

  36. John Travilla Said,

    August 26, 2009 @ 5:09 am

    a designer by the name of Don-ya’ recreated this gown for Marilyn impersonator Jami Edwards. i saw this amazing gown 2 years ago at the Reel Awards in Las Vegas and i was floored. people literally STOPPED in their tracks as this was the most EXACT replica ever seen. one lady; whos father lit the original gown at the Cristies auction, had to call him because she was in shock. you can see it on a video on YOUTUBE under DON-YA MARILYN GOWNS FOR JAMI EDWARDS.

  37. selena gomez Said,

    September 7, 2009 @ 4:45 pm

    yeah its ok but i would never buy it

  38. Sasha Said,

    September 14, 2009 @ 5:49 am

    I remember seeing the event on TV when Marilyn sang Happy Birthday to the president wearing this evening dress, It’s the pure epitome of Marilyn and the era. Anyone that cannot appreciate the workmanship that went into creating it is an neophyte!

    Given the hefty sum that this went for at the last auction (Marilyn items like this will always command a tidy sum). doubtful that you would ever see someone donning it.

    A prom dress? This is more of a Ritz occasion evening dress and sure can’t see a replica showing up at a prom! Sorry but a prom is just not in the same class. A replica for the Oscars? Maybe that would work but even then, there are only a few female celebrities that could pull it off body wise and make it work.

  39. Leah Said,

    October 29, 2009 @ 6:53 pm

    OMG!!!!! i was marilyn monroe for halloween and it cost 40 bucks for her costume!!!! and i thought that was exspansive!! haha but to be ohnest it is a really beautiful dress. but knowing me i could find it on a walmart shelf for 15 dollars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  40. Sam Said,

    January 30, 2010 @ 12:45 am

    this is ugly don’t really like the dress :(

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