Okay, let’s rip the Band-Aid off because we know the following two facts are going to piss off a lot of you. First, Kim Kardashian wore the actual, for-real “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” gown worn by Marilyn Monroe in 1962 at Madison Square Garden. Second, we kinda love that for her. We’ll give you a minute here to get a hold of yourself.
Okay, first: some facts. The dress was designed by Jean-Louis after a sketch by Bob Mackie (the man who pretty much invented the naked dress) and sold to Monroe for a purported $1440. It sold for $4.8 million in 2016, making it the most expensive dress ever sold at auction. Because of its iconic origins, it is probably one of, if not the most famous dresses of the 20th Century and most significant dresses in the history of popular culture. It’s extremely fragile and is usually kept in a temperature controlled vault by its owner, the Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum in Orlando. When Kim first tried it on, she was surprised to find out that the original wearer was much more petite than she’d realized and she wound up engaging in (what has to be called an unhealthy) regimen of weight loss in order to fit into it, dropping 16 pounds in three weeks. The dress is so delicate that she only wore it on the steps of the Met Gala briefly for pictures, changing into a replica (also provided by Ripley’s) for the rest of the evening.
Many will find the idea of this dress on the back of this person to be offensive or somehow an affront to Marilyn’s memory, but the way it sits at an intersection of fame, politics, sex and scandal make it a perfect fit (no pun intended) for her. Say what you will about Kim, but she’s actually really good about having respect for the forebears she admires and responds to, like Cher and Marilyn. We think the gown is probably the best thing she ever wore at a Met Gala and, as we noted in our Cosmopolitan write up, it serves as a walking advertisement for her own shapewear line. Sex, scandal, fame, and money. What could possibly be more American – and more Kardashian appropriate – than that?
Pete looks good. He was smart to let this be about her.
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Style Credits:
Kim Kardashian: Marilyn Monroe’s Iconic Dress to Sing “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy Adorned with More than 6,000 hand-sewn Crystals by Costumier Jean Louis | Cartier Jewelry
Hair by Chris Appleton | Makeup by Mario Dedivanovic | Nails by Kim Truong
[Photo Credit: JOHN NACION/startraksphoto.com, Janet Mayer/Startraksphoto.com, DNphotography/ABACA/INSTARimages]
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