Kim Kardashian Wears Marilyn Monroe’s Dress To The 2022 Met Gala

Question: how on earth was Kim Kardashian going to beat last year's Met Gala look? Her Balenciaga black body stocking was easily the most memeable outfit of the night, after all. The answer? By wearing a piece of American fashion history.

Taking on the Met Gala 2022's 'gilded glamour' theme, Kardashian - who always ups the ante on the night - wore the iconic translucent gown that Marilyn Monroe wore to serenade President John F. Kennedy on his 45th birthday in 1962. Sold at auction for $4.8 million in 1999, the dress (a Jean Louis design based on a sketch by Bob Mackie) had to be flown in from Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum in Orlando especially. A conservationist was on-hand on the night to help her get into it (she then changed into a replica for the main event). She walked the red carpet with Pete Davidson, looking suitably dapper in Dior Men tailoring.

'I am so honored to be wearing the iconic dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in 1962 to sing “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy. It is a stunning skintight gown adorned with more than 6,000 hand-sewn crystals by costumier Jean Louis,' she wrote on Instagram. 'Thank you Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for giving me the opportunity to debut this evocative piece of fashion history for the first time since the late Marilyn Monroe wore it. I am forever grateful for this moment'.

Not one to shy away from some major Big Night Prep (remember, this is the woman who embarked on breathing lessons to help her master the super-cinched wet-look Thierry Mugler corset she wore to the 2019 event), for this dress she had one option: fit it, or forget it. "I would wear a sauna suit twice a day, run on the treadmill, completely cut out all sugar and all carbs, and just eat the cleanest veggies and protein,” she toldVogue. “I didn’t starve myself, but I was so strict.”

And Kardashian didn't stop there. She also dyed her hair Marilyn platinum blonde for the occasion. Now that's what we call commitment. We can't wait to see what she does next year (no pressure, Kim).

See what the rest of the 2022 guest list wore to the Met Gala below.