Marilyn Monroe wore the most expensive dress ever sold at auction: her famous, skin-tight "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" gown, designed by Jean Louis and adorned with over 2,500 rhinestones, which sold for $4.8 million to Ripley's Believe It or Not! in 2016. It's famous for its cultural significance, including her serenade for President John F. Kennedy, and its record-breaking sale price makes it the most valuable dress ever purchased at auction.
Marilyn Monroe's famous dress, which she wore on the occasion of President John F. Kennedy's 45th birthday while singing Happy Birthday to him at Madison Square Garden, sold for a record $4.8 million at auction in 2016.
Record-Breaking Auction History
In 1999, the “Happy Birthday” dress was purchased by collector Martin Zweig for $1.3 million. But on November 18, 2016, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, made history by placing the winning bid of $4.8 million, officially making it the world's most expensive dress ever sold at auction.
The most expensive wedding dresses of all time:
Princess Diana's iconic dress, featuring a 25-foot train and 10,000 pearls, cost $115,000—around $400,000 in today's dollars.
She loved wearing brands, which included Chanel. However, the then Princess of Wales stopped wearing Chanel following her divorce. Apparently, the label's logo, the double interlocking C's, reminded her of the betrayal she had by Prince Charles because of his then-affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.
Queen Elizabeth II holds the title for the most expensive royal wedding dress in history. Designed by Norman Hartnell in 1947, the gown, made from duchess satin and adorned with floral appliqués, cost $42,000 at the time—equivalent to over $1.6 million today.
Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress Cost
The estimated cost of Kate Middleton's wedding dress was approximately £250,000 (around $400,000), making it one of the most expensive royal wedding gowns ever. The high price tag was justified by the meticulous craftsmanship, use of premium fabrics, and intricate lacework.
This dress alone cost the heiress upwards of $25,000 according to Distractify, and she paired it with shoes from Aquazzura and jewellery from Jean Dousset.
1. Nightingale of Kuala Lumpur – $30 Million. The Nightingale of Kuala Lumpur is a staggering $30 million dress created by Malaysian designer Faiyzali Abdullah in 2009. The launch of this piece, which features the finest silk chiffon, evokes the exclusive luxury and haute couture of all time.
Melania Trump's iconic Christian Dior wedding gown, designed by John Galliano, cost an estimated $100,000 (or potentially more, with some reports valuing it up to $200,000) when she wore it in 2005. The elaborate gown featured over 300 feet of duchesse satin, hand-sewn crystals and pearls, a 13-foot train, and required over 500 hours of embroidery.
Most Expensive Outfits Worn By Bollywood Celebs: SRK's Rs 4,50,00,000 Worth Superhero Suit To Alia Bhatt's Rs 5,000,000 Wedding Saree - In Pics
Several famous costumes have been described as the "most expensive ever made", but the most credible candidate for the title is a fur-trimmed sequined showgirl ensemble created by legendary designer Edith Head for Ginger Rogers in Lady in the Dark (1944).
Zuckerberg once said that he wears the same outfits because he doesn't want to waste energy on life's small decisions. Former US President Barack Obama said something similar. "I don't want to make decisions about what I'm eating or wearing," he told Vanity Fair in 2012.
Worn by the princess in Florence, Italy on April 23, 1985, the ballerina-length gown adorned with celestial motifs fetched an astonishing $1,148,080, smashing its original estimate and setting a new world record for the most expensive dress worn by Princess Diana at auction—surpassing the previous $604,800 record.
America's 10 richest reality stars
1. Mariah Carey & James Packer - $10 million. The most expensive celebrity engagement ring on our list is Mariah Carey's enormous 35 carat emerald-cut ring from billionaire fiancé James Packer. The ring was created by New York jeweler Wilfredo Rosado, who designed the ring to be as large and extravagant as possible.
A royal biographer and editor wrote that Queen Elizabeth reportedly told friends she thought Meghan Markle's wedding dress was "too white." The monarch felt that such a gown wasn't appropriate for a divorcee who was remarrying, the reports suggest.
She revealed that the most likely answer is that the shade of orange doesn't suit Princess Kate: "I think the answer lies in DNA and Kate's awareness of how certain colours [are] less flattering compared to other colours."
Princess Kate had "planned abdominal surgery" in January 2024, described by Kensington Palace as successful and non-cancerous initially, but later revealed to involve cancer requiring preventative chemotherapy, though the specific type of surgery (e.g., hysterectomy, organ removal, or other issue) was kept private, with speculation ranging from gynecological to gastrointestinal issues, all pointing to a major procedure requiring significant recovery time.
Princess Charlotte is rewearing today! She is wearing the same dress she wore to attend the Wimbledon final back in 2024 with Princess Catherine.
Princess Diana's Sapphire Engagement Ring
Selected from Garrard's catalog, the 12-carat oval-cut center stone is encircled by 14 diamonds. Featuring an 18-karat white gold setting, the ring's original price was $60,000, though its value has since skyrocketed and is now worth an estimated $400,000.
Nancy Reagan's Inauguration Ball Gown, 1985
Coming in at a whopping $46,000, this pricy gown Nancy Reagan wore was worth every bit of style it brought to the evening, crafted by designer James Galanos.