Another Met Gala, another year of Kim Kardashian choosing to wear an unforgettable outfit. The 41-year-old reality star arrived at the May 2 event with boyfriend Pete Davidson in Marilyn Monroe’s infamous Bob Mackie dress that the late icon wore when she sang “Happy Birthday” to John F. Kennedy in 1962. Kim totally transformed into Marilyn not only with the dress, but also by sporting short platinum blonde hair.
Kim actually debuted the look via a Vogue story that was published shortly before she arrived at the Met red carpet. Kim revealed that she got the dress from Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Orlando, Florida. “I’m extremely respectful to the dress and what it means to American history. I would never want to sit in it or eat in it or have any risk of any damage to it and I won’t be wearing the kind of body makeup I usually do,” she said in the interview. The Kardashians star also revealed that she wore a replica of the dress to practice walking up the stairs ahead of the Met.
Furthermore, Kim revealed that she actually didn’t fit into Marilyn’s dress at her second fitting. “I always thought she was extremely curvy. I imagined I might be smaller in some places where she was bigger and bigger in places where she was smaller. So when it didn’t fit me I wanted to cry because it can’t be altered at all,” she said to Vogue, adding that she went on a “strict diet” to fit into the dress. “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 explained. “I didn’t starve myself, but I was so strict.” Kim said that when the dress finally fit at Ripley’s she “wanted to cry tears of joy.”
On the red carpet, Kim told La La Anthony that she lost 16 pounds in three weeks to fit into the dress. “I had this idea to put it on and try it on and they came with armed guards and gloves. I tried it on and it didn’t fit me. I had to lose 16 pounds down today to be able to fit this,” she explained. “It was such a challenge, it was like a role. I was determined to fit in it.”
Pete, 28, joined the pair during the interview in a black suit and sunglasses. He joked that Kim didn’t let him wear his propeller hat. Kim then told La La that the couple plan to have a pizza and donut party later at the hotel.
Fans correctly guessed that Kim would be wearing Marilyn’s dress to this year’s Met. The theories started when Kim and Pete were spotted at Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, home to Marilyn’s $5 million dress that she wore when she famously sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” JFK at a fundraiser for the president and the Democratic National Committee at NYC’s Madison Square Garden in 1962.
Kim had a memorable appearance at last year’s Met Gala, as well. She rocked an all-black Balenciaga outfit that covered her entire body, face included. Kim was joined by Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia on the red carpet. At first, people mistakenly thought it was actually her ex, Kanye West, who was walking beside her in a similar all-black look.
The Kardashians star hasn’t missed a Met Gala since 2013. Three years ago, the mother of four celebrated Camp: Notes on Fashion with a memorable custom-made dress that had a plunging V-neckline and skintight corset. At her very first Met Gala appearance, Kim — who attended the outing with Kanye and was pregnant with their daughter North West at the time — donned a long-sleeve floral gown with a hip-high slit on the side of the leg.