Kim Kardashian Only Wore Marilyn Monroe Gown For Minutes Out Of 'Extreme Respect'

The Met Gala finally happened last night, and the stars all came out to shine bright. However, Kim Kardashian, in her usual pattern, didn't fail to pull off a tricky-never-done-before look that dropped jaws.

Sticking to the night's dress code of "Gilded Glamour" as part of the "In America: An Anthology on Fashion" theme, Kardashian did the impossible, wearing the one and only Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday Mr. President Dress."

While news of what Kardashian might wear to the fundraising gala began making waves days before the event, her outfit for this year's Met Gala has long been in the works — since after the 2021 Met Gala in September.

"The idea really came to me after the gala in September last year," Kardashian confessed to Vogue Magazine. "I thought to myself, what would I have done for the American theme if it had not been the Balenciaga look? What’s the most American thing you can think of? And that’s Marilyn Monroe."

The SKIMS founder decided last year that the most Marilyn Monroe Moment to her was when the "Some Like It Hot" actress sang Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy in 1962 for his 45th birthday.

Hence, Kardashian began plotting to have the iconic dress, boasting over six thousand crystal embellishments and auctioned for a whopping $4.8 million at Julien’s Auctions in 2016.

The record-breaking expensive dress was later acquired by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum, and that was how Kardashian managed to get her hands on the historical outfit.

In preparation for the Met Gala, Kardashian tried on a replica of the dress, and it fit perfectly. However, when the real deal came, she was met with disappointment.

The original dress was stored away in a vault "controlled at the optimum 68 degrees and 40-50% humidity" and never worn by anyone apart from Monroe. But to the reality star's displeasure, it was not her size when she tried it on.

The dress was transported by guards, and I had to wear gloves to try it on,” she recalled. “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.”

The KKW Beauty founder only had two options, forfeit the dress or lose some weight, and without hesitating, she opted for the latter. Detailing her weight loss procedure, Kardashian told the outlet, "It was this or nothing. 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 continued, saying that she didn't try to starve herself to achieve the desired weight, but she was "so strict" about her routine. Finally, a month later and her dreams came true!

"I wanted to cry tears of joy when it went up," Kardashian said about the final fitting panning out.

The D-day finally arrived on Sunday, May 2, and Kardashian was indeed a sight to behold as she walked the red carpet with her boyfriend, Pete Davidson. The iconic dress hugged the entrepreneur's slimmed-down frame and complimented her bleached blonde hair.

Like Monroe, the "KUWTK" alum rocked a white fur coat that hung loosely on her shoulders and accessorized with simple dangling earrings.

However, in reality, Kardashian only wore the legendary dress for just a few minutes to walk the red carpet before removing it, and she had a good reason why.

Given the fragility and immense value of the dress, the 41-year-old shared that she wasn't ready to take any risks. "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," Kardashian explained.

Per reports, "The Kardashians" star first left her hotel in a dressing gown with barricades set up to prevent the paparazzi from getting any shots.

Once she got to the Met Gala, Kardashian was transported to a pre-arranged fitting room, where she changed into the dress with the help of a conservationist from Ripley’s, who assisted with white gloves.

Once she was done walking the stairs, the socialite changed into a close replica, also owned by Ripley's, and attended the rest of the event. "Everything had to be specifically timed, and I had to practice walking up the stairs," Kardashian commented.