Kim Kardashian surprised on the carpet with the gold dress that Monroe wore when she sensually sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy

Kim Kardashian capped off the red carpet at the Met Gala on Monday in one of Marilyn Monroe ‘s most iconic gowns , a gold wrap dress that Monroe wore when she sultryly sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy 60 years ago.

Kardashian had to lose a little over 16 pounds to fit into the dress, designed by Jean Louis and purchased in 2016 by the Ripley’s Museum in Orlando, Florida, for $4.81 million.

It was quite a challenge,” Kardashian said. “I was determined to get into it.”

https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/1521317323235217408

The dress originally cost $12,000. It was so tight that Monroe had to have it sewn up when she was wearing it on May 19, 1962, to sing at a fundraiser at Madison Square Garden. Monroe passed away three months later. It has been known as the “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress ever since.

Kim did not arrive alone. The entire family turned out, including Kylie Jenner in a white dress with matching hat, Kourtney Kardashian in a Thom Browne dress with her fiancé Travis Barker also in a Thom Brown suit. Kendall Jenner was in black, Khloe Kardashian in gold and matriarch Kris Jenner in canary yellow.

The evening’s dress code was gold glam and a white bow tie, in the style of the Gilded Age, that effervescent period between the American Civil War and the turn of the 20th century known for its robber barons, drama and greatness.