Marilyn Monroe's wardrobe is worth a fortune
On May 19, 1962, Marilyn Monroe sang a sensual rendition of "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy while donning a flesh-colored, curve-hugging, jewel-encrusted dress that was so tight and sheer that, according to mythology, Monroe was sewed into the gown and wore nothing underneath. The one-of-a-kind sheath was bought in 1999 by the appropriately called Manhattan-based collectible business Gotta Have It! when the widow of Monroe's acting mentor, Lee Strasberg, placed the garment up for auction. The dress set the record at the cost of $1,267,500.
The white garment Marilyn Monroe wore in the 1955 movie The Seven Year Itch brought in $4.6 million (£2.8 million) at auction. The outfit was a part of a collection of movie artifacts that actress Debbie Reynolds had amassed over a forty-year period. $1.47 million was spent on a red sequined outfit and feathered hat worn by Monroe for her part in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Casual clothing costs less, yet still sells for more than the typical pair of Levi's: For $37,000, Tommy Hilfiger purchased Britney Spears' jeans from Otto Preminger's River of No Return and offered them to her as a gift.
