Kim Kardashian turned heads and made headlines on Monday evening when she arrived at the 2022 Met Gala wearing an iconic Marilyn Monroe gown.
The 41-year-old reality TV star looked sensational as she walked the red carpet in the same dress the Hollywood legend wore back in 1962 - when she famously sang 'Happy Birthday' to President John. F. Kennedy on his 45th birthday.
The bedazzled sheer beige floor-length gown is currently a historic item held by the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum, and was loaned to the Skims founder for her arrival at the charity ball.
However, due to the historical significance of the garment, Kim certainly faced many critics online who felt like she wasn't deserving enough to don Monroe's dress.
In fact, after Ripley's shared several posts about Kardashian wearing the gown, some people commented on how they believed Kim wearing the dress "devalued" it.
Watch Kim trying on the iconic dress below:But regardless of the criticism, there were also many fans of both Monroe and Kardashian who felt like the occasion was certainly one to be celebrated, as it once again gave Marilyn's gown the opportunity to be seen in the spotlight.
One person commented on the video, explaining: "I thought it was disrespectful at first but [then I] remembered, Marylin had no kids. Her being remembered is all she was able to leave behind."
A second added: "I love that after so many years it gets to see flashing light one last time on a carpet definitely a historic moment chilling to see amazing."
"People need to realize she gave this dress a second chance to shine. I haven’t heard people talk about Marylin this much in a while tbh," a third added.
And a fourth wrote: "I think this is a lovely way to celebrate the dress and Marilyn. Y’all are too fussy. Marilyn would’ve loved this."
One person even highlighted how both women were "controversial" celebrities in their respective eras, and that it made sense for Kardashian to be the person to get to wear the gown. "Love or hate Kim, Marilyn was very controversial for her time, just as Kim is now, it’s kinda fitting for her to wear the dress," they commented.
To help ease the concerns many of Monroe's fans voiced about the decision, Ripley's did take to the comments section to stress: "The dress fit Kim perfectly and no alterations were necessary... nor would we even fathom altering this historic garment!"
"As this dress is a historic piece of Americana memorabilia, our team took the greatest care to ensure its safety at the Met," the museum added.
Additionally, The Independent reports that Kim only got to wear the gown at the start of the evening, and was then asked to change into a replica after arriving at the event.
Speaking out about the unique privilege, Kardashian took to her Instagram page to share gorgeous snaps of her in the gown, along with the caption: "I am so honored to be wearing the iconic dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in 1962 to sing 'Happy Birthday' to President John F. Kennedy. It is a stunning skintight gown adorned with more than 6,000 hand-sewn crystals by costumier Jean Louis.
"Thank you Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for giving me the opportunity to debut this evocative piece of fashion history for the first time since the late Marilyn Monroe wore it. I am forever grateful for this moment."
Due to the fact that the dress is such an important piece of history (the most expensive gown ever sold at auction for $4.8 million), it wasn't allowed to be altered for the Gala. That meant that Kim had to put herself on a strict diet if she wanted to fit into it.
"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 told Vogue, adding: "I didn’t starve myself, but I was so strict."
Ultimately, The Kardashians star revealed that she shed 16 pounds in just three weeks.
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