Kim Kardashian wears dress owned by Marilyn Monroe for the 2022 Met Gala

The reality TV star spent 14 hours dying her hair platinum blonde for the full Monroe-effect

Kim Kardashian wore a dress owned by Marilyn Monroe for the 2022 Met Gala. Reuters

The reality TV star accessorised the 1962 dress with a faux fur coat. Reuters

The dress is the exact piece Marilyn Monroe wore to sing 'Happy Birthday' to US president John F Kennedy on his 45th birthday in 1962. EPA

US socialite Kim Kardashian arrives for the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2022, in New York. - The Gala raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. The Gala's 2022 theme is "In America: An Anthology of Fashion". (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)

The dress was designed for Marilyn Monroe by French costume designer Jean-Louis, based on a sketch by American fashion designer Bob Mackie. EPA

Kim Kardashian arrived at the 2022 Met Gala with boyfriend Pete Davidson. EPA

The dress is translucent and embellished with more than 6,000 crystals. EPA

Kim Kardashian said, in order to protect the vintage dress, she is not wearing any of the body make-up she usually does. Reuters

The custom piece is said to have cost Monroe $1,440. In 1999 it was sold at auction for $1.26 million and in 2016 it sold again for $4.6m. EPA

Kim Kardashian has, once again, ensured she is the belle of the Met Gala. The reality TV star opted to go for a vintage gown for the 2022 event, borrowing from none other than Marilyn Monroe's wardrobe.

Kardashian arrived at the event, often dubbed “fashion's biggest night out”, with boyfriend Pete Davidson, wearing a recognisable gown, the exact dress Monroe wore to sing Happy Birthday to US president John F Kennedy on his 45th birthday in 1962.

For the full Monroe-effect, Kardashian — who is known for her flowing black locks — spent 14 hours dying her hair platinum blonde. Kardashian wore her hair in a tight bun on the red carpet.

Speaking to US Vogue ahead of the event, Kardashian said: “The idea really came to me after the gala in September last year. 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.

“For me the most Marilyn Monroe moment is when she sang Happy Birthday, to JFK, it was that look.”

History of Marilyn Monroe's 'Happy Birthday, Mr President' dress

The dress, which is translucent and embellished with more than 6,000 crystals, was designed by French costume designer Jean-Louis, based on a sketch by American fashion designer, Bob Mackie.

Actress Marilyn Monroe sings 'Happy Birthday' to President John F Kennedy at Madison Square Garden, for his 45th birthday in November 1962. Bettmann

The custom piece is said to have cost Monroe $1,440. In 1999, it was sold at auction for $1.26 million, making it the most expensive dress to have ever been sold at the time. In 2016 it sold again for $4.6m when it was acquired by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum.

Kardashian told Vogue the museum was protective of its piece and originally sent her a replica of the dress to try on, which fit "perfectly". She was then sent the original dress to try.

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

Kardashian decided to lose weight to fit into the dress, deciding it was "this [gown] 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 said. “I didn’t starve myself, but I was so strict.”

For the event, Kardashian had access to two more Monroe styles, including a replica of the gown she wore to the 1962 Oscars by Norman Norell.

See all the looks from the 2022 Met Gala:

Event co-hosts Blake Lively, wearing Atelier Versace, and Ryan Reynolds arrive at the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2. EPA

Kim Kardashian, in Marilyn Monroe's 'Happy Birthday, Mr President' dress, and Pete Davidson. AFP

Kylie Jenner wears an off-white wedding dress-style gown. AFP

Billie Eilish, wearing Gucci. Reuters

Gigi Hadid, wearing a Versace jumpsuit and puffer. AP Photo

Kendall Jenner, in a full black gown. AFP

Bella Hadid, wearing a black lace design. AFP

Daniel Roseberry and Carey Mulligan, wearing a gown with a gold bodice and train by Schiaparelli. AFP

Megan Thee Stallion, wearing in a gold two-piece Moschino design. Reuters

Lizzo, wearing black and gold Thom Browne. AP Photo

Khloe Kardashian, wearing a gold column Moschino gown. AFP

Emma Stone, wearing Louis Vuitton. EPA

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, both wearing Thom Browne. Reuters

Cynthia Erivo, wearing Louis Vuitton. EPA

Camila Cabello, wearing all-white Prabal Gurung. Reuters

Camila Mendes, wearing a gold Ami dress. AFP

Shawn Mendes, wearing Tommy Hilfiger. EPA

Dakota Johnson, wearing Gucci. AP

Austin Butler and Priscilla Presley, wearing Prada. AP Photo

Kate Moss, wearing a black velvet Burberry gown. AFP

Vanessa Hudgens, wearing a sheer black gown by Moschino. EPA

Kacey Musgraves, wearing Moschino. EPA

YouTuber Emma Chamberlain, wearing Louis Vuitton. AFP

Anna Wintour, wearing a multi-coloured sequin gown. EPA

Kris Jenner, wearing a yellow kaftan-style dress. AFP

Co-chair of the 2022 Met Gala Lin-Manuel Miranda and his wife Vanessa Nadal. AFP

Gemma Chan, wearing Louis Vuitton. AP Photo

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, wearing Louis Vuitton. AFP

Phoebe Dynevor, wearing Louis Vuitton. AP

Maude Apatow, wearing a sheer black Miu Miu dress. EPA

Amber Valletta, wearing a gold gown. EPA

Kaia Gerber, wearing shimmering Alexander McQueen. AFP

Dove Cameron, in a sheer gown with wing detail. AFP

Miranda Kerr, wearing white Oscar de la Renta. EPA

Jared Leto, matching Gucci's Alessandro Michele, both wearing Gucci. AP Photo

Addison Rae, wearing a shimmering gown. AFP

Awkwafina, wearing a peach to red ombre gown. AP Photo

Emily Ratajkowski, wearing vintage Versace. AFP

Lily James, in a beaded gown. AFP

Lily Allen, wearing a feathered Chanel gown, with husband David Harbour. AFP

Lily Aldridge, in a crystal Khaite gown. AFP

Simone Ashley, in a black skirt with a gold crop top by Moschino. AFP

Chloe Bailey, in a full gold gown. AP Photo

Naomi Campbell, in a black Burberry gown with sequinned detail. AP Photo

Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy. AP Photo

Cara Delevingne, wearing a red suit. AFP

Elon Musk, wearing white tie, with his mother, Maye Musk. AFP

Emma Corrin, wearing oversized Miu Miu. AP Photo

Gwen Stefani, wearing neon yellow Vera Wang. EPA

Kerry Washington, wearing black sheer Tory Burch. EPA

Jessica Chastain, wearing oxblood sequinned Gucci. AFP

Amy Schumer, Venus Williams, Gabriela Hearst and Xiye Bastida in head-to-toe black on the red carpet. EPA

Tessa Thompson, wearing pink tulle Carolina Herrera. AFP

Ariana DeBose, wearing black and gold Moschino. EPA

Sarah Jessica Parker, wearing monochrome Christopher John Rogers. EPA

Michaela Jae Rodriguez, wearing ombre gold and silver Moschino. AFP

Anitta, wearing purple peplum Moschino. AP Photo

Lila Grace Moss, wearing a nude sheer Burberry gown. AFP

Nicki Minaj, wearing a full black Burberry gown. EPA

Bad Bunny, wearing Burberry. AFP

Karlie Kloss, wearing lace Givenchy. AFP

Cardi B, in a gold gown. EPA

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz in a pink Givenchy dress. EPA

Glenn Close, in a pink caped dress, and Italian designer Pier Paolo Pasolini. AFP

Katy Perry, in a black dress with a full train. AFP

Winnie Harlow, in a white tulle design. AFP

Nicola Coughlan, wearing a black and pink gown. AFP