To run with the big dogs of show biz, a performer needs an arsenal of flashy, custom-made costumes to dazzle their adoring fans and show off their power. Think about the greats: Tina Turner, Madonna, Lady Gaga. Stunning showmen and women dress to the nines on stage from city to city, often competing with one another to see who can pull off the gaudiest look.
Dressing a megastar like Britney Spears or Michael Jackson can cost a fortune. From bedazzled gowns worth tens of thousands to custom designer headpieces, the top entertainers in the game are more than willing to spend millions on their performance regalia. Take a look at some of the most expensive costumes to hit the stage!
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7 Katy Perry’s 2015 Super Bowl – $20,000
When it comes to coming out on stage in style, very few can compete with Katy Perry’s repertoire of campy, pricy designer garments.
During her wildly anticipated Super Bowl set in 2015, the pop princess delivered a frantic, fun halftime show to audiences around the nation. Perry performed a record-breaking four costume changes while belting out her hits songs like Roar and Dark Horse.
One of the most notable looks was a firey silver and red dress designed by Jeremy Scott. The first patent leather get-up is said to be worth anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000!
6 Shakira’s Super Bowl Boots – $20,000
Last year, longtime pop diva Shakira got to shine when she lent her talents to the 2029 Super Bowl halftime show. In between watching the tiresome battle between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, fans were surprised to see Jennifer Lopez and the Hips Don’t Lie singer join forces at the Hard Rock Stadium. What’s even more surprising is just how much the singer paid for the dazzling ruby boots she wore for the first half of the performance.
Covered in around 30,000 Swarovski crystals, the Dan Life-designed shoes were worth a mindblowing $20,000!
“The boots were Shak’s favorite pair that she wore for so many years,” Life tells Entertainment Tonight, “and so this was a very sentimental addition to her look.”
5 Elton John’s Mozart Jacket – $100,000
Along with his eminence musical ability and extensive discography of hit songs, Elton John is probably known best for the larger-than-life stage costumes he wore to match his rock star stage presence. Who can forget such iconic fashion moments like his bedazzled Dodgers outfit or his staple cooky glasses?
This year, the ‘Rocketman’ found himself trying to win back one of his most iconic pieces in an auction bidding war.
Lee Ryan, a former member of boyband Blue, came into possession of one of Elton John’s signature Mozart-inspired jackets at a charity auction in 2002. When Elton saw the same exact jacket being auctioned off for $100,000 last April, he became pretty adamant about returning the legendary piece to its rightful owner.
The new owner of the jacket has not been disclosed by the auction house.
4 Michael Jackson’s Bad Tour Jacket – $289,000
In 2018, the auction house sold a legendary piece of entertainment history from a staple in American music. Michael Jackson’s unforgettable, black leather from in 1987 Bad tour was put up for sale with an original listing price of $100,000.
Though, seeing how he is the King of Pop, Jackson’s jacket ended up being sold for $289,000 – almost three times the cost of its original listing!
3 Michael Jackson’s Signature Glove – $350,000
Because of the international admiration for the music he left behind, Michael Jackson has remained a favorite when it comes to collecting stage memorabilia. Possibly one of the priciest items to hit the auctions from his chart-topping career was his signature silver gloves.
The gloves, which are best known for Jackson wearing them to introduce the world to the moonwalk in 1983, initially had a starting price of only $4,000. But when it was finally sold in 2009 at Time Square’s Hard Rock Cafe, it was given to its new owner for the whopping price of $350,000.
2 Elvis Presley’s Jacket – $1 Million
One of the most recognizable pieces of Elvis Presley iconography was put up for sale just three months ago: the white jumpsuit he wore onstage at the Madison Square Garden in 1972. As part of Kruse GWS Auctions’ Artifacts from Music and Hollywood event, the metallic embellished jumpsuit was for a record-breaking $1,012,500.
Auctioned off alongside legendary pieces was yet another of his jumpsuits that he wore in the 1968 movie Speedway.
1 Marylin Moonroe’s ‘Happy Birtday’ Dress – $4.8 Million
When you’ve reached true superstardom, opportunities to play on some of the biggest stages in the world are presented to you daily. Though, while your favorite is always coming to a near you away, it’s rare to see moments of an artist making history. For instance, very few artists ever get the chance to perform in front of a president – let alone sing them happy birthday.
The Jean Louis dress went up for purchase through Christe’s Auctions in 1999. That year, it was sold to a Manhattan-based company called Gotta Have It! Collectibles for the price of $1.26 million. This purchase took the record for the most expensive dress sold at auction. The title previously belonged to a Princess Diana gown which sold for $222,500 two years prior to the Christe’s Auction.
The title for the most expensive dress was bought at an auction then went to another iconic Marylin piece. Her white dress from the classic romance The Seven Year Itch smashed the record when it was sold for $4.6 million in 2011. Though, in 2016, when the Happy Birthday dress was put back on the market – this time through Julien Auctions – it sold for yet another record-breaking price.
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Sources: ABC News, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Tonight, News Chant, Reuters, The Star, Wbfoma, LA Times, BBC News
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