A press release distributed by GWS Auctions states they will be selling the dress Marilyn Monroe wore on October 6, 1954 to announce her separation from Joe DiMaggio.
From the press release: “Can a simple black dress express and become a symbol of the sadness and inner torment of the world’s most iconic Hollywood star—Marilyn Monroe? The rare and austere black wool dress a devastated Monroe wore during her teary 1954 press conference announcing her separation from baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, a seismic event that rocked the Hollywood and sports worlds simultaneously, will go on sale through Kruse GWS Auctions on Saturday, March 30, at 10 AM Pacific Time.
The dress signifies the end of one of the most celebrated and tempestuous marriages in Hollywood history, a union of mega-watt superstars. The dress, which is black wool with long sleeves and has a zippered turtleneck front, is an under-recognized treasure that marks the troubled, enigmatic life of this iconic actress.”
While the dress being auctioned was definitely owned by Marilyn (two of these dresses sold at the 1999 Christie’s Marilyn Monroe auction), a simple review of photos from the event show she wasn’t wearing this dress at the press conference in October of 1954 to announce her separation from DiMaggio.
She was actually wearing a sweater and a skirt with a belt. The sweater she’s wearing looks very much like the top of the dress, but photos show that she’s wearing a skirt.
In the photos below of Marilyn at the press conference, it’s clear she’s not wearing a dress, but a sweater with a skirt. In the third and fourth photos, her skirt’s side zipper can be seen.
Also, the zipper on the dress appears to be much longer than the sweater’s zipper.
I reached out to GWS Auctions’ press agent Caroline Galloway requesting clarification but received no response.
I love Marilyn Monroe as Norma Jean Baker’s dress It’s lovely