Budgeting is hard, but it’s even harder when you want to look good. Lady Gaga once unknowingly went almost $3 million into debt because she wanted her performance costumes to be perfect. What can she say? She was committed to the cause.
If you live for the applause as much as Gaga, money is the means and looking good is the end goal. From Beyonce’s custom On The Run tour outfits to Liberace’s $700,000 capes, these performance costumes are worth cringeworthy amounts of dollars.
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1 Lady Gaga’s See Through Cape
Julien's AuctionsGaga wore this transparent outer layer (with a bra, underwear, and fishnets) in 2010 when she performed with Elton John at his annual White Tie and Tiara Ball. The whimsical piece sold at Julien’s Auctions two years later for $17,500, but let’s be honest. You’ve made something similar out of bubble wrap, no? -
2 Michael Jackson’s Motown 25 Glove
Getty ImagesMichael Jackson debuted his signature moonwalk at the 1983 Motown 25th anniversary concert while wearing this white rhinestone glove. The glove alone sold for $350,000 back in 2009. A.K.A. whoever bought it is rich beyond your wildest dreams. -
3 Madonna’s Jean Paul Gaultier Bustier
Getty ImagesThis Madonna tour costume, which started the cone-shaped bustier trend, was worn by Madge during her 1980 Blond Ambition Tour. The piece sold for a whopping $24,000 at an auction. Bidding began at $400. -
4 Beyonce’s On The Run Tour Costumes
Getty ImagesBey recruited Michael Costello to design 24 custom costumes for her joint On The Run Tour with Jay Z. In total, the pieces cost almost $200,000. Michael told Life & Style that one costume in particular cost $28,500. “Every time Bey sings ‘Drunk In Love,’ she wears a black jumpsuit made with Italian lace,” he said. “It took over 350 hours to create just one yard of that outfit!”
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5 Elton John’s Ice on Fire Tour Costume
Getty ImagesElton John sold some of his tour costumes back in 2000 to benefit his Elton John Aids Foundation. One of the costumes (not pictured here), from Elton’s 1986 Ice on Fire Tour, was electric blue and purple and came with a matching gown, according to Elton John World. It sold for £25,000, which comes out to about $38,000 and change. -
6 Justin Bieber’s Festive Sweater
Getty ImagesHow much would you pay for the festive (and questionable) Christmas sweater Justin Bieber is sporting in this photo? Would you pay $1650? The Biebs sure did. He wore this Junya Watanabe wool and leather varsity jacket during his 2011 Today Show performance with Usher. The only ugly thing about this ironic Christmas sweater is the price tag. -
7 Liberace’s Extravagant Stage Costumes
Getty ImagesThe Liberace Museum in Las Vegas once showcased Liberace’s most extravagant performance outfits. On display were “a 75-foot-long, $700,000 white fox cape, a $750,000 floor-length mink cape trimmed with 100,000 rhinestones and a $500,000 platinum-azurene mink opera cape with a fox border,” according to this 1990 New York Times article. Mr. Showmanship, indeed. -
8 Cher’s Living Proof Farewell Tour Costume
Getty ImagesCher sold some of her tour costumes back in 2010 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. One of the outfits was this brown two-piece she wore on her Living Proof Farewell Tour. The costume was originally thought to go for around $1,000 to $2,000, but ended up selling at $24,000.