Most costly movie costume

Hollywood studios are famously secretive when it comes to the accounting of production costs, which makes it difficult to know the identity of the holder for this title with certainty. Several famous costumes have been described as the "most expensive ever made", but the most credible candidate for the title is a fur-trimmed sequined showgirl ensemble created by legendary designer Edith Head for Ginger Rogers in Lady in the Dark (1944). Two versions of this dress were made for the production (a "hero costume" for static close-ups, and a lighter "multiple" for dancing) at a cost of $35,000, which is equivalent to $620,000 in 2023 when adjusted for inflation.

Although often simply called the "mink dress", the costume actually comprised three separate garments – a mink-fur bolero, tight-fitting bodysuit and an open-fronted overskirt. The bodysuit was decorated with thousands of sewn-on imitation jewels and sequins, hand-stitched into elaborate swirling patterns that extended down to the fingertips of the integral gloves. The overskirt's visible lining matched the bodysuit, while its exterior was entirely mink fur to match the bolero.

During fittings, it was found that the hero costume was too heavy and stiff for Rogers to dance in, so a lightweight multiple for dancing.