A former contestant on The Bachelor said she spent thousands of dollars to be a part of the show and was sent home on the first night.
Daria Rose, a contestant on season 26 of the reality series, penned an essay for Insider and described her experience while spending so much money in preparation for the show. “I spent about $4,400 on dresses, shoes, makeup, and hair,” said Rose.
While she bought enough clothing for a six-week stay, Rose was eliminated by Clayton Echard the first night the show aired in January. She posted a video to her TikTok account detailing how much she had spent on elegant eveningwear, and her followers could not believe contestants had to pay their own way.
@daria.rose Financial transparency 👸🏾 #thebachelor #whatispent #dresses #greenscreen ♬ Throw It Away – Summer Walker
The women contestants on the show are encouraged to pack enough clothing and miscellaneous items for a total six-week stay, even though they can be eliminated at any time. However, Rose said before the sitcom started filming, she knew there was a possibility that she could be eliminated early during her pre-filming shopping spree.
For the season’s premiere, Rose said she wore “a blue Sandra gown by Dress the Population, which I purchased from Lord & Taylor for $200. To complete the outfit, I bought a pair of white lace-up heels by the Black designer Kendall Miles for $400.”
Though she didn’t get a chance to debut the rest of her outfits, Rose provided a list of clothing she had purchased and how much they cost.
Red illegal halter gown from Revolve: $220
Pink Elle Woods-inspired pantsuit from Revolve: $400
Emerald-green mermaid-cut gown from Alamour the Label: $420
Hot-pink Reno dress from Abyss by Abby: $350
Red off-the-shoulder Allure gown from Revolve: $320
Some TikTok users argued that Rose should have bought clothing from cheaper retail stores like Shein to save money.
“It’s true that I definitely wasn’t required to spend thousands of dollars, but it was important to me that my fashion choices highlighted a diverse group of designers,” Rose explained.
Aside from the fashionable attire, Rose said she stopped by her favorite hairstylist Brianna (@missbuffyp on Instagram) in Brooklyn, New York, and made sure her hair looked fierce on her quest to find new love. She spent reportedly $600 for her hair and over $400 on makeup.
Nars foundation: $50
Tarte concealer: $30
Kat Von D eyeliner: $23
Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pencils: $23 each
Charlotte Tilbury blush: $40
Beauty Blender sponges: $20 each
Laura Mercier setting powder: $40
Pat McGrath eye-shadow palettes: $125 each
Huda Beauty highlighter: $35
Fenty Beauty lip glosses: $20 each
Rose may have spent a large sum of money on clothing and makeup. She said she’s not going to “let her investments go to waste.”
“I’ll still make good use of the beauty products, and I plan on repurposing or donating the dazzling gowns,” she wrote.
Rose is currently a law student at Yale University.
