- People sometimes spend thousands of dollars to become cast members in the "Bachelor" franchise.
- Women will typically spend anywhere from $1,800 to $8,000 to appear on "The Bachelor."
- Female contestants are expected to bring a full wardrobe for approximately seven weeks — including cocktail dresses and ballgowns — plus makeup and hair products.
- Many women will also spend money on pre-show beauty preparation, such as spray tans and facials.
- Men will typically spend between $300 and $5,300 to appear on "The Bachelorette."
- Male contestants are also expected to bring a full wardrobe, but suits and ties have the advantage of simplicity and interchangeability.
Those who think it's impossible to put a price tag on love have never watched "The Bachelor."
It's no secret that the franchise's potential cast members are expected to make sacrifices for little (if any) payoff. The application process is intense and there's no compensation, for starters. Many even quit their jobs to film the show, despite being unsure of how many roses they may receive.
Contestants are also required to provide their own clothing — except for the two finalists during the finale — for the duration of their time on the show, which can span almost two months in different cultures and climates.
You may not realize, however, the disparity that exists between "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" contestants' spending habits.
Women will spend anywhere from $1,800 to $8,000 to appear on "The Bachelor."
"You spend way more than you normally would, because you know you're going on TV. And, you may be meeting your future husband so you feel like you need to dress to impress," Sarah Herron, who was most recently on "Bachelor In Paradise," told E! News.
Some contestants decide to cash in their 401(k)s or go into credit card debt to fund their onscreen wardrobes.
Jillian Harris, former contestant turned Bachelorette, revealed that she could "easily" see how someone might spend upwards of $40,000 on clothing, "now that designer labels are even more important" in the era of social media.
"I had re-mortgaged my house and I spent something like $8,000 on clothing (which is still a lot)," she wrote on her blog.
Of course, it's impossible to put an exact price tag on "The Bachelor" preparations, as each woman's resources vary wildly. The cost will also depend on personal style. According to fashion and television blogger Dana Weiss (better known as Possessionista), season 16 winner Courtney Robertson"wore all designer labels," while former Bachelorette Jillian Harris "wore almost entirely Forever 21."
In a recent interview with Glamour, season 22 contestant Bekah Martinez said she was so broke after competing on the show that she "returned everything that still had tags on."
"When you think about it, between cocktail parties and rose ceremonies, if you're going to be there for any amount of time, you're going to need at least 10 dresses," she told Glamour. "I didn't have really any at all. I was like, 'This is going to cost me thousands of dollars if I buy all of these.' Knowing that there's a potential to go on the show for two months and not make any money during that time — I'm not working, but I still have to pay rent and all my living expenses — there was no way I could spend a few grand on clothes."
Martinez managed to borrow outfits from friends, local brands, and a contact in the fashion industry — though she still spent about $800 on heels.
The women drop cash on more than just cocktail dresses. According to interviews conducted by E! News, some contestants have admitted to getting Botox, putting in extensions, and signing up for fancy gym memberships to prepare to be seen on national television. Most get highlights, haircuts, lash extensions, spray tans, eyebrow shapings, facials, and manicures.
Marikh Mathias, who became famous last season for accusing another contestant of "glam-shaming," told Time that she spent about $70 on eyelashes alone.
Women also need to bring enough makeup and hair products to last, as they are expected to primp themselves every day — except the first night and the finale.
"A couple days before filming, I went to Sephora and bought foundation, eye shadow palettes, brow fillers, like every single thing you could ever imagine,"season 20 contestant Olivia Cardi told Allure.
Men will typically spend between $300 and $5,300 to appear on "The Bachelorette."
Of course, it's unlikely that most men will drop hundreds of dollars on makeup and heels (although, on spray tans and hair products, it's certainly possible. We're looking at you, Jordan).
Luke Pell, season 12 fan favorite, told E! News that he did almost nothing to prepare for the show in terms of beauty.
"The makeup thing is crucial. Guys don't have to worry about looking beat at 5 a.m. after a long rose ceremony, with no makeup on," Becca Tilley, who competed on two different seasons with two different bachelors, told E! News.
Pell did, however, spend approximately $5,000 on four or five new suits — though the website concludes that this figure is probably an outlier.
"[For men] it's more like: A few shirts and ties, a few suits, and a few casual outfits," E! News reports. "Men's clothing has the unbelievable benefit of being much more wide-ranging and easily interchangeable — and anyone who came to 'The Bachelor' from an office job already had a closet full of suitable options."
For a show that has built its fame and wealth on heteronormativity, these truths are not altogether surprising — although the actual figures are still unsettling.
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