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.
Watch on TikTok
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.