For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with the Kennedy family. Maybe it’s because I remember from a young age, my mom telling me the story of exactly where she was the moment that President John F. Kennedy died, and it stuck with me then how profoundly impactful this event and person must have been for her to carry the memory with her and recall in detail as if it happened yesterday.
That is the kind of the magic that the Kennedy family exuded. And, from the moment I was first introduced to this moment in history, I needed to know more. Beginning in my early twenties, one by one, the collection of Kennedy-related books in my personal library grew, as they came to me through thrift store purchases, gifts from friends and family, and yard sale finds.
From patriarch Joseph, mother Rose, children John, Bobby, and the rest of the brood, I found the lives and lifestyles of this American “royal” family capturing my attention through the pages of history. Tales of the fabled Kennedy curse, daughter Rosemary Kennedy’s botched lobotomy which inspired her sister Eunice Shriver to found the Special Olympics, and the suspicious, intriguing, and mysterious circumstances surrounding the deaths of John and Bobby captivated me. But nobody in the family more so, than the Queen of Camelot, wife of JFK, the one and only JK. Jacqueline Kennedy.
Admired, abhorred, revered, rejected, Jackie Kennedy’s world was full of lovers and haters from the day she was born. Aristocratic, educated, charming, and charismatic, Jackie was revered (or, in some cases repulsed) by those paying attention, from the watchful public to people within the confines of the Kennedy compound, itself. But, no matter if she was ducking from the paparazzi, attending a dinner with dignitaries, or spending a moment abroad with her beloved children, she looked great while doing it.
An aim in life is the only fortune worth finding.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jackie’s fashion was unmistakably her own. Refined. Stately. Simple. Elegant. Classic. From pillbox hats, to coordinating suit sets, or a casual basic tee, Jackie Kennedy dressed for the occasion impeccably. From the 1940s and on, Jackie has impacted the world of fashion. To this day, celebrities and commoners alike, echo the standards of style that Mrs. Kennedy/Onassis laid down to the world.
A couple of my favorite Jackie moments of fashion include a fabulous print shift dress she wore in the late 60s while in Greece, and a basic, but classic white pants and black tee statement (also worn in Greece). Maybe subconsciously I want to visit Greece?
I have recreated these iconic style moments with modern pieces from my closet.
Mimicking Jackie’s casual stroll with her son John in hand (not pictured), this black leather Topshop shirt and white tailored Express stretch slacks put a modern twist on her classic look. At right, the tones of Jackie’s bold print shift can be seen in this Boston Proper retro sundress.
Nearly everything that Jackie Kennedy wore during her lifetime is worthy of recreating. From the day she was born, to the nineties, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis gave the world a lifetime of fashion inspiration.
Who and what from the pages of history inspires your fashion choices? Comment below!