Jaqueline Kennedy First Lady Style…Three Ways
Jaqueline Kennedy is a true fashion icon.When thinking of writing about fashion icons I had to only decide when to introduce Jaqueline Kennedy. One of the greatest fashion icons of the twentieth century.Jacquline Kennedy possessed grace , charm, style and furthmore allure. It takes all of these elements and more to elavate someone to the status of icon. This can also be achieved by someone like me putting forth legitimate arguments to justify such claims.I put forth that as the world of Camelot took centre stage in America Jaqueline was it’s star.
Jaqueline Bouvier Debutaunt
To cover Jaqueline Kennedy as one woman of style would really do her a great injustice, because the public figure of Jaqueline is really divided into three distinct women.
Firstly is the shy and coquettish Jacqueline Bouvier . The preppy style of the horse loving Jackie Bouvier was evident from her debut. She wore clothes with cool ease that gave a true sense of chic . What really made her a style icon is her age appropriate dressing.
A young woman of today would do well to emulate a young Jackie. The sporty clothes of a young horse woman of the fifties .Hence not so different than slim fit sweats of today or a trim yoga pants. The debutante Jackie was well positioned for her future having been educated at Miss Porters school for girls. It was there where deportment , manners and etiquette where parts of the program. Being from the upper classes exposed young Jaqueline to many social situations.While at covering a party dinner as a young Washington Post reporter Jackie meet John Fiztgerald Kennedy.They dated for over two years. In ,1953 the two were engaged when Kennedy gave her a 2.88-carat diamond-and-emerald ring from Van Cleef and Arpels. 1953 the young Jackie Bouvier became Mrs John F Kennedy.
Jacqueline Kennedy the White House Years
The next stage of Jackie’s style journey was that of First Lady. Jackie was the perfect fit for the time . Jackie took the woman of the fifties to a modern liberated woman of the sixties . Gone were the crinolines and corsets of her youth and in were the A line dresses, Chanel suits and pillbox hats of the White-house years. When Jackie became First Lady, the public became enthralled with her simple approach to clothing and beauty.
An understated elegance took over the public imagination hence Camelot was born. The years in White-house, were the time that Jackie truly showed her creativity and love of fashion.
Jackie OH !!
The tragic end of her time as First Lady brought the third stage of Jackie’s’ style journey. Finally the greatest, that of style ambassador. Jackie O as the press named her after marriage to shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis , became the epitome of good taste. With wind swept hair, slacks and her characteristic large sunglasses Jackie was everywhere . One of the most photographed people of all time Jackie set the benchmark for high style. Jackie’s casual elegance has had huge influence on the market and companies of tody. J Crew and others owe her a huge debt. She had swapped her ladylike pastels for a world of espadrilles, silkscarves and oversized sunglasses. Inconclusion Jackie maintained her style and glamour while moving with the times.. Until her death in 1994 ,Jackie O continued her reign as one of Americas most stylish women hence a fashion icon.
Therefore again quote the great Coco Chanel ,”Fashion fades style lasts for ever” and Jackie lasts on as an icon of style.
Ciao for now Jandrew