Jacqueline Kennedy's Fashion Legacy and Its Enduring Influence
When Jacqueline Kennedy entered the White House in January 1961, American fashion changed. Not gradually, not subtly, but immediately and profoundly. The thirty-one-year-old First Lady brought a standard of elegance to public life that had never been seen before in America — and she maintained it with such consistency and such clarity of vision that it became, over the course of her husband's presidency, the defining aesthetic of an era.
The Oleg Cassini Years
Shortly after her husband's election, Jackie Kennedy selected Oleg Cassini as her official designer — a controversial choice at a time when American First Ladies were expected to wear French couture. Cassini designed hundreds of pieces for her during the White House years, working from her precise and detailed briefs. She knew exactly what she wanted: simple, architectural silhouettes in solid colors, minimal ornamentation, clothes that would photograph well and read clearly in the new medium of television. The resulting wardrobe was revolutionary in its restraint.
The Signature Pieces
Jackie Kennedy's wardrobe contained several pieces that became instantly iconic. The collarless suit in pastel boucle — particularly the pink Chanel-style suit she wore on November 22, 1963 — became perhaps the most recognized single outfit in American political history. The pillbox hat, a simple structured hat sitting flat on top of the head, was so closely associated with her that the style is still called "the Jackie" in many millinery circles. The sleeveless shift dress, the low-heeled pump, the oversized sunglasses — all of these became signatures that were widely copied.
A Global Influence
Jackie Kennedy's fashion influence was genuinely global. Women across America and Europe copied her style as faithfully as they could. The fashion industry responded with Jackie-inspired collections season after season throughout the early 1960s. Her state visits to France, India, and Greece generated enormous press coverage focused as much on what she wore as on the diplomatic agenda. Charles de Gaulle famously introduced himself at a state dinner by saying: "I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris."
Indira Gandhi with Jackie Kennedy in 1962. Art Rickerby—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Finding Jackie-Era Pieces
The early 1960s silhouette that Jackie Kennedy defined — the collarless suit, the shift dress, the tailored coat — is beautifully preserved in vintage clothing from the period. These pieces represent some of the finest everyday garment construction of the twentieth century. Browse our vintage dresses and vintage coats and jackets for pieces from this remarkable era.
