Jackie Kennedy

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born in Southampton on July 28, 1929. Her father was a very wealth stockbroker and her mother was a housewife. Jackie attended Miss Porter’s School for high school where she excelled in everything that she did. From there she attended Vassar College in New York for three years and then finished her career as The George Washington University. Jackie’s first job as at The Washington Times-Herald, her job was the “Inquiring Camera Girl”. This is where she met congressman John F. Kennedy; the paper was doing in interview on him. Just about a year later John and Jackie were married in 1953. In 1961, John F. Kennedy took the oath of office to become the president of the United States, making Jackie first lady, where she then became a fashion and pop culture icon. During her time as first lady is when half of American women were trying to replicate the “Jackie Kennedy” style. In 1963, Jackie’s life took a turn for the worse when her husband and the President of the United States was assassinated in Dallas Texas. Jackie remarried in 1968 to Aristotle Onassis, where the nickname Jackie O came from. Jackie dies at the age of 64 in the year 1994 and was buried besides her first husband John Kennedy.
Jackie Kennedy was a fashion icon and a pop culture icon. She helped define an era with her style and elegance. Jackie paved the way and made it ok for first lady’s to be chic and trendy but still look professional. Jackie represented the style and sophistication of the 1960s, and influenced fashion in many ways. During the 1960s she took the typical bright, bold, colorful “mod” trend and made it simplistic and elegant. In the 1970s her style changed a little, it do not become the norm of this generation but it was a little more laid back, with wide leg trousers, stripped shirts, silk scarves and oversized sunglasses. Jackie’s style sent out a different message than in the past, she believed that elegance could be maintained through simple simplicity rather than fanciness of an evening gown.
One can see Jackie Kennedy’s influence everywhere today, in store’s, in designer’s lines and on the street. Jackie’s style was elegant and simple, which stores like Chanel have maintained throughout the years. Chanel did design most of Jackie O’s clothes while she was first lady. A designer that shows some Jackie influences is Jason Wu’s pre-fall 2011 line, he shows simplicity in the his pant suits and clean cuts in his line. A retail store that I relate to Jackie’s casual day-to-day outfit would be J.Crew. Jackie’s day-to-day look would consist of high waisted trousers paired with a blouse, turtleneck or cashmere sweater and to me personally that screams J.Crew.
If I was going to create a line inspired by Jackie Kennedy it would consist of A-line dresses, sleeveless dresses, boxy separates, pastel 2-piece suits, wide leg trousers, striped shirts and oversized sunglasses. This line would obviously be very simple and classic but still be fashion forward because Jackie was always one step ahead of the fashion world. This line would have some modern twists that are not out of the box but fresh enough that it would keep the masses interested.
Jackie Kennedy was and will always be a fashion icon in the fashion world. She took a 2-piece business suit and made it look chic and elegant. She inspires stores and designers today with her fashion forward sense. I believe that I will be seeing Jackie Kennedy inspired pieces for years to come.