Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy a style icon?

[narniabusiness]

Recently I’ve seen a lot of references to Carolyn B-K as a style icon and I’m not sure that I fully understand the love. For those who are unfamiliar with her she worked for Calvin Klein, married a Kennedy and died tragically young.
Since the Kennedys seem to be the American equivalent of our Royal family, is it that the gives her a touch of glamour? Especially when combined with her tragic death, like Princess Diana?
Or is it that she really did look more stylish than her contemporaries? Does her frequent referencing in style guides mean that minimalism is having a moment?
Anyone else noticed these frequent references to her style and do you like it or think its unremarkable?

They were such a good looking couple.

I think you need to be tall and slim to carry off that very simple pared back look otherwise it can look quite dull. Plus have that certain something which she obviously did.

@DorisTheFinkasaurus really interesting to read your insider take on it :)

Her wedding dress and that photo of John kissing her hand as the left the church - that was a photo of its day! Truly iconic moment.

I remembered it but just looked it up again. So beautiful. Heartbreaking that they were in a crash.

To me she summed up the description "inner radiance".

Her simple style, whether you like it or not, seemed to be clothes that were expertly cut from the best materials. Reminds me of those threads on here where people ask how to look expensive 😀

I was reading a few weeks back about reactions to first images of the actors playing her and her husband in some biopic. People seemed to be very critical; because if you weren't Caroline Kennedy you weren't Caroline Kennedy and couldn't really recreate her innate quality. That was kind of her whole style point. Minimalism makes that very hard.

Although getting her clothes right should be fairly straightforward.

I've got little knowledge of her, or indeed of style. But the article I read about the biopic made me think a lot about it.

I’m intrigued- where in Dublin ?
And the media didn’t know he was in town ?

She was effortlessly stylish. A timeless style. I think she is a style icon.

Hah. I was young and cynical. Not much has changed except my age.

I can hardly recognise Tribeca when we're back. Hard to believe now that we ended up there because we got a lot more for our money than we could on the upper west side. It was pretty devoid of services, like dry cleaning and there were very few places to eat.

I always wondered who bought their apartment. It must have been really odd to live there.

And I love a slingback. They're arguably the best shoe.

I think the media climate was different then. Yes, they got papped, but they walked around the neighbourhood (and university and then NYU law when he was there) pretty undisturbed.

In Dublin 4, quite near the US Embassy but he was heading to a hotel. I didn't see anyone near him. In fact we were the only people around. Tall, tanned with a beautiful head of hair.

I am very much enjoying these reminiscences. Thank you so much.

I was 25 when she died and remember it so well. Just shocking and so tragic for both their families that John Jr, Carolyn and Lauren all died.

I love her style, still. Elegant and chic. As a dumpy short person she epitomised beauty and class to me.

Her wedding dress lives in my head to this day.

For me it’s the one walking the dog with perfectly fitting flared cropped jeans, a simple tank top and gucci sandals. Perfection!

I do regard her as a style icon. Timeless style and effortless every day looks. The wedding dress was groundbreaking at the time (for me anyway - I was married in the 90s and it was wall to wall meringues).

I think it works too that she wasn’t the typical beauty norm at the time (Julia Roberts - big hair and lips). Just pure class. Especially with a Kennedy on your arm!

I’ve heard this said a lot from people who knew her .. no photo ever captured how beautiful she was in real life.

Thank you @CrinaCara 💐

I love this thread.

As a dumpy short person she epitomised beauty and class to me.

Me too! As mentioned by a PP if one of those 'how to look expensive' posts comes up again I think the poster should be directed here, she's exactly what people mean when they ask that.

Actually looking at pictures I'm going to disagree with myself and say that I dont think she was that beautiful - at least not in the traditional sense. But elegant, classy, stylish and making the best of herself - absolutely.

that's very interesting. I always found her very elegant, and also elegant in her features as well as beautiful.

I’ve recently been looking at photos of her and in some she appears almost plain to me, but then there are other more candid shots where she looks stunning and her radiance shines through.

JFK Jr had been my long term celebrity crush, so I used to follow all the Hello photos and articles of him and Daryl Hannah and then Carolyn. Carolyn was a style icon at the time (and now). I remember seeing photos of her in a headscarf fastened beneath her hair at Cape Cod and thinking it odd - a year or so later that look was very popular. Her midi skirt which she wore with boots and a cream jumper outside their apartment whilst looking utterly miserable (when JFK JR was asking the press to leave her alone) seemed an unusual length - again that length was very popular a year or so later. Her wedding dress was a refreshing change from the popular styles. Her look was deceptively simple and with a limited colour palette. Most of her outfits could still be worn today.
She refused to wear big logos. When ordering clothes from Prada, she insisted that the red logo tab was removed. At the time the Voyage look of jewel colours and trimmed undersized cardigans was very popular and Carolyn had a pared back, elegant style.

You've really never heard of her as referred to being a style icon before?

She's the epitome of the rich, minimal 90s look.

She reminds me more of Kate Middleton than Diana (who made loads of gaffes but was undeterred). That's not intended as a dig at the Princess of Wales - I understand why she plays it safe but in CBK's case, not so much.

I would never put her with KM, I don't think KM likes clothes and for me doesn't represent an era or is an inspirational dresser for her peers.

That’s it isn’t it. A vibe. She was effortlessly cool.

yes

I personally didn’t think she was very pretty but then again I don’t think Kate moss is pretty either.

Kate Moss is really pretty in real life.

I think KM is very beautiful and of course has access to wonderful stylists, but it's not innate for her. CBK- her style was absolutely instinctive.