Jackie Kennedy was born as Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on July 28th, 1929 in South Hampton, New York and died on May 19th, 1994. Jackie Kennedy's charm is apparent in photographs, live footages and most significantly at the glorious dinner held at Schonobrunn Palace on the 3rd of June, 1961 where she astonished Nikita Khrushchev Premier of the Soviet Union in an elegant shell-pink silk georgette chiffon gown embellished with sequin, designed by Oleg Cassini.
The Soviet Premier declared her evening gown "beautiful'. Jackie Kennedy acknowledged the power of image and clothing and employed it to mirror internationalism of the Administrations and the 1960s promise. For the dinner at the Versailles Palace, Jackie presented herself in an elegant ivory silk evening dress which was created by Hubert de Givenchy and embellished by Hurel with silk ribbons, silk floss and seed pearls. Her clothes became the focus of many shows and there were breathtaking display for others.
In addition to clothes, it's her love for culture and arts that leaves a long lasting impression. The absence of pants and pantsuits is the demonstration of her lady-like etiquette in public. In all aspects of her life, Jackie was very much an individual and despite the magnificent designer clothes she preferred, it was the clothes she wore and not the clothes that wore her. Working with her designer Oleg Cassini, his team and her hairdressers, she established an image that mixed his taste in fashion with her new role. The clothes designed for her portrayed modern elegance typified by cleanliness, ease of movement and solid colors. After the end of World War II, socially prominent women such as Gloria Guinness and Babe Paley had slight differences in their taste of fashion and their influence remained confined to their sequestered world. Instead, movies, television and music guided women their way.
Jackie completely changed this dynamic. She succeeded in "redeeming fashion from the puritan ethic of sin," wrote Marilyn Bender of the New York Times (in The Beautiful People, 1967). Jackie Kennedy was the perfect size standing at 5' 7', long waist, and small chest and weighed about 120-130 lbs. According to a book by Shelly Branch and Sue Callaway, she favored neutral hue, Chanel jackets, single color scheme, brooches and A-line skirts. Other classic Jackie Kennedy looks included black turtlenecks, oversized sunglasses, black sweater and Jack Rogers sandals. Jackie did not wear jewelry daily and her favorite shopping brands included Giorgio Armani, Lacoste, Valentino, Carolina Herrera and Saks Fifth Ave. She was referred as "geometrical goddess" by her designer Oleg Cassini.
