Mrs. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s elegant, minimalist style has captured a modern audience following the release of Mr. Ryan Murphy’s Love Story, a TV series released in February, which dramatizes her 1990s relationship with Mr. John F. Kennedy Jr. The series has become FX’s most-watched limited series, according to wsj.com. Mrs. Bessette-Kennedy, a Calvin Klein publicist known for her refined aesthetic, emerged as a fashion icon and trendsetter, according to bbc.com. The show has introduced her style to a new generation and revived interest in her understated, yet sophisticated signature look, according to The New York Times.
Beginning her career in promotions, Mrs. Bessette-Kennedy later joined Calvin Klein as a salesperson in Boston before transferring to New York City. After impressing an executive with her sense of style, she secured a role in public relations and worked closely with high-profile clients. Through this position, she met her future husband, Mr. Kennedy Jr. She later advanced within the company to roles including Director of Publicity and Director of Show Production, where she oversaw the brand’s runway shows. After seven years with the company, she left in March of 1996, just months before her wedding, according to biography.com.
Mrs. Bessette-Kennedy and her husband became one of the most recognizable couples of the 1990s, drawing intense public attention. Despite this visibility, she maintained a private life and rarely gave interviews, contributing to her mystique. Determined to shield their relationship from constant scrutiny, the couple went to great lengths to avoid the press, including holding a secret wedding with only close friends and family. Despite efforts to maintain a sense of normalcy, relentless paparazzi followed and photographed them in their daily lives, reinforcing both their fame and their desire for privacy, according to biography.com.
Love Story presents a fictional account of the couple’s seven-year relationship, with Ms. Sarah Pidgeon portraying Mrs. Bessette-Kennedy and Mr. Paul Anthony Kelly playing Mr. Kennedy Jr. The series follows her career, their relationship, and the media attention surrounding them, according to elle.com. Early promotional images for the show drew criticism online, with viewers arguing that the styling failed to reflect her aesthetic. Following the response, Mr. Murphy hired costume designer Mr. Rudy Mance, who researched archival pieces and recreated her key outfits to better capture her style, according to vogue.com.
Mrs. Bessette-Kennedy’s signature look featured a sleek bun, minimal makeup, and a bold red lip. She often wore understated designs, including a black Yohji Yamamoto dress that gained attention for its simplicity, according to The New York Times. Mr. Jonathan Peck, Upper School Art and Design Teacher, discussed what makes a fashion style timeless, and how that differs from short-lived trends.
“Craftsmanship and clean lines define minimalist fashion,” Mr. Peck said. “It focuses on proportion and highlights the natural form of the body—things that are well-made, balanced, and not overly complicated. Minimalist styles aim for longevity, while trends are more experimental and constantly searching for something new. Because of that, trends often aren’t built to last in the same way and tend to reflect a specific moment rather than a lasting aesthetic.”
A devoted Prada fan, Mrs. Bessette-Kennedy often wore belted coats in neutral tones such as black and camel. Even so, she occasionally incorporated bold textures and patterns, including a ruffled Yohji coat and a red plaid Prada look in New York City. She wore a thick tortoiseshell headband year-round, pairing it with both designer outfits and her favorite Levi’s jeans. She also wore oval Aldo sunglasses from Selima Optique with nearly every outfit, and the brand later named a style in her honor, according to vogue.com.
Mrs. Bessette-Kennedy built her wardrobe around designers such as Prada, Helmut Lang, Jil Sander, and Yohji Yamamoto. While her style appeared simple, it required careful curation. She also incorporated accessible pieces, including Levi’s 517 jeans and accessories from C.O. Bigelow, a local pharmacy, according to vogue.com.
Retailers across New York City have reported increased demand tied to renewed interest in her style. The headband she favored at C.O. Bigelow has sold out, while Zitomer Pharmacy sold 60 headbands in one day and reported a 20 percent increase in hair accessory sales following the release of Love Story, according to variety.com. Selima Optique has seen a significant rise in demand, with online orders for its Aldo sunglasses increasing by 2,388 percent and total sales across related styles rising more than 1,000 percent. Many items sold out within days of the show’s release, according to variety.com. Mr. Peck discussed how media, such as television shows, can influence the revival of past fashion trends.
“Fashion and media influence each other,” Mr. Peck said. “Shows and influencers reflect what’s happening in society, but they’re also being influenced by current fashion trends themselves. In turn, audiences see those styles and adopt them, so it becomes a kind of cycle where media and society constantly reflect one another. Trends change frequently, often revisiting and reacting to what was popular about 20 years ago. Today’s minimalist style, for example, blends fitted and oversized pieces—like wide pants with a tight top—which reflects a shift away from overly tight clothing and shows how trends continue to evolve.”
Featured Image by Gabrielle Arredondo ’27
