StoryInColor
1960s

Jackie Kennedy

American first-lady style refined into an aesthetic

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis defined what American formal women's style looked like in the 1960s and continues to anchor what is called preppy-American-classic register today. Her partnership with Oleg Cassini for the White House years produced a tightly disciplined wardrobe of two-piece suits, pillbox hats, A-line shifts, and white gloves. The Jackie aesthetic survived her White House years and remained a reference through her later years at Doubleday, with the oversized sunglasses, the silk headscarf, and the relaxed Hyannis-Port-meets-Greek-island wardrobe.

Face shape: Oval (see flattering cuts)

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Signature looks

  1. The Jackie flip

    Shoulder-skimming bob with curled-under ends, brushed back from a slight side part, set with hairspray to hold. The defining women's hairstyle of the early 1960s.

    Flatters an oval faceFlatters a heart-shaped faceFlatters a round face

  2. The bouffant updo

    Volume at the crown, sleek at the front, gathered into a low bun at the nape. The state-occasion Jackie default, worn for the Kennedy state dinners.

    Flatters an oval faceFlatters a heart-shaped face

  3. Headscarf and flat hair

    All hair pulled back and covered by a silk Hermès scarf tied at the nape. Her later-life Greek-island and Hyannis-Port look, copied continuously by women wanting a 'Jackie at fifty' register.

    Flatters an oval faceFlatters a long (oblong) faceFlatters a heart-shaped face

Fashion signatures

  • Pastel pillbox hats and matching gloves
  • Oleg Cassini A-line shifts
  • Cigarette pants and silk blouses
  • Oversized sunglasses
  • Hermès silk headscarves

Why their style endures

Kennedy's style is one of the most-referenced in twentieth-century American fashion. The pillbox hat from the inauguration, the pink Chanel suit from Dallas, the white sleeveless dress photographed at Hyannis Port, all became reference shots reproduced continuously. Her later style at Doubleday with the headscarves, oversized sunglasses, and casual elegance redefined what 'aging gracefully' looked like in American visual culture. Brands from Chanel to Ralph Lauren still routinely cite Jackie as the touchstone for first-lady-meets-Greek-island aesthetic.

Try Jackie Kennedy’s hair on your face

Hairstyle Analysis renders eight cuts directly onto a selfie of you, including the shapes Jackie Kennedy is most associated with. See which signature suits your features before any salon visit.

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$4.99 one-time, no subscription.

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