An interest in fashion ran in Jackie's family. Her father, Black Jack Bouvier, always dressed impeccably, wearing custom-made clothes and a homburg, a felt hat similar to a fedora. He had his Stutz car specially built so that he could get in the back without taking off his hat. While not quite so flamboyant, Jackie inherited her father's appreciation of style. Her taste was also deeply influenced by her time in Europe, where she admired the elegant creations of French designers.

The President and First Lady after the First Anniversary Inaugural Salute Dinner, 1962

Photo Credit: Cecil Stoughton, White House/John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

A Glamorous Image Part of Jackie's appeal as First Lady was her youth. She was young enough to embrace a woman's right to be a working professional if she chose, but her upbringing still held enough influence over her to sublimate her own goals to those of her husband. Her fashion sense reflected the same dichotomy. On one hand, she expressed her individuality by donning a stylish wardrobe that was classic but modern. Although created by an American designer, the clothes paid homage to French fashions with their sleek lines. She managed to appear glamorous and practical at the same time. Jackie's inaugural dress, made from ivory-colored satin, set the tone for her signature look. She would establish a new standard for a generation of women who wanted more glamour in their lives without sacrificing their own identity.

Fashion in Politics

But Jackie was also aware that perception was all-important in politics. Up to the 1960 presidential campaign, Jackie had always favored French designers, such as Givenchy, Chanel, and Christian Dior. But as soon as her husband ran for president, she came under increased scrutiny. The fashion trade paper Women's Wear Daily was critical of what it called her Francophile fashion tendencies. Nixon's wife Pat immediately tried to take political advantage by making sure the media knew that she only wore American-made clothes. The controversy bemused Jackie, as did all the media discussions about her hairstyles and the amount of money she spent on clothes. In one of her “Campaign Wife” columns, she wondered what her hair or clothes had to do with her husband's ability to be president.

Jackie was never comfortable with being in the eye of the media. But she was acutely aware that she was now part of history and that people the world over would be following her actions. She also realized everything she said, did, or wore would somehow reflect on her husband's administration, so she was determined to make as strong an impression as possible.