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| JACKIE |
Whenever women are asked who their style icons are, Jackie is always at the top of the list. Most of the photos of her throughout the years convey her sense of what looked good on her, her commitment to looking her best, and her understanding of how to play to her strengths (toned arms and legs from a lifetime of riding and self discipline). She set the standard for elegance, refined chic and how to wear major large framed sunglasses. Jackie also, even under the worst of circumstances, always looked pulled together.
When I was in my late twenties I sadly had a full-term pregnancy after which the baby only lived for two days. Yes, this was one of the worst possible and almost unimaginable situations for any woman to go through; and, yes, it was one of those defining moments where I could have sunk into the depths and wallowed. My daughter was three and needed me. I was surrounded by the love and comfort of friends, family and my husband.
One of the most memorable moments in the days following this epic loss was when my best friend arrived at my house carrying six black dresses edited from several of our friends’ closets. "Let's face it," she said, "if there is going to be a funeral, you will have to choose a black dress, and you might as well have options." I will never forget the dress I chose to wear for that day. The black, sleeveless trapeze dress that hid my post-pregnancy stomach and temporarily allowed me to feel free of the weight I was carrying in my heart–and everywhere else.
My father, who is seldom at a loss for words and masterful at looking at the bright side of things, commented, "Jackie and you have something in common." (I border on obsessive with an insatiable appetite for Kennedy family history and Jackie.) Jackie had lost a son in between Caroline and John Jr. I sought refuge in reading about Jackie at the time of the death of her baby as she embodied strength and set the bar high in her ability to transverse the roughest of waters while in the public eye (and on Ari Onasis' yacht). She smoked like a chimney and drank plenty (in private, never in public) but whatever she needed to do to get her through seemed to work.
I was so fortunate to have my son a little more than a year after. While pregnant with him, I went back to school (at night) to complete the B.A. degree that had eluded me when I opted for a glamorous job on Seventh Avenue and a shared apartment with my boyfriend (eventually husband) in NYC. The fortitude I found which supported my decision to finish college in the wake of tragedy and loss was fostered by the role model which Jackie served while she reinvented herself as an Editor at Doubleday. Jackie was an icon for reinvention and personal style: a winning combination.
Jackie's status as style icon is tied into her consistent ability to evolve and her will to go on and look her best when many would curl up in the fetal position. She had the taste and budget to indulge in luxury few can equal. Even multi-millionaire Joseph Kennedy (Jack Kennedy's father who paid for Jackie's wardrobe during the White House years), could not believe her monthly bills. Her look post First Lady was all about masterful accessorizing and attention to the details: Cartier Tank watch, The signature Gucci Jackie Bag, large framed sunglasses and Hermes scarves. Each of the elements that made up Jackie's look is equally modern now. Classic is adaptable and timeless–and so is her style.
As we stand united in loss today I feel like paying homage to all women who have shared the pain of having to go on in the wake of loss for the sake of our kids and ourselves only to find greater and enduring strength in the struggle.
Even though people may be well known, they hold in their hearts the emotions of a simple person for the moments that are the most important of those we know on earth: birth, marriage and death. -Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
