Happy Birthday Jackie O
A style evolution after her marriage to Onassis
This Sunday will mark what would have been Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s 95th birthday. Jackie stepped onto the world stage at the age of 31 as First Lady of the United States. Her years as a young mother in the White House are well documented, but for this post the focus is on Jackie’s life after President Kennedy’s tragic death. Particularly, her courtship and marriage to Aristotle Onassis; the Jackie O years.
In August of 1963 Jackie gave birth prematurely to a son, Patrick. The baby died two days later and Jackie spiraled into depression in the subsequent weeks. To help her sister recover Lee Radziwill arranged an October cruise on the yacht Christina O, owned by the Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.
Jackie met Onassis once before in 1958 while on vacation with Kennedy in the South of France. Onassis invited the young couple to his yacht to meet Winston Churchill, an idol of Kennedy’s.Â
Though Lee and her then husband, Prince Stanislas Radziwill, were to act as chaperones, it was believed that Lee and Onassis were more than friends. President Kennedy opposed the trip, concerned that gossip of the affair and the fact that Onassis was indicted for fraud by the US government would create a scandal before his re-election. Jackie held firm and eventually he agreed under the condition that Commerce Secretary, Franklin Roosevelt, Jr., and his wife Susan join the party for the duration of the cruise. Mr. Roosevelt was annoyed and felt a yacht trip with the first lady did not fall within his range duties, though he had no choice but to acquiesce.
 It is likely that Onassis fell in love with Jackie over the course of the cruise. There is no proof that anything improper went on between them. Roosevelt affirmed nothing romantic happened, but certainly a bond was forged. For Jackie it was a welcome respite from the pressures of her position and the sadness of the loss of her son. She returned to Washington revitalized. Little did she know that one month later she would become a widow and the course of her life and history would change in an instant.
The aftermath of the assassination left Jackie feeling lonely and insecure. During this time Robert Kennedy became a close confidant to Jackie and surrogate father to her children. Later he would oppose Jackie’s affair with Onassis and argued with her over it. When Robert was assassinated on June 5, 1968 Jackie was inconsolable and fearful for the safety of her children. Onassis offered security, seclusion and great wealth. Given the circumstances this must have held a potent allure for Jackie.    Â
 On October 20th 1968, to the surprise of the world, Jackie and Onassis were married in a small chapel on his private island of Skorpios. The public disapproved of the marriage but for Jackie, Onassis offered an escape and security. Much has been written about their marriage and it is not my intention to go into it here, though I do believe there was love between them. My interest is in the transformation the marriage had on Jackie from a style point of view.
Splitting her time between New York, where her children attended school, Greece, Paris and London released Jackie from the saint-like pedestal she was placed on after the death of her husband. With wealth and freedom she entered a jet set lifestyle and became Jackie O. The following photographs celebrate the high style Jackie O was famous for. This period solidified her place as one of the most stylish women of the twentieth century and my personal style north star.
Living on a private island and frequent cruises on a magnificent yacht brought forth a more relaxed and sporty Jackie. The large sunglasses were already a trademark but paired with clean, sporty clothes she transformed to a more youthful, hip look. Notice how contemporary Jackie and Lee look some fifty years later. All the accessories are on point; the wide belts, big glasses, Cartier tank watch and the classic Gucci Jackie bag in linen and leather.
Jackie’s life transformed to one of international travel with homes in Paris, Athens, Skorpios, her New York City apartment, a horse farm in New Jersey and of course the Christina O. It’s hard to imagine a more glamorous life and Jackie seemed to thrive in it. In photographs with Onassis she seems happy and engaged. The last vestiges of her public image as the mourning widow of the president were shed. While married to Onassis and during her 40s she reached her style zenith and in my opinion the true Jackie was revealed.
As first lady Jackie was often photographed in posed portraits where she is static or at home with the children. The new Jackie O was on the move, striding down city streets in low heeled shoes and impeccably tailored clothing. After the initial shock of the marriage, the public finally accepted Jackie on her own terms.Â
In cities she wore impeccably tailored clothes, often double face, probably cashmere, that has a sculptural quality. One can’t help but notice the freedom expressed in her clothes and her longer, looser hair. Fitting to her jet set lifestyle she favored the European designers; Valentino, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent to name a few.
New York would always remain home base for Jackie. It was there that she raised her two children. She bought the sprawling 15 room apartment at 1040 Fifth Avenue in 1964 and remained there until her death on May 19, 1994 at the age of 64.Â
Onassis died in 1975. Though still married at the time, it was rumored there was trouble in the marriage. Back in New York, Jackie would begin yet another chapter of her extraordinary life. Just like the Camelot years with JFK, the Jackie O years were short lived but left an indelible impression.
Lovely editorial on her style. I could look at images of her and Lee forever x
An absolute icon! I loved this xx