A Tribute to the ‘Magic’ of Jackie Kennedy’s Life, Legacy, Style 25 Years After Her Death
It has been 25 years since former First Lady and fashion icon Jackie Kennedy Onassis died.
Born Jackie Bouvier, she became one of the most famous women in the world after entering into a relationship with then-Congressman John F. Kennedy, who would go on to become the 35th President of the United States.
During her time as First Lady, Jackie brought a new type of elegance and fashion that had never been seen before, and refurnished the White House to a whole new look.
In honor of the 25th Anniversary of her death, PEOPLE has a new special in tribute to the woman that changed fashion forever.
Here are some of the biggest (and most surprising) highlights of PEOPLE’s special for Jackie Kennedy.
The Accident with Her Wedding Dress
While most people may not know, there was a big accident that occurred just several days before Jackie and John’s wedding day.
Jackie’s dress, which was designed by African-American designer Ann Lowe and had 50 yards of taffeta, was drenched after a pipe burst, along with all 10 of her bridesmaids dresses, as Digital Director Zoe Ruderman explains.
“In those few days leading up to the wedding, the designer had to recreate all 11 of the dresses,” Ruderman explains.
The wedding, described by East Coast Editor Liz McNeil as “the closest thing we’ve had to a royal wedding,” went as scheduled, with a crowd of 3,000 arriving to witness the newlyweds marriage at St. Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island.
Watch the full episode of Jackie: A Life in Style streaming now on PeopleTV.com, or download the PeopleTV app on your favorite device.
Refurnishing the White House
“She wanted the White House to be a house that was equal and of stature,” McNeil says of Jackie’s remodeling following JFK’s 1960 presidential victory.
After completing a full remodeling, Jackie invited the public in to see the changes, which became the 1962 Tour of the White House.
That day became one of the very few interviews Jackie gave, where she showed the public that “style was much more than what you wore, it was how you live, how you spoke, the dinner parties you held, the furniture,” McNeil explains.
RELATED: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: Rare, Gorgeous Photos of the Iconic First Lady
Her Iconic Look the Day JFK Died
The Chanel designed, watermelon-pink suit, that Jackie wore came to symbolize the tragedy that struck her on that fateful day.
According to PEOPLE Books Editor Patrick Rogers, JFK had told his wife the day of his death that he wanted her to “look elegant.”
After JFK was murdered, Jackie was asked if she wanted to change her blood spatted clothing on the flight home, when she responded that she wanted the world to see what they had did to him.
A Different Jackie
“Gone were the brightly colored, costumed-like official dresses,” Rogers said of Jackie’s fashion choices after her husband’s assassination. She now became a woman living a private life, away from the constraints of public opinion.
In 1968, she married Aristotle Onassis, and wore a very different look for her second wedding, that being a Valentino dress that was beige, not white.
“It was a new Jackie that we were seeing,” Ruderman says. She became Jackie Onassis, or Jackie O as many people know her as.
A Widow Once Again
Following Onassis’ death in 1975, Jackie embarked on what McNeil describes as her “happiest period of her life.” She watched her children grow up, and became a career book editor.
On May 19, 1994, Jackie lost her cancer battle at 64 years old.
Jackie Kennedy created a legacy for women today, such as Meghan Markle and Michelle Obama, in how they include fashion in their lives, and her legacy is something that will go on forever.
Watch the full episode of Jackie: A Life in Style streaming now on PeopleTV.com, or download the PeopleTV app on your favorite device.
