loved this and found myself nodding along to so much of it. funny enough, i’ve always been on the taller, leaner side and spent years wishing i felt more feminine. different sides of the same coin, maybe. either way, honoring what we’ve got really is the work 🫶
1000%. She also worked for Calvin Klein. And anyone who has ever worked retail knows there’s a “uniform”. I still have a Donna Karan blazer from ‘98 when I worked retail. (I still wear it and it’s fabulous). She repeated because WE ALL did! Fashion cycles were months/years not the 30 second TikTok bites.
Also totally agree that from an aesthetic point of view, we are responding to her height, thin figure and platinum blonde hair. Nothing has changed really. The “effortless vibe” of slouchy pants, oversized shirts and flip flops works when you’re a lithe Scandinavian. A more normal sized woman, not so much.
Excellent piece! CBK never had the chance grow old, I believe she would turn 60 this year, get into social media and share her life, get cosmetic procedures. She is eternally young, frozen in time through the few photographs circulating online.
Loveddd this piece! The struggle between my fashion moodboard and the clothes that would truly make me feel confident is so real.
Also this conversation on icon status vs what it felt actually felt like in the moment for these people. And the bigger inquiry to authentic visibility, being our own IT girl.🤏🏼🤏🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
You said ALL the things I've been thinking.... CBK would make a potato sack look chic (based on the body type ideal of the age) let's be honest. Let us choose the icons of all body types and celebrate them! or as you said....Become that girl yourself :)
I think it is the extension of clean-girl, old money type of style. It does keep coming back and hyped up because the political climate has not changed yet. I wrote about it extensively in my latest essay if you want to deep dive https://denizberent.substack.com/p/on-carolyn-bessette-kennedy-old-money
Loved how you expressed all of your points here. It makes so much sense, and is a refreshing and honest take considering all of the noise around this right now.
Great read thank you. I agree the culture seems to run past the whole white thin blonde woman thing and, as the granddaughter of an affirmed national enquirer addicted, CBK was no stranger to what then comprised social media. Also, and I’m not watching the series, those two were constantly in the tabloids with fighting crying and arguing which I’m sure was exploited but also seemed at the time so dramatic. It’s always interesting to see what resonates with culture in different time periods and I’m old enough to have lived through the 90s at her age and be here to see the nostalgia over it and find the analysis interesting. In any event, a full throated yes to all of this.
Loved this!!! You’ve totally translated everything that went on my mind while watching this show. Especially about her style…it’s one of those “is she really stylish or is she tall and slender” moments….but also, I feel that what’s inspirational about her is how she refused to give into the media frenzy and held on to herself. That’s what made her mysterious and alluring. And it’s her sense of self we should be wanting tu emulate and not just her outfit formula.
Well done! Well written! I have enjoyed watching a generation discover CBK and a nostalgic return to the 90’s CK minimalist look. CBK was very inspirational in the 90’s and back then I struggled with wanting to mimic the look but faced with the reality of not having the same body type but one that has some curves and I’m a little shorter. It was a struggle then and more so now with a body that is middle aged to incorporate pieces of clothing that just don’t look the same on me. The tragic end of CBK and JFK jr came 12 days before my wedding day. The mystery around the circumstances it then still lingers today. I choose to leave those details to someone with more time to dissect than me. Since CBK was 10 years older than me, married a couple years before me, I have wondered what her life would have looked like. What fashion cycles would she have participated in. What I think about often is the gift I have had of more than a quarter century of marriage, kids and life. My life is not that mysterious or iconic in a way that might inspire mood boards, reels etc; it’s one that is small, beautiful and full. I’ll take it and just deal yet again with the simple fact I don’t look amazing in the CBK aesthetic.
I would disagree that she was inspirational in the 90's in one way: many of us dressed exactly like her. I moved to NYC in '93, tall, lean, I was wearing nice clothes, not designer, of the same color block, timeless, styles she did just like many other women here it was not a unique look in that regard. NYC apartments have tiny closet space which is another reason why many New Yorkers wore such a streamlined wardrobe.
loved this and found myself nodding along to so much of it. funny enough, i’ve always been on the taller, leaner side and spent years wishing i felt more feminine. different sides of the same coin, maybe. either way, honoring what we’ve got really is the work 🫶
we could chat about this for days! the grass is always greener...
truly!!
what is the big deal with her? everyone i knew dressed like this in the 90s … enough.
Exactly xx
1000%. She also worked for Calvin Klein. And anyone who has ever worked retail knows there’s a “uniform”. I still have a Donna Karan blazer from ‘98 when I worked retail. (I still wear it and it’s fabulous). She repeated because WE ALL did! Fashion cycles were months/years not the 30 second TikTok bites.
Also totally agree that from an aesthetic point of view, we are responding to her height, thin figure and platinum blonde hair. Nothing has changed really. The “effortless vibe” of slouchy pants, oversized shirts and flip flops works when you’re a lithe Scandinavian. A more normal sized woman, not so much.
Excellent piece! CBK never had the chance grow old, I believe she would turn 60 this year, get into social media and share her life, get cosmetic procedures. She is eternally young, frozen in time through the few photographs circulating online.
Thank you! Yes - so so true.
Loveddd this piece! The struggle between my fashion moodboard and the clothes that would truly make me feel confident is so real.
Also this conversation on icon status vs what it felt actually felt like in the moment for these people. And the bigger inquiry to authentic visibility, being our own IT girl.🤏🏼🤏🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
The most honored that you’re here and loved this piece! Amen to all of this xx
You said ALL the things I've been thinking.... CBK would make a potato sack look chic (based on the body type ideal of the age) let's be honest. Let us choose the icons of all body types and celebrate them! or as you said....Become that girl yourself :)
So happy you loved it!!
this is so real - loved it
Thank you beauty! Means so much coming from you xx
I think it is the extension of clean-girl, old money type of style. It does keep coming back and hyped up because the political climate has not changed yet. I wrote about it extensively in my latest essay if you want to deep dive https://denizberent.substack.com/p/on-carolyn-bessette-kennedy-old-money
Loved how you expressed all of your points here. It makes so much sense, and is a refreshing and honest take considering all of the noise around this right now.
Thank you! xx
I think I wouldn’t have the nostalgia if CBK and JFK jr. era was in the 60s, but the 90s😩😩
Great read thank you. I agree the culture seems to run past the whole white thin blonde woman thing and, as the granddaughter of an affirmed national enquirer addicted, CBK was no stranger to what then comprised social media. Also, and I’m not watching the series, those two were constantly in the tabloids with fighting crying and arguing which I’m sure was exploited but also seemed at the time so dramatic. It’s always interesting to see what resonates with culture in different time periods and I’m old enough to have lived through the 90s at her age and be here to see the nostalgia over it and find the analysis interesting. In any event, a full throated yes to all of this.
All of this!!
Loved this!!! You’ve totally translated everything that went on my mind while watching this show. Especially about her style…it’s one of those “is she really stylish or is she tall and slender” moments….but also, I feel that what’s inspirational about her is how she refused to give into the media frenzy and held on to herself. That’s what made her mysterious and alluring. And it’s her sense of self we should be wanting tu emulate and not just her outfit formula.
Great read! LOve Story is my treadmill watch right now.
Yes yes yes. Loved this!
YUPPP
So thoughtfully written!
Well done! Well written! I have enjoyed watching a generation discover CBK and a nostalgic return to the 90’s CK minimalist look. CBK was very inspirational in the 90’s and back then I struggled with wanting to mimic the look but faced with the reality of not having the same body type but one that has some curves and I’m a little shorter. It was a struggle then and more so now with a body that is middle aged to incorporate pieces of clothing that just don’t look the same on me. The tragic end of CBK and JFK jr came 12 days before my wedding day. The mystery around the circumstances it then still lingers today. I choose to leave those details to someone with more time to dissect than me. Since CBK was 10 years older than me, married a couple years before me, I have wondered what her life would have looked like. What fashion cycles would she have participated in. What I think about often is the gift I have had of more than a quarter century of marriage, kids and life. My life is not that mysterious or iconic in a way that might inspire mood boards, reels etc; it’s one that is small, beautiful and full. I’ll take it and just deal yet again with the simple fact I don’t look amazing in the CBK aesthetic.
I would disagree that she was inspirational in the 90's in one way: many of us dressed exactly like her. I moved to NYC in '93, tall, lean, I was wearing nice clothes, not designer, of the same color block, timeless, styles she did just like many other women here it was not a unique look in that regard. NYC apartments have tiny closet space which is another reason why many New Yorkers wore such a streamlined wardrobe.