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On November 22, 1963, US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. His wife Jackie wore a Chanel suit that day, which became a symbol of American history.
It was a sunny autumn day that began with hope and ended in tragedy: On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy traveled to Dallas, Texas. The then US President wanted to create a mood for his re-election. He was accompanied by his wife Jackie. It was her first public appearance since the death of her youngest son Patrick, who died just two days after his birth in August.
Of course there was great joy in seeing the First Lady again. Jackie Kennedy, the beautiful banker’s daughter from the East Coast, was considered a fashion role model – always elegantly dressed and perfectly coiffed. She enjoyed being outfitted by designer Oleg Cassini, who also advised Hollywood stars such as Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe.
Before the Dallas appearance, John F. Kennedy is said to have told her: “There will be all these rich Republican women wearing mink coats and diamond bracelets. You have to look at least as stunning. But keep it simple. Show these Texan girls what good taste is.” His wife opted for a pale pink Chanel suit with a matching pillbox hat and white gloves. It was not an original creation by Coco Chanel, but a replica approved by the fashion house because Kennedy wanted his wife to wear dresses made in the USA and not from Europe. Still, it remains the First Lady’s most famous outfit to this day – for a sad reason.
John F. Kennedy was shot three times in Dallas
From the airport in Dallas, the presidential couple drove across the city. The destination was a kind of market hall. Kennedy wanted to give a speech there and then have lunch. Sitting in the car with the Kennedys was Texas Governor John Connally and his wife, as well as a chauffeur and a bodyguard from the Secret Service. While driving, three shots were suddenly fired, hitting Kennedy in the neck and head. The 46-year-old immediately collapsed. A short time later, the president was pronounced dead in the hospital.
The images of a distraught Jackie Kennedy climbing into the back of the limousine and leaning over her dead husband are seared into our minds to this day. Also unforgettable is the moment when Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the new president aboard Air Force One. Standing next to him was Jackie Kennedy, in her blood-stained costume. She refused to change her clothes until the end. “They should see what they did to Jack,” said the widow.
Jackie Kennedy bore the blood of her murdered husband
Lady Bird Johnson, wife of Lyndon B. Johnson, recalled the scene on the presidential plane: “Mrs. Kennedy’s costume was stained with blood. One leg was almost completely covered with it and her right glove was caked with blood – her husband’s blood. It was a most moving sight – this flawless woman, elegantly dressed and covered in blood.”
Kennedy’s body was flown to Washington for an autopsy that same day. Photos show Jackie Kennedy exiting the plane holding her brother-in-law Robert F. Kennedy’s hand, the same plane she boarded that morning alongside her husband. The 34-year-old still has her costume on.
She didn’t take it off until the next morning. A maid folded the costume and put it in a box. This was sent to Jackie’s mother, Janet Lee Bouvier. The item of clothing was stored in the attic for years. In 2003, Jackie Kennedy’s daughter Caroline gave it to the National Archives in Maryland – with the condition that it not be shown to the public until 2103.
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Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
