The star of quiet luxury, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, has resurfaced in the media lately, labeling her as the muse for the timeless fashion style of the ‘90s. After her marriage to John F. Kennedy Jr. in 1996, Carolyn began to rise as a fashion icon for her old money, minimalist clothing style.
Prior to her marriage, Carolyn got her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Boston University, where she famously appeared on the cover of their 1988 calendar, “The Girls of BU.” After graduating, she went on to work as a fashion publicist for Calvin Klein, ultimately helping her discover her style. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1999 alongside her husband and sister, Lauren, in a tragic plane crash.
Carolyn is primarily known for her familiar and recognizable uniform, styling herself in a basic button-up shirt or sweater, jeans or trousers and a pair of heels. Thus, she was praised for her ability to transform basic pieces into elevated and formal attire.
In the modern day, street style is meant for people to express their stylistic creativity through combining unique maximalist pieces, ranging from different colors, logos and brands. However, many people lately have been looking towards ‘90s icons, like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, to achieve that timeless minimalist style.
Along with her minimalist outfits, there were many stylistic tendencies that she would consistently adhere to and present in her street style. Despite working for Calvin Klein, Carolyn never presented herself in loud luxury pieces and logos. Instead, she was seen wearing muted pieces, from brands such as Katayone Adeli and TSE Cashmere.
When Carolyn wore large designer brands, like Prada, she would ensure that no logos were featured on the pieces. Additionally, when attending events alongside her husband, Carolyn was primarily pictured wearing black slip dresses with a pair of matching black heels, ultimately adding to her elevated and “stealth wealth” style.
Carolyn also would rarely wear patterns, like stripes or plaid, but in the few instances she did, she would pair them with neutral basics, and would ensure that they really stood out.
She would also rarely play around with colors in her style, and stuck to styling simple and neutral colors, like navy, white, brown and black. When the weather got cold, she would be seen styling long trench coats and short blazers, which are pieces that have been appearing more often in street style lately.
Aside from her clothing, Carolyn also incorporated minimalistic accessories into her style, like headbands, sunglasses and leather handbags. She was primarily seen pairing her outfits with oval-shaped vintage sunglasses, in black shades or tortoiseshell patterns.
Carolyn would style her tortoiseshell-patterned plastic headbands with her iconic slick-back bun hairstyle. Especially with her love for quiet luxury, Carolyn would purchase her plastic headbands from C.O. Bigelow, an American pharmacy and beauty store located in Greenwich Village.
Sunglasses and headbands were the primary accessories where we would see Carolyn’s style really shine through. She was rarely seen wearing jewelry, especially necklaces and bracelets, and would instead wear her engagement rings.
Her hairstyles also added onto her entire minimalistic look, as they were never too excessive or extravagant. Carolyn is iconic for her straight and long blonde hair, and how she would let it dry loosely, rather than blowing it out constantly or curling it. Even at fancier events, Carolyn would primarily be seen slicking her hair back into a ponytail or bun.
One of my favorite aspects about her style is how she was able to make outfits, like a basic tight white t-shirt and blue jeans, really stand out and look classy. In addition, I truly admire her simplicity in her outfits, and how that sense of minimalism has served as an inspiration for pieces and looks from many brands today.
Although Carolyn isn’t here to witness the stylistic impact she has had on fashion today, she still holds that title as a star who has perfectly embodied the ‘90s minimalist style.
