The Fascinating History Behind Jackie Kennedy's Pink Suit
In honor of what would be the former First Lady's 94th birthday, learn the story behind one of her most iconic outfits.
In 2021, Olivia Rodrigo's trip to the White House made headlines for more reasons than one. Not only was the 20-year-old singer's vaccination awareness mission alongside President Biden an incredible career feat for the young star, but her choice of clothing turned heads as well. For her Oval Office visit, Olivia Rodrigo wore a vintage Chanel skirt suit in a pale shade of pink. Immediately, comparisons were drawn to another infamous political pink suit, worn by Jackie Kennedy the day her husband, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated.
On the fateful day of November 22, 1963, Jackie famously wore a pink Chanel suit—at the time, it was imperative that First Ladies wore clothing made in America. The ensemble was made of boucle fabric, with a navy lapel and gold buttons. She paired the skirt suit with a matching pink pillbox hat, white gloves, and a few rows of pearls adorned her neck.
When JFK was tragically shot in Dallas, Texas on his way to give a speech, Jackie was sitting alongside him in the convertible motorcade. Her husband's blood splashed across the pink fabric, staining it with red. At the hospital and during the ride back to Washington, Jackie refused to clean herself up or take off the blood-soaked suit. "Let them see what they've done," she reportedly told her aides.
Although the outfit was preserved and donated to the national archives following Jackie's death, her daughter Caroline Kennedy refused to let it be displayed during this century. To preserve the late President's memory and avoid stirring up bad memories for the family, the suit will remain in storage until at least 2103. Decades after President Kennedy's death, the stained pink suit stands as a symbol of Jackie's loyalty to her husband and fortitude in the face of tragedy.
