An American Fashion Statement: Pretty in Pink or Symbol of Political Prowess?

The Kennedy’s never failed to arouse the excitement of supporters, patrons, and fans wherever they went, and their presence in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963 was certainly no exception. Every knowledgeable American citizen is aware of what happened to JFK on that tragic Texan morning and the ensuing state of confusion, chaos, and turmoil that subsequently erupted. He was shot directly in the face by Lee Harvey Oswald, who calculated every inch, move, and ploy in the assassination. Aside from the gruesome and disturbing circumstances surrounding this American tragedy, the most ingenious maneuver in this battle between political royalty and a disturbingly deluded killer was made by Jackie Kennedy herself.

Immediately before her husband was shot, Jackie O was seated on his left in the back of an unhooded vehicle wearing a beautifully pressed pink Chanel suit, embellished with a navy blue collar, only fitting for a first lady. She always looked absolutely gorgeous and she has remained a fashion icon ever since her 3 year period in the White House. However, on this particular day, she could have never fathomed that this specific ensemble would become an iconic symbol of U.S. history by the early afternoon. 

As she sat right beside her husband, she was dutifully acknowledging all of her supporters, citizens, and fans with an appealingly approachable smile on her face, which she always wore so well. During their brief ride on Dealey Plaza’s Elm Street, the persistent joy that had been emanating throughout the day quickly turned into a dark, morbidly sinister nightmare directly after the first bullet pierced through the dewy afternoon air and right into the face of one of our most beloved presidents. (I know my graphic details may come as a shock, but I am trying to paint as realistic, yet respectful, of a picture of what Mrs. Kennedy lived through, right by her husband’s side.) 

As seen through footage of the assassination, right before JFK receives the shot, it seems as though Jackie is leaning toward her husband to fix his collar or tie, only inches away from where he would receive the bullet. Then it happens as quickly as a snap of the fingers, and he collapses on to her shoulders, marking her Chanel piece with drops of his own streaming blood. She immediately climbs out, positioning herself on top of the vehicle’s trunk only to greet her Secret Service agent who tells her to remain ducked in the car for her own safety, anchoring herself beside the lifeless body of her husband (Zapruder Film Slow Motion). They rush to the hospital, where President Kennedy would inevitably be pronounced dead (“John F. Kennedy Assassinated”).

Once there, despite persistent requests, Lady Kennedy stubbornly insisted that she remain in her blood-infused Chanel suit, quoted as saying “I want them to see what they have done to Jack.” She remained wearing it through the following inauguration of Lyndon B. Johnson, only a couple of hours after the assassination. The suit has never been cleaned and it is located in the National Archives in a highly protected, unknown location, out of public view until 2103, and, even at that point, the Kennedy descendants will decide what will happen with the showcasing, or non-showcasing, of the piece (“Pink Chanel Suit”).

What really strikes me in regard to this entire tragedy is the admirably noble sense of grace with which Mrs. Kennedy carried herself, all the while in a stained Chanel suit. She was making a distinct statement against her husband’s killer, slamming him in the face with his actions, for the entire world to witness. Not only was she exquisitely poised throughout the entire ordeal, she let go of her personal vanity, indifferent to those who would mock or criticize her, because she wanted to show  the feelings of devastation that would inescapably seep through her family, friends, and the United States of America. On this day, she was not presenting herself as a First Lady, she was presenting herself as a citizen of the world, a human being, and a woman who had just lost her husband in one of the most appalling and deplorable scenes that has permanently branded itself in our country’s history.

P.S. Coco Chanel and Jackie Kennedy were both of the Leo astrological sign. 

Bibliography

 "John F. Kennedy Assassinated." History. History Channel, n.d. Web. 16 Mar 2012. 

<http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-f-kennedy-assassinated>.

Zapruder Film Slow Motion. Youtube, Film. 

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU83R7rpXQY>.