A beacon of style and grace around the world—Jackie Kennedy Onassis, the wife of President John F. Kennedy and later known as Jackie O, has undoubtedly been one of the foremost influences on style in the last century.
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York. Her father, John, was a wealthy stockbroker on Wall Street whose family had come from France in the early 1800s.
Growing up she studied French, history and the arts and enjoyed horseback riding. After spending her junior year abroad in Paris, Jackie fell in love with France and the European lifestyle, which would in turn be a great influence on her personal style and way of carrying herself.
After finishing her education at George Washington University, Jackie took her first job at the Washington Times-Herald, and soon after, met her future husband, John F. Kennedy. After marrying in 1953 in Newport, Rhode Island, the young senator and his wife successfully campaigned for his election as president. Jackie, at the age of 31, became the youngest First Lady in 80 years. Her style, grace, and soft-spoken demeanor paved the way for her to dominate international newspapers.
After her husband's assassination in 1963, Jackie moved back to New York City with Caroline and John Jr. to try and resume a normal life. Eventually, in 1968, she married Aristotle Onassis, a Greek shipping magnate 28 years her senior and one of the wealthiest men in the world. Living between Paris, Greece, and New York, Jackie continued to be a style inspiration around the world. After Onassis's death, Jackie moved back to New York and returned to her love of journalism, working as an editor at Viking Press and Doubleday.Jackie's wonderful style has influenced some of Spring Summer pieces this season.