Carolyn Bessette Kennedy Has Become a Surprising Instagram Influencer 24 Years After Her Death
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It’s hard to believe that Carolyn Bessette Kennedy has been gone for 24 years, but her influence is still felt by everyone in the fashion industry. Her effortlessly chic wardrobe has spawned millions of imitators, but no one could capture her simple style the way she did. Now, author Sunita Kumar Nair’s new book, CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion, explores how powerful John F. Kennedy Jr.’s wife is to this day.
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In an excerpt obtained by The Cut, Nair noted how JFK Jr. and Carolyn are the epitome of “taste and sophistication” in 2024. “Their images sit alongside moody pictures of Hermès bags, vintage Porsches, Braun clocks, and Jean Prouvé chairs for inspiration boards,’ she wrote. Carolyn’s look also inspired a well-loved Instagram account, @cbkalifeinfashion, proving that she’s the ultimate Instagram influencer, who was way ahead of her time.
The excerpt also pointed out how little we know about Carolyn, outside of the messaging she sent through her wardrobe: “Stellene Volandes, editor-in-chief of Town & Country, noted, ‘There are no real interviews, no photo shoots, no reality TV shows, and yet she is still on Instagram at least once a day, every day.'” Tony Melillo, a friend of Carolyn’s, proudly shared that “you could see her style walking down the street today, and it would work.” Her influence was something “she did on her own,” not “because she was a Kennedy.”
For any aspiring fashionista who is looking to emulate Carolyn’s style, the mantra is less is more. That “understated” sophistication even meant following a “relatively strict diet for formalwear, wearing one jewelry piece per outfit.” It’s a clean, crisp look that never goes out of style, and Carolyn would be likely setting trends if she were still with us. Instead, her fashion clues from the past still resonate and carry on into the future.
Before you go, click here to see photos of JFK and Jackie O.’s grown-up grandkids.
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