Dressy Jacqueline Kennedy: A Retrospective (SLIDESHOW)

The Obamas have done quite a bit of socializing since they moved to Washington in January, so let's take a look back at the First Couple who started the trend: the glamorous President John F. Kennedy and wife Jacqueline Kennedy.

Below are a few of the former First Lady's most elegant evening looks.

Or see some of the current First Lady's most elegant evening and daytime looks here.

SLIDESHOW

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Posing with guests before a dinner in honor of the President of Peru (left) at the White House on September 19, 1961.

Comments

[theredqueen]

Beautiful classic dressing. Somehow it makes me sad all over again to think of what might have been. I think the outfit that I most clearly remember on the first lady was that pink suit she wore in Dallas. Oh my I need to cheer myself up again, so I'll take another look at the gowns depicted here..

[hildutus]

I can't recall if the sleeveless dresses caused any uproar at the time. I do remember that President Kennedy was harshly criticized for not wearing a hat. Can you imagine either him or President Obama in a fedora?
Perhaps it's time to chill.

[TheGuide]

Jackie knew how to work it!

[berrycooda]

All the miserable stuff going on in this country and I wonder why
some people are so fascinated at the "First Lady's" arms and what
she and past Pres wives wore then and now.

Anybody with the means that they have and who have "people" dressing them,
would be well dressed.

Wonder what M. Obama will when they make their trip to France and Germany
in a couple of weeks..... Must be nice to make trips like that.

And I wonder what the family wore this week end when they all were at
Camp David again....Been in office for about 6 1/2 weeks and that
Air Force one is really getting a work out.
Wonder how much gas that is being charged to the tax payers.

[hellie]

No, it's not "nice" to make trips like that. It's NECESSARY. It's part of the job when you're the President of the United States. Yep, he's been in office for about 6 1/2 weeks actually getting the things done that he promised the American people, and at record speed. He began this work before taking the oath of office. I hope the Obamas make frequent use of Camp David. They need it, and deserve it.

[patwal]

Oooh... stop the gas! Make them walk to Camp David.

There - feel better now?

[AngryCitizen]

First off ya twit, Air Force One is not used for the short hop to the Camp. Marine One is used. Camp David was designed for the President to get out of D.C. on the weekends if he wished. It's a mountain camp, wouldn' you use it?

Now, ifyou would like to use it, run for President, beat your primary opponents, deal with death threats for two years, fight a general election campaign against hate and stupidity, win the election, and then YOU can use Camp David. How's that?

[Galvanized Democrat]

Obviously there is an audience for these stories. They aren't the headliners, they're just special interest. So stop your grousing and deal with it.

BTW, not EVERYONE who can afford it dresses fashionably. Take a gander at Queen Elizabeth (queen of frumpy) and her house of frumps, Pricesses Margaret and Anne. Then there's the matronly maven Laura Bush. I'm sure that if you put half a brain cell to it, you could name a few too.

[JDJase]

and of the first 6.5 weeks of GWB's presidency, he spent what, 5 weeks on vacation?

And if you think this story is irrelevant, don't read it.

[tjinc]

I remember as a teenager, scouring the magazines and newspapers for photos of Jaqueline Kennedy to see what she was wearing. I was studying fashion design and she epitomized elegance to me and to most of the world.

There is a reason. No matter the occasion, her ensemble was perfect for the occasion, stylish with a hint of glamour, carefully designed to flatter her figure, and tasteful.

I look at these photos and they underscore my belief that there has never been anyone who could touch Jackie as a fashion icon and trend setter. Give the woman her due.

[longislandlol]

I agree that Jackie was not as muscularly fit as Michelle-- also- the scuttlebutt out on the dr. feelgood shots jackie was getting all this time-- so- she may have done weekend horseback riding in Virginia- but we do not define that with exercise and muscle tone-- Jackie ate little and had those shots laced with only-God-knows what---Michelle comes out the fittest-in a natural sense of the 21st century definition-----

[texasaggie]

They are both very hot. Jackie was petite and Michelle has muscle. Maybe chill a little on the personal Jackie diatribe.

[Fudgefase]

Oh dear - sleeveless AND one shouldered. That'll never do......

[Whatashame]

So what is the issue with Michelle showing her arms or is it the colour of the arms?

[elroybug]

Right on point, my friend...too much brown. Racism is so insidious and subtle, they don't even recognize it in themselves, but it is coming out in so many sick and silly ways...

[ndnndpendent]

In the historic pics of Jackie O--maybe it was the formal attire standard of the day---but she wears full length gloves with her formal gowns.

It is like comparing apples and oranges. The official portrait of MO, she is wearing what I would call a (sleeveless) black sheath. This is not formal in the sense of the portraiture of the Jackie O pics. I don't think its a valid comparison.

I don't think there is a color issue. It may be viewed as she is casual to a degree many people don't necessarily want to see---for instance---in an official portrait?

[magnolialiberal]

It IS like comparing apples and oranges. The common and acceptable practices of the 21st century are very different from what was expected in the middle of the 20th century.

Besides, there are plenty of Jackie O pics with no sleeves and no gloves, all of these seem to have been taken at ultra-formal events, but the ones where Jackie is in the crowd listening to JFK speak...no sleeves and no gloves, all skin.

[Whatashame]

They would complain next that the Obama's should not be having S-E-X in the white house and call it an outrage.

[Whatashame]

The media is complaining that Michelle is showing too much arms but look ate very picture Jackie is in. Nothing but arms.

[astridalailama]

she sure is showing a lot of arm. tsk tsk.

[Gabrielle De Four]

STOP THE PRESS! Oh look Jackie O in SLEEVELESS in 1962! Oh, so THAT was the 21st Century... I thought that's where we were now! To all you columnists and "talking heads" who have been profusely whipping the issue of The First Lady's sleeve - or lack thereof, PLEASE, PLEASE take note! All in favor say "I"!

[merger]

Oh go ahead and say it. You know the one I mean......ARMS. Uh! there, it's out now.

[wagadog]

But isn't the right to bare arms guaranteed in the second amendment to the US Constitution?

[mlaiuppa]

When you have a body like Audrey Hepburn, everything looks elegant on you.

[Glamorosa]

Jackie O had more style and class than most female's she wore elegance as if she were born to it

[whatfreshhellisthis]

Jackie WAS born to elegance.

And I don't think people carped about her sleeveless dresses the way they do about Michelle Obama's sleeveless dresses.

[lynnn]

I wonder why that is?

[mercyrocks]

i don't like any of the dresses. oh well. next story with a slideshow please. . . .preferably of Barack. . .

[mad as heck]

To each his own; I think some of these gowns look stiff and boring, and yes, a couple do have the look of a home ec sewing class. The one-shouldered black gown suits her very well, and the cut of the sparkly gown is great, but somehow, the sparkles don't suit her overall looks IMO. I guess my remembrance of her chic is based on her daywear.

As to the Michelle Obama sleeveless debate, she looks good in sleeveless and it can certainly be an elegant and appropriate style. My criticism of the dress she wore to the speech before Congress is that it wasn't a situation for a soft, pretty dress at all. It was a formal official occasion, and a jacket dress or suit would have seemed more in line with the tone of the night. The dress she wore would have been great for a dinner, attending a concert or other similar event. Even a long-sleeved dress in a daytime fabric would have been better. Her dress had a sheen that marked it as after-five wear. This wasn't strictly speaking an after five occasion, regardless of the hour it took place. JMO.

[learnsomething]

""My criticism of the dress she wore to the speech before Congress is that it wasn't a situation for a soft, pretty dress at all. It was a formal official occasion, and a jacket dress or suit would have seemed more in line with the tone of the night.""

I don't agree with you. Jackie wore a sleeveless dress to her husbands 1963 'state of the union address.' The first ladies can wear what they want to wear. As long as it is not indecent.

[formerprosecutor]

"stiff" was the fashion of the day; I was there, as an adult. All you have to do is watch some movies from that era to see that I am correct; Hepburns dresses were also stiff. As were all womens clothing. Starch was the secret for less affluent women. It stuck out and up then. Collars, cuffs, even hemlines wrere perky.