1. All About Jackie
Everybody knows Jacqueline Kennedy as the wife of the former president, John F. Kennedy, also known as JFK. However, few people know who she was before she became the president’s wife. Where did she grow up? What school did she attend? What were her aspirations, goals, and her struggles?
Image: Kennedy Library Archives/Newsmakers
Jacqueline was born in New York in 1929 to a socialite mother and stockbroker father. She later graduated from George Washington University focusing on French Literature. During her studies, she became a socialite and she soon received the position of junior editor at Vogue.
2. John and Jackie
1952 was supposed to be a wonderful year for Jackie as she announced her engagement to a stockbroker, John G. W. Husted Jr. Unfortunately, she called it off almost immediately. The reason? Husted was immature and boring – a deadly combo for a vivacious woman like Jackie. Following her heart like this proved to be the best decision Jackie ever could have made because later that year, she met John F. Kennedy. Not too long after, they were engaged.
Image: Toni Frissell
In the spring of 1953, the couple had their wedding ceremony at St. Mary’s Church in Rhode Island. Then, they traveled to Acapulco for their honeymoon before settling down in Virginia’s Hickory Hill. Unfortunately, married life was not easy for them because of the heartbreak of miscarriage and stillbirth. However, life was brought back when in 1957, they welcomed their eldest, Caroline into the world.
3. At His Side, Always
In addition to being JFK’s number one supporter, Jackie also had her own responsibilities as the first lady. She made more official international visits than any of her predecessors. However, she took a step back from her duties when she became pregnant with her son, Patrick. Unfortunately, Patrick passed away from hyaline membrane disease after his premature birth.
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Jackie proved to be an invaluable source of support for JFK, helping him secure re-election in the Senate in 1958. Kennedy told reporters that Jackie’s presence during his campaign was crucial. Jackie also played a vital role in her husband’s bid for the presidency. Just two weeks after he was elected to the White House, Jackie gave birth to their son, John F. Kennedy, Jr.
4. Jackie’s Girl
Kathy McKeon was Jackie’s live-in aide for 13 years. The stylist made many revelations about the first lady when she released her autobiography entitled, Jackie’s Girl. However, most of the secrets shared were to do with Jackie’s wardrobe.
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Specifically, McKeon also talked about the styles Jackie favored and revealed secrets regarding her shoes. What on Earth could there be to uncover about Jacqueline Kennedy’s shoes? According to Kathy McKeon, shoes can tell you plenty about a person! Read on to see what Jackie’s shoes revealed about her.
5. Wonderful Wardrobe
Since McKeon was Jackie’s live-in aide, it was understood that she would be privy to many secrets. She also had intimate access to Jackie Kennedy’s walk-in closet. According to her autobiography, “The bedroom walk-in closet was jam-packed with Madam’s everyday clothing, all arranged according to color. I had never seen such a dazzling selection of shoes!”
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From McKeon’s choice of words, it seems that she was enchanted by the first lady’s wonderful wardrobe. However, upon taking a closer look at her wardrobe, she spotted an unusual detail about her shoes as Jackie needed them to be oddly customized.
6. Jackie’s Fashion Designer Friend
This shoe detail may have been a surprise to McKeon, but Jackie’s long-time friend and fashion designer, Oleg Cassini, was always in on the secret. Oleg Cassini was born into a Russian family of maternal Italian descent. As a young man, he went to the United States to pursue his love for fashion, and he soon found work with Paramount Pictures.
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Due to his experiences as a designer, he made friends with different icons and started creating custom clothes for them. One such famous pal was Jackie Kennedy. Cassini was responsible for her most iconic outfits, including her unique footwear.
7. How Much Does It Cost to Look like Jackie Kennedy?
Since Jackie Kennedy was the first lady, she was expected to live a lavish lifestyle by having iconic and fashionable dresses and accessories that made her shine. In 1961 alone, she spent more than $145,000 on outfits and accessories.
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This incredible outlay may have been worth it as her clothes were greatly admired by the public at the time. She was even voted as the world’s most stylish woman, thanks to her confidence and iconic wardrobe.
8. The First Lady’s Choices
It is well-known that the first lady loved French labels such as Balenciaga, Givenchy, and Chanel. However, since she was the first lady of the United States, it was also expected of her to be patriotic. So, her love of French couture did not go down well with the American media.
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Because of this issue, Jackie asked fashion editor Diana Vreeland to help her find American designers capable of creating clothes with a touch of Parisian style. As the editor-in-chief of Vogue, Diana Vreeland had a huge influence on the fashion world at the time.
9. The Chosen Ones
There were many designers to consider, but Vreeland chose Norman Norell and Ben Zuckerman to create clothes for the first lady. Norell was widely known as the “first designer of America,” while Zuckerman was chosen because of his notable take on Parisian couture.
Image: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
In this photo, Jackie was talking to the former first lady, Mamie Eisenhower, the wife of the former president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Jackie wore a woolen coat designed by Zuckerman for her famous White House tour.
10. Signature Look
Jackie’s signature look during her time at the White House was all about sleeveless A-line dresses, suits, low-heel pumps, and above-the-elbow gloves. Then, of course, there were her famous hats.
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Her go-to hairdo – the bouffant – was created by her hairdresser, Mr. Kenneth. As one of the most stylish women of her time, Jackie’s look was endlessly recreated by clothing companies across the country and the world.
11. More of Her Signature Looks
Though she changed her wardrobe, Jackie still shone with the same level of elegance and class. We knew a little about her influence on fashion and how she confidently strode into important events; however, we had no clue that she was, all that time, keeping the secret about her shoes hidden.
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Jackie Kennedy did not just have the classy signature look we mentioned beforehand. After her husband’s death, it seems that she changed her entire image. From sleeveless dresses and gloves, she switched to lapel jackets, silk headscarves, gypsy skirts, pantsuits, and round sunglasses.
12. Jackie’s Jewelry Collection
These two iconic jewelry designers gained a great amount of prestige because of their wonderful creations for the first lady. Aside from the pearl necklace, and bracelet, Jackie’s most prized possession was her Van Cleef & Arpels wedding ring. Just like any happily married woman, Jackie considered her wedding ring to be her most cherished item of jewelry.
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Aside from her dazzling and stylish wardrobe, Jackie also acquired an elegant collection of jewelry. The first item she had as the first lady was a pearl necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane. Aside from that, she was also known for wearing beautiful bracelets designed by Frenchman Jean Schlumberger.
13. A Knack for Organization
To be quite honest, McKeon was astonished at how well organized Jackie’s closet was. Aside from the fact that it was every woman’s dream to have a dazzling and organized closet, McKeon also said in an interview that, “It was extremely easy to find anything in it.” It just shows that even though the former first lady had a busy schedule, her closet was a safe haven of perfect organization.
Image: Kennedy Library Archives/Newsmakers
Heading back to McKeon’s autobiography, since the aide was in charge of Jackie’s closet, she saw how the first lady wanted it to be and how it should be organized.
14. Everything Matched!
As you can see in the photo, Jacqueline Kennedy had clothes for every occasion, and with her highly organized closet, she was prepared for any event. It just shows the variety of her clothes and how she was able to confidently rock any outfit.
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Speaking to Fox News, McKeon explained that with Jackie, “A pair of pants would always be accompanied with the right blouse… and her shoes were always lined up. Nice and shiny.” Everything in Jackie’s wardrobe had its place, and this helped Jackie ensure every element of every outfit always matched.
15. A Closet Perfectionist
The former first lady went into all details in helping to renovate the White House. She took the same approach when reviewing the script for the televised renovation tour in 1962. This lady was indeed meticulous in everything she did.
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Jackie’s incredibly organized closet was just one example of many perfectionist tendencies. The former first lady was known to be meticulous, with an eye for detail and a desire for everything around her to be in order.
16. How Jackie’s Shoe Secret Came to Light
Some of these notes were sent to Bergdorf Goodman’s personal shopper Marita O’Connor. In them, Jackie included her instructions, catalog pages, sketches, and pieces of fabric to let them know what kind of quality and items she was looking for. Moreover, the notes included the exact dimensions that are requirements for her shoes.
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Jackie Kennedy walked around for decades with a secret no one knew about. However, her secret was out in the open where anyone with sharp enough eyes could spot it. Funnily enough, the secret of her shoes didn’t come out until 2013, when some of her letters were auctioned off.
17. A Peculiar Footwear Requirement
Those words are the exact ones written by Jackie in her letters. The way she describes her needs and wants with absolute precision is an example of how perfectly prepared she was for all the events she attended. She already knew precisely where she would use each shoe she requested.
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One letter explained that she has a particular footwear requirement. “Please order me a pair of alligator shoes – size 10A – medium heel – slender – pointed toe but not exaggerated – tricky vamp business… I like elegant and timeless. I must have these for Inauguration Day so you’ll have to rush.”
18. Every Right to Be Demanding
This demanding side of Jackie came out when she complained about a particular shoe she did not like. “Tell [Mario] I want them in the same model as my black faille evening pumps and impress on that rather disorganized Italian that they simply must be ready in time.” These were the exact words of her complaint letter, showing just how much importance she put on her shoes.
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As a person who knew what she wanted, people might misunderstand her as being demanding. However, if you think about it, she had every right to be a little demanding because she was the First Lady of one of the most powerful countries in the world. On top of this, she was considered one of the most stylish icons of her era.
19. You Can’t Please Everyone
Jackie was regularly accused of caring more about fashion than about her children, her husband’s political career, or the state of the country. This just goes to show that even the most loved icons in the world can’t escape criticism.
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No matter how much good a public figure does in the world, there will always be those who wish to criticize. Jacqueline Kennedy did not escape that criticism. In fact, she learned the hard way that you simply cannot please everyone in this world.
20. Shh... It’s a Secret
As dazzling and perfect as Jacqueline Kennedy was, a single heel from every pair of the first lady’s shoes had to be raised by a quarter of an inch. This is a heartening thing for women to hear as it means that even the most elegant lady of that era dealt with imperfections. In the age of Facetune and Photoshop, it’s even more important for us to remember that flaws are natural – they do not detract from your beauty or your value as a person.
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Since McKeon was Kennedy’s personal assistant for a long time, it was only natural that she would have access to the first lady’s wardrobe. This was how she made her stunning discovery about Jackie’s shoes.
21. A Little Shorter
There is nothing wrong with imperfections – they are part of what makes us human. Jackie couldn’t change the length of her legs, but she could get elegant shoes, stack one of the heels, and get on with her duties as the first lady of the United States.
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“No one would have ever guessed,” McKeon claimed in her autobiography. Essentially, the modified heels were designed to conceal the fact that one of Jackie’s legs was slightly shorter than the other while allowing her to walk comfortably. It’s impossible to tell, right?
22. Meant to Be?
Coincidentally, John F. Kennedy had the same physical condition as her. Two years after their wedding, John was treated for severe back pain. The doctor found that his left leg was not the same length as his right one, and this was the source of the pain. So, JFK also started wearing a stacked heel, just like his wife!
Image: John F. Kennedy Library/Getty Images
It almost seems as though the universe was telling them that they were meant to be as they were uniquely placed to understand each other’s situation. It is unknown whether the same doctor was responsible for finding and treating Jackie’s similar problem.
23. Worth It!
In an interview, McKeon highlighted that Jackie’s sense of style was far from her most notable quality. “[Jackie] was more than this glamorous figure. She made me feel like part of the family.” These words from McKeon say a lot about the attitude of the First Lady.
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She also shared how they became friends over the years. At the age of 19, McKeon moved from Ireland to the United States, and after her arrival, she was fortunate enough to land her long-running job with the former first lady. McKeon has no doubts that this big move away from her home country was worth it.
24. Part of the Family
Since the two were super close, Jackie attended McKeon’s wedding with her two kids (John Jr. and Caroline) in tow. Even after McKeon retired, Jackie kept in touch with her. She even invited McKeon and family to her home in Hyannis Harbor, Massachusetts, so they could spend summers together.
Image: Facebook/Stephanie Kauffroth Spencer
The photo above shows how close they were and how Jackie treated McKeon as part of their family. “Their everyday life would also become mine, my heart lifted by the powerful love they shared and shattered by the unimaginable tragedies they endured,” said McKeon in an interview. These words show that even in the Kennedy family’s lowest moments, McKeon was there to be with her former boss.
25. Jackie’s Warm Nature
“My best friend lived in Cape Cod, and whenever I would visit, Madam was always happy to see me. She would always invite me for lunch and dinner… and she would also invite me to her private beach,” McKeon said in an interview. The way she describes the former first lady is a testament to the heart Jackie had for the people around her.
Image: YouTube/Inside Edition
McKeon further reflected on Jackie’s warm nature in her memoir: “She was very shy and scared of crowds, but she had a personality that really shined when you got to know her and she opened up to you. Whenever she would meet someone, she would say, ‘Kat, what did you think of him?’ She wanted to know my reaction.” Jackie seems like the best friend we all hope to have in our lives.
26. Enduring Tragedy with JFK
It seems never-ending tragedies are part and parcel of being the head of state of one of the most powerful countries in the world. The image below shows one of the last few happy moments Jackie enjoyed with her husband before a shocking tragedy rocked her world.
Image: Walt Cisco, Dallas Morning News
In November of 1963, the president and the first lady were in a motorcade in Dallas when JFK was shot. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Parkland City Hospital.
27. Retreating from the Spotlight
For instance, her close relationship with her late husband’s brother, Robert Kennedy had some people theorizing that it was a romantic relationship. However, no one knows what really happened there as the two never spoke of having any romantic connection. Instead, Jackie shook the world when she got married again in 1968 to a shipping tycoon from Greece – Aristotle Onassis.
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Following JFK’s assassination, Jackie retread from the spotlight. She avoided the eyes of the public to such an extent that she became something of a recluse. However, there were still plenty of headlines about her personal life.
28. The Island of Skorpios
Aristotle Onassis was rich enough to own a private island – Skorpios. This was where Jackie and Ari held their wedding ceremony in 1968. This island remains a fascinating mystery to this day.
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Located in the Ionian Sea, Skorpios is one of many Greek islands. It lies to the west of mainland Greece and east of Lefkada island. It covers an area of 205 acres, comprising sandy beaches and thick forests. It could have been a tourist spot for foreigners and locals alike, but Onassis changed all of that.
29. Ari’s Take on Skorpios
Ari had a lot of plans with regards to the rehabilitation of the Skorpios. He bought the land for 3.5 million drachmas, which is the equivalent of around $12,000 in today’s US currency. That’s right – $12,000 could buy you an entire island in 1963.
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After buying the island, Ari imported more than 200 types of trees to Skorpios. He ensured the island was able to have rich woodlands and also created East Beach with sand imported from Salamis Island, also in Greece.
30. Jacqueline Onassis
Aristotle and Jackie decided to tie the knot on this island, making Skorpios famous worldwide. The Greek businessman and the former First Lady of America had been friends for many years before tying the knot. However, romance only developed between the couple after the deaths of Jackie’s first husband, John F. Kennedy, and her brother-in-law, Robert F. Kennedy.
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Understandably, the assassination of JFK made Jackie fearful for her family’s safety. Following Robert Kennedy’s death in 1968, Jackie said, “If they’re killing Kennedys, then my children are targets.” As a concerned mother, the welfare of her children was Jackie’s priority, which is why she set her mind on getting out of America and settling down somewhere else.
31. The Security She Needed
Moreover, even though Ari was mega-rich at the time, their wedding was small and intimate, having only approximately 40 guests who were family members and close friends of the couple. They had a Greek Orthodox traditional wedding, and Jackie’s children – Caroline, and John Jr. – were involved.
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Fortunately, Jacqueline found the security she was seeking with her second husband, Aristotle, also known as Ari. They got married in October of 1968. They may have had a huge age gap when they tied the knot, but it seems that they loved each other very much.
32. Risqué Photos of Jackie
After Ari and Jackie’s wedding, the island became world-famous. However, with this fame, the couple’s privacy was lost. In 1971, Jackie was photographed sunbathing naked on one of the private island’s beaches. The image was published in Italy in 1972, provoking outrage in the US.
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Settimio Garritano was the photographer responsible for taking the nude photograph of the former First Lady. The photographer conned his way onto the island by pretending to be a gardener. After learning that Jackie sometimes sunbathed naked, he snuck around until he could get a good shot of her in this incredibly private moment.
33. Italian Paparazzo
From his position, he watched Jackie undress until she was completely naked. In 2009, the photographer said that he wanted to get the shot because he didn’t believe the former First Lady really sunbathed naked. “It didn’t seem possible,” he said in an interview.
Image: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Garritano found it difficult to sell the nude pictures of Jackie. Reputable publications refused to print them. However, later in 1972, he was able to sell them to men’s magazines and they had soon traveled the world, even appearing in Hustler.
34. Was Jackie a Bringer of Bad Luck?
It seems that the nude photograph was not the only scandal that Jackie would attract. She has also been connected to the Kennedy curse. Aside from the assassination of the brothers, John and Robert, many unfortunate events befell the Kennedy family.
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Because of this, Jackie was accused of transferring the bad luck to the Onassis family by marrying Aristotle. This superstition was believed by Christina, Ari’s eldest daughter, and she only became more convinced when her mother (Ari’s ex-wife) died in 1974 following an alleged drug overdose.
35. The Bad Luck Continues
Aside from the death of the billionaire’s ex-wife, the bad luck continued when the family business fell into financial difficulties. At the same time, Aristotle’s health began to decline. Soon enough, even Aristotle began to believe that the woman he loved may have brought some kind of curse into his family.
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With this, Aristotle looked into filing for divorce, and also, he changed his last will and testament to reduce the total amount Jackie would receive when he passed on. As we’re about to learn, he reduced her inheritance by a staggering amount.
36. Jackie Fought for It
When the shipping magnate died in 1975, Christina, his eldest, was the sole heir. Most of the family business, financial aspects, and also the properties were given to Christina.
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However, Jackie did not just accept this – she fought for what she saw as rightfully hers. After years of negotiations, she was able to get a $26 million settlement from Christina. Meanwhile, Aristotle’s remains were laid to rest on the island of Skorpios, where his son also lies.
37. The Death of Onassis
After the death of her second husband in 1975, Jackie returned to work. She became a consulting editor for a publishing company called Viking Press and later, an associate editor for Doubleday, a publishing company in America. Since she loved what she did in the White House, she continued her architectural and cultural preservation work.
Image: National Archive/Newsmakers
Jackie may have lost loved ones, but she continued to do what she loved to do. At times, it was a struggle to go back to her life, but Jackie did not give up. Sure, she had a lot of challenges during her life, but she was able to rise up and carry on each time, no matter what was thrown at her.
38. Jackie’s Style Evolution Continues
Despite the criticism received by the First Lady, she forged on, continuing to be a style inspiration to every woman in the world. That is why in 2013, a pair of Jackie’s pumps designed by Rene Marconi, a well-known Italian designer, was auctioned in Los Angeles.
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The size 10 shoes were sold to an anonymous person for almost $30,000. This gives you an idea of the amount of money some people would give just to be a style icon like Jacqueline Kennedy.
39. Jacqueline: A Phenomenal Woman
In 1993, Jacqueline fell from a horse. This was likely one of the reasons why her health started to decline. Jackie was later on diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. By May of 1994, the disease had affected her liver, brain, and spinal cord. In that same month, Jacqueline passed away in her sleep at the age of 64.
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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis lived a wonderful and amazing life. She was a woman of style and substance. The memories of her are still living in the hearts of her children, her loved ones, and close friends like McKeon.
40. The John F. Kennedy Library Contains Some of Jacqueline’s Clothes
The John F. Kennedy Library houses many of the famous outfits of the former First Lady. It’s a fascinating exhibit, displaying the pieces that Jackie wore during her time at the White House. The preserved outfits offer a chance for the present and future generations to see one aspect of what was so inspiring about this iconic woman.
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In 2001, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York also presented several works at an exclusive exhibition entitled, Jacqueline Kennedy: Years of the White House. However, the true secret of Jacqueline’s shoes was only revealed in McKeon’s autobiography. Who would’ve though it would take 19 years after her passing for her secret shoe dimensions to be uncovered. It was Jackie’s well-kept secret.