The fashion pack has been waiting patiently for the first shots and confirmed casting for American Love Story, the upcoming drama about the lives of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. And, as the casting photos emerged online this week and the first outfits appeared, the worst appeared to be confirmed – the clothes aren't great.
Cue eagle-eyed fans descending into fashion-fuelled overdrive and running to Reels to greenscreen their thoughts. You can see why these first-look photos have caused such a stir, with Bessette-Kennedy unknowingly hailed as one of fashion's biggest inspirations, the mother of that ‘90s Calvin Klein aesthetic, the person who managed to find the illusive pair of perfect blue jeans, the white shirt and the white slip wedding dress (oh, the wedding dress!). So far, the looks we’ve seen have fallen far too short of what could be one of television’s biggest fashion moments, maybe ever? Ok, not ever, but come on, an undeniable draw to this couple is aesthetic, no?
However, perhaps these are the scenes before CBK found her inimitable cool-girl fashion formula, before the Narciso Rodriguez silk slips, before the Birkins; let’s give them the benefit of the doubt, right? I really am trying, but that tan-brown coat is seared into my brain at this point. I can almost feel the static.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am far from a fashion snob (I’m currently wearing £5 flip flops) and am in no place to judge (and here I am, judging) but this are one of the most sartorially-gifted couples of the 20th century; the hashtag #cbk has been used over 238,0000 times on Instagram, there are countless accounts solely dedicated to their style. The pair have transcended generations, beloved by Gen Z, Millennials and Boomers alike. So, with an (assumed) healthy wardrobe budget and more than enough inspo pics to go by, what’s gone so wrong? Yes, sure, it may look like just jeans and a white shirt, but it’s the cut of the jeans, the fit of the shirt that nails the brief, not a satin knee-length skirt and a pair of Converse (CBK would never)! This is an aesthetic that needs serious attention to detail to recreate, aka a dedicated wardrobe department sourcing archival pieces.
Now, I know Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Kelly, the actors, are undoubtedly talented and of course very beautiful people, there’s no denying it, however trying to capture the effortless je ne suis quoi of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and JFK is one hard job, which just goes to show, you can't recreate cool.
Julia Harvey has been Grazia’s shopping editor for four years, overseeing and editing all things shopping for the title from trend pages, interiors, gift guides and the best things to buy now in both print and online.