Summer Style Inspiration: Jackie Kennedy Onassis

If you’re anything like me, then you struggling with dressing for the warmer seasons. Fall is easy: you can wear all the layers you want such as blazers, sweaters, and button-downs. If it’s cold, you throw on a light jacket, end of story. Dressing in the summer is a bit more complicated. The sweltering temperatures leave no room for a stylish blazer or cardigan — or even a pair of jeans sometimes. On that last part, I am not a shorts person (except on a few occasions), so my summer bottom is almost always jeans or a light cotton trouser.

Dressing on top can be even harder, especially if you are wearing pants. The general rule is that if you wear something short on the bottom, you wear something long or something with a high-neckline on the top. If you wear something short on the top, you should wear something long on the bottom. Thus, summer fashion is really a balancing act.

However, don’t feel intimidated! I’ve spent the last few summers trying to find a style where I feel confident, and with the help of a few of my favorite fashion icons, I’ve found a few looks that will broaden your horizons. This is the first piece that will highlight the incredible summer style of my favorite fashionista. I’m starting with Jackie Kennedy Onassis first because not only is she the best dressed woman of all time, but the person who has the best summer looks as she spent a good part of the late sixties and seventies in places like Capri and Greece wearing chic vacation outfits.

Hopefully her style will get you to think outside the box and inspire you to try a few summer outfits that you’ll feel like your most chic self in!

A few nights ago, while doing some research on Jackie, I found an image that took me to a Tumblr account containing a multitude of images I had never seen before. There were thousands upon thousands of photos taken of Jackie during her lifetime, and every time I feel like I have seen them all, I discover more. Anyway, I was pleased as punch when I saw this image of Jackie descending a yacht in Capri in candy pink trousers, a matching scarf, a black t-shirt, wedge flip flops, her iconic sunglasses, and a Gucci hobo bag (now called the “Jackie,” after her, of course). It’s rare to see her in pink, especially since that color is synonymous with the pink suit she wore when her husband was assassinated. However, she looks so stunning in this simple outfit. To recreate it, all you need to do if find trousers made of a light material in your favorite shade and pair it with a black t-shirt.

This next outfit has been a favorite of mine of many years. It essentially follows the same pattern of the previous outfit: trousers and a t-shirt. This time, she pairs my two favorite colors to wear (black and white), with a black cardigan tied around her shoulders. She topped if off with her sunglasses and bare-feet for a preppy, yet carefree look.

Again, this next outfit follows the same pattern. Yet, Jackie always found new ways to add stylish touches to make the same format seem entirely different. She’s once again wearing white trousers (note: they are always flare, which is my favorite style), except they seem to be from a lighter material, similar to the pink pants. She’s wearing a t-shirt again as well, except this time, it’s purple, and she added a tan belt. This brings us back to proportions. This purple shirt is a bit longer than the other black t-shirts she wears in the previous images. The belt works because the shirt is longer, and in turn, makes her waist seem more slim. You could also try this trick if you tie a scarf or ribbon around your waist.

This look doesn’t follow the t-shirt and trouser pattern, but it’s still ultra chic. I love, love, love a shift dress, and Jackie’s blue one is absolutely perfect. I recommend finding a shift dress like Jackie’s in any shade you want. It will be perfect for any summer event, from a graduation celebration to a cocktail party.

I also have to take a moment to point out that in most of these looks so far, Jackie is wearing the same bag and watch. It proves that simple and classic accessories truly go with everything.

Jackie proved that you can wear not just pants and dresses, but skirts as well! I love the length of this semi-maxi skirt, as it goes past the knee without hitting the ground. I also love how it is paired with a simple black shirt, just like in the other outfits. However, as you have seen, Jackie always adds an accessory to make the outfit come together. In this case, the gold belt was the perfect choice because it added a bit more flair.

I hope you enjoyed this piece! Next week, I am going to cover the summer looks of Jackie’s daughter-in-law, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.