Jacqueline Kennedy at the 1961 inauguration: Halston's pillbox from Bergdorf Goodman, Cassini's fawn coat, 8 inches of snow, the dent, the Frankau ball gown
Jacqueline Kennedy at John F. Kennedy's inauguration, 20 January 1961: a fawn wool coat by Oleg Cassini and a felt pillbox hat by Halston, then working as a hatmaker at Bergdorf Goodman. The JFK Library credits the hat with launching his career.
The ball gown, silk chiffon embroidered with silver thread, was designed and made by Ethel Frankau of the Bergdorf Custom Salon from Mrs Kennedy's own sketches and suggestions. She gave it to the Smithsonian. Photo: Abbie Rowe, National Park Service, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, public domain.
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01JACQUELINE KENNEDY'S PILLBOX HAT AT THE 1961 INAUGURATION WAS BY HALSTON, THEN A MILLINER AT BERGDORF GOODMAN. IT LAUNCHED HIS CAREER.
02THE COAT WAS OLEG CASSINI'S: FAWN WOOL, WITH A SABLE COLLAR.
03IT HAD SNOWED OVERNIGHT. THERE WERE 8 INCHES ON THE GROUND, AND IT WAS 22 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
04THE OTHER WOMEN WORE FUR COATS. 'THEY LOOKED LIKE BEARS,' CASSINI SAID.
05THE WIND PUT A DENT IN THE HAT. 'EVERYBODY WHO COPIED IT PUT A DENT IN IT,' HALSTON SAID.
06AT THE INAUGURAL BALL THAT NIGHT: AN OFF-WHITE SILK CHIFFON GOWN AND MATCHING CAPE, MADE WITH ETHEL FRANKAU OF BERGDORF'S CUSTOM SALON.
07CASSINI, HER 'SECRETARY OF STYLE', SAID HE MADE 300 OUTFITS FOR HER IN UNDER THREE YEARS.