Jacqueline Kennedy and Her Hats

It is ironic that Jacqueline Kennedy is so well known for her hats, when she really did not like to wear them. As a politician's wife, though, she had to bow to convention and wear a hat at times when not doing so would have been seen as disrespectful.

During her time as First Lady, Jackie turned to Bergdorf Goodman for all her millinery. Halston was the custom milliner at Bergdorf's at this time, and he would make copies of Paris models and also create custom designs for her.

Jackie preferred hat styles that would not crush her hair nor obscure her face, so as to be visible to the public. This is why you most often see her hats worn tilted to the back of her head.

October 19, 1960 - Three weeks before the election, the Kennedys are honored during a ticker- tape parade in New York City. Jackie wears a wide cut coat and pillbox hat by Givenchy.

May 31, 1961 - Jackie dons a yellow natural straw hat by Halston that matches a favorite yellow silk suit for luncheon at the Élysée Palace in France.

June 30, 1962 - Jackie wears a pink parabuntal straw hat designed to match her pink silk shantung sleeveless suit by Oleg Cassini, which was perfect for the summer heat in Mexico. Here Jackie gives a speech in Spanish at a luncheon with Mexico's President Adolfo López Mateos.

March 27, 1963 - Jackie wears a navy lacquered straw brimmed hat during a welcoming ceremony for King Hassan II of Morocco at Union Station, Washington, DC.

May 8, 1962 - Jackie wears a chartreuse silk shantung brimmed Breton hat for the launch of the nuclear submarine USS Lafayette.

April 11, 1962 - Jackie wears a natural straw brimmed Breton hat with a simple navy suit during a welcoming ceremony for the Shah of Iran and his wife. The bag? Christian Dior.

I hope you've enjoyed this week of exploring the fashion of Jacqueline Kennedy as much as I have. Of course, there is far more than what I've shown here, so I'll definitely come back to her sometime in the future.

All photos from "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years".