Photo by my father
“Never show [the secret of the trick to] anyone. They'll beg you and they'll flatter you for the secret, but as soon as you give it up... you'll be nothing to them... The secret impresses no one. The trick you use it for is everything.”
- Christian Bale as Alfred Borden in Christopher Nolan's The Prestige
17 comments:
This picture really captures the moment of transition from the secret to the trick. While Ms. Onassis was glamorous and, obviously, highly influential, I never thought of her as preppy. I am heartened that, judging by your choice of quote on her birthday eve, I think you are confirming my feelngs.
@Pat - while I agree with you that Jackie is not preppy, her outfit here, and this picture overall, is.
I recall reading somewhere that Jack Bouvier taught his daughter something similar - always keep some mystery about herself - she did it beautifully!
Now you're looking for the secret. But you won't find it because of course, you're not really looking. You don't really want to work it out. You want to be fooled.
The Prestige
My grandparents were in the welcoming party when she christened the USS LaFayette back in 1962. I'll have to dig out the photos the next time I'm at my parents' house.
Jackie was probably far too glamorous to be considered truly preppy, but I've yet to see a photo of her where she looks less than fantastically stylish. The Kennedy family, on the other hand, should get an award for mimicking preppy style and lifestyle with unbelievable accuracy. It raises an interesting question about "authenticity" and the appearance of authenticity, and at what point the two eventually merge.
I remember in the late 1980s crossing paths with Mrs Onassis on Madison Avenue on late weekend morning. I smiled and gave way as she sauntered uptown alone. She smiled back and nodded. I felt the simple act of silent recognition was appreciated by her.
I am always taken aback when I see the Kennedys marketed (not on this blog) as "preppy" and/ or as an example of an old New England family....
That said, Jackie Kennedy was a First Lady who did excellent work in the White House and was an accomplished "ambassador" overseas as well. She had a great sense of style and will always be remembered for it.
@Anonymous 2:51 - I could not agree more, as well as with WRJ.
Beautiful picture. She's such a style icon.
xx
Carol-Anne
http://www.thestylishstudent.com
Jackie O and Lilly Pulitzer attended prep school together in NYC. Now that's pure prep.
I'm tempted to agree with Anon 2:51, but I think the word "preppy" is very difficult to use before the War. Beginning in the Fifties it's easy; before then -- well, the WASP Ascendency had many parts to it. In the 20s and early 30s, rich girls in New York were still sometimes wearing dresses from Worth!
That said, my mother fondly remembered Jackie's brilliant smile as she climbed on to the Chapin school bus. And my mother was no sort of Kennedy fan.
The last time I saw her was on a cold rainy morning in Middleburg about six months before her illness became public. She was all alone, in full riding gear, walking down the opposite side of Washington Street. I asked my wife, Well, what do you think about that? She hadn't even noticed the most famous woman since Cleopatra -- mostly because her face was red and swollen and she looked quite a bit like Joe Alsop.
I don't know enough about photography equipment to appreciate the nuances of its use to create these photos you share here. But I do recognize your dad's artful eye of which this photo is yet another exquisite example.
M
I find the question of "authenticity" so interesting. The Kennedy's were poor Irish Catholics who, in three generations, achieved a kind of wasp-ish splendor that did something to define wasp splendor in the second half of the 20th century. Similarly, Ralph Lauren and Woody Allen (in films like "Match Point") were poor Jews from The Bronx who created a vision of wasp old money that they then sold back to the old money wasps.
But I wouldn't say that any of them are "inauthentic." Wealth and taste are real, independent of whether one's parents possessed them as well. Indeed, people who have seen wealth and taste from the outside may be able to understand them better than those who are to the manor born.
Hi. I have a personal question about repp ties. I have brooks repp ties and j.press ones. But, the shade of navy (especially navy and bar stripe pattern)is different from each other. Hopefully, you have both. I am asking this since I think you have a very exceptional insight about color and match all the time. Which one do you think is better? Which one do you recommend when it comes to repp ties?
Great photo of her.
Had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times. Found her very pleasant, albeit guarded (for obvious reasons).
Jackie Kennedy was a very intelligent woman with a great deal of class. Whether or not she was "preppy" seems irrelevant to me.
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