The assassination of John F. Kennedy has been prodded at, picked apart, dissembled, and reassembled. It has been analyzed down the last stitches of clothing worn by the occupants of that ill-fated motorcade. Find everything that has been disclosed thus far here.
Today, we bring you the fascinating story behind the pink suit that Jackie Kennedy wore on that Friday, November 22nd, 1963.
The Pink Chanel Suit
In the ’60s, the first ladies followed a tradition established in the 1800s. When 23rd first lady Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison bolstered the America first policy by revealing her dress was made locally, she made it an unspoken rule for her contemporaries.
Due to this tradition, the 35th first lady wore a pink suit from Coco Chanel’s 1961 Fall/Winter line-up on what would turn out to be her husband’s final day. Her ensemble featured:
- A pink bouclé coat with round gold buttons and a navy-blue lapel
- A matching pink bouclé skirt
- A similar pillbox hat
- White gloves
- A few pearl necklaces
Lady Bird Recounts the Assassination
When President Kennedy was assassinated, Jackie was sitting beside him. Meanwhile, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson occupied a different vehicle with his wife, Lady Bird Johnson. The latter reported that, as soon as the first shots were fired, she saw “a bundle of pink” in the car’s backseat, which she believes was Jackie covering her husband’s body.
From Pink Suit to Bloody Symbol
As Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson took over as the 36th US President, Jackie Kennedy was featured on national television boarding Air Force One wearing the same pink suit, now stained with her husband’s blood—she did this on purpose.
After arriving at the hospital, she refused to take off the skirt-suit so that her husband’s killers and everyone else could “see what they’ve done.” It reportedly stayed on her person until the morning after.
The Suit’s Whereabouts
Those who didn’t see Jackie Kennedy in the flesh that day didn’t know the exact shade of the pink suit until November 29th, 1963, when Life Magazine published colorized images in a memorial issue.
We may never know the whereabouts of the pillbox hat and white gloves, but the forever-stained skirt-suit, stockings, shoes, and handbag that Jackie wore that day were preserved in the National Archives in the 1960s. They likely won’t see the light of day until 2103 due to a deed of gift condition by Jackie’s daughter Caroline.
Support Kennedys and King to Uncover the Truth Behind the JFK Assassination
We never get to see Jackie Kennedy’s suit for as long as we live, but let’s not let that be the case with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Use your platform to advocate for the truth behind one of America’s most high-profile unsolved cases.
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