Sarah Pidgeon Recreates the Carolyn Bessette Kennedy Fall Outfit on Every Fashion Girl's Mood Board
The ultimate minimalist look.
As soon as the first steaming hot swig of a seasonal latte hits, the fashion girls start down a rabbit hole of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's minimalist-chic wardrobe. As the unofficial mascot of autumnal style, her '90s-era ensembles are returned to annually, once the leaves start to change.
This year, the inspiration has been abundant. Sarah Pidgeon is currently on set for the Bessette Kennedy biopic series, American Love Story. As such, she's been offering up new interpretations of Bessette Kennedy's iconic style with each scene she films. Yesterday's outfit, for example, was a timeless style that's probably already pinned to your fall mood board.
While filming with her on-screen husband Paul Kelly, who plays John F. Kennedy Jr., Pidgeon embodied the role to perfection. She wore a black, wool car coat over a matching crew-neck sweater. On bottom, she tapped several more hard-working staples: kick-flare jeans and a pair of leather loafers. Classic, chic, and elegant as it comes.
To add a bit of interest, costume designer Lou Eyrich broke up the black-and-denim moment with a few tortoise shell accessories. Pidgeon wore a pair of brown frames, while a coordinating tortoise shell headband held back her Bessette-Kennedy-blonde hair.
Sarah Pidgeon duplicated Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's fall style for American Love Story.
The look is a near-exact duplication of a Bessette Kennedy look from Oct. 18, 1997—nearly 28 years ago to the day. The only notable difference is in hairstyle and neckline. The real CBK sported a neat bun and turtleneck.
Carolyn Bessette Kennedy is seen in Tribeca with John F. Kennedy Jr. on October 18, 1997.
Both looks were recreated for the upcoming biopic series, American Love Story.
Though the sartorial aspects of the series have received much scrutiny, the resemblance of this look to the original is undeniable.
Shop Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's Classic Fall Outfit
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Kelsey (she/her) is a freelance fashion editor and writer. At Marie Claire, she provides witty celeb style commentary, unpacking the style choices of stars like Zoë Kravitz, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, and her fashion superhero, Rihanna. When she’s not tracking the personal style of Hollywood’s elite, Kelsey also covers designer collabs and industry news.
Before taking her talents to Marie Claire, Kelsey was the Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, where she oversaw the site’s fashion coverage. Prior to Bustle, she came from a six-year stint at Seventeen. In her freelance era, Kelsey contributes to publications like InStyle, Cosmopolitan,and more. Follow @klstieg on Instagram for 'fit pics and travel recommendations.