This week marks 25 years since Carolyn Bassett-Kennedy’s untimely death, but her influence on the fashion world remains as strong as ever.
The 33-year-old, who lived in New York and worked as a public relations officer for Calvin Klein, found herself thrust into the spotlight due to her relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr., the only son of the late US president.
As a result of the intense media interest in their relationship, Carolyn was frequently photographed on the streets of New York and unintentionally became the poster girl for minimalist style in the 90s.
In recent years, Carolyn’s understated street style and elegant occasion wear have seen her rediscovered on TikTok as a fashion “it girl” for millennials and Gen Z.
Currently, there are over 20,000 videos dedicated to CBK’s style on the video-sharing platform, with millions of views.
Pictured: Carolyn Bassett Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. attend the Grand Central Gala in May 1998. Pictured: TikTok user Andrea Ricci models a black strapless midi dress similar to the one Carolyn wore to the Grand Central Gala in May 1998.
Earlier this year, TikTok user Kate Cope recreated Carolyn’s New York street-style look, which consisted of a minimalist black coat, white T-shirt, blue jeans, and round sunglasses.
She wrote in the video, “I love you forever [Carolyn’s] style.’
Meanwhile, social media star Andrea Ricci posted a video of herself modelling in a black strapless gown similar to the one the late fashion icon wore to the Grand Central Gala in May 1998, saying she was in her “Carolyn Bassett era”.
Speaking to FEMAIL, London-based fashion expert and stylist Georgina Ramazzotti explained how Carolyn Bassett-Kennedy’s style was at the forefront of the “revolutionary” minimalist fashion movement.
The expert said: “Fashion in the early ’90s was still emerging from the hangover of the ’80s.”
“With flashy Versace prints, oversized gold jewelry, and the original supermodels dominating the radio, when this ethereal, makeup-free woman, wearing no jewelry and only modest clothing, captured the heart of arguably America’s most desirable bachelor, she also captured the attention of the world.”
Georgina added that she is seeing a resurgence in Carolyn’s popularity among millennials and Gen Z: “Fashion designers like Gabriela Hearst and Michael Kors have credited her for still inspiring them, and Anna Wintour has called the Kennedys’ style ‘fabulously modern.’ So with the ’90s having a resurgence in popularity, it’s no wonder that Carolyn is making a comeback with young fashion fans.”
“For women with access to every designer at their disposal and the financial means to be as bold as they wanted, her quiet style and understated dress were easy to emulate and continue to resonate with young people today.”
Pictured: Carolyn Bassett Kennedy, who worked as a publicist for Calvin Klein, on the streets of New York in the 1990s. TikTok user Kate Cope recreated one of Carolyn’s New York street style looks: a minimalist black coat, white T-shirt, blue jeans and round sunglasses. Pictured: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bassett leave an apartment in New York’s TriBeCa neighborhood. Pictured: TikTok user Kate, known by the username Rhinestone Cowgirll, recreated the outfit online.
“It’s 2024, and Gen Z and millennials are embracing ‘quiet luxury’ and ‘old-school aesthetics,’ and TikTok is flooded with ‘how-to’ videos and tips on how to emulate the trend. The No. 1 requirement? Subtlety.”
“What we’re seeing is a backlash against athletic wear and untailored sportswear due to the pandemic. Gen Z and millennials who weren’t able to leave their homes, dress up and express their true selves are now spreading their wings and embracing self-expression through fashion.”
“Whether returning to the office, meeting friends for weekends, taking international trips or, for some, entering a work environment for the first time, we are moving away from memories of couch-bound lockdown and into a glorious new life full of elegance, sophistication and style with freedom of expression.”
“Big logos, loud T-shirts and worn-out trainers were shunned in favour of tailored separates, classic accessories and fresh make-up. Case in point? Carolyn Bassett-Kennedy’s style: understated, fresh and independent.”
Georgina also said that Carolyn’s wedding dress, a minimalist white silk slip, had the most lasting impact on the fashion world.
Pictured: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bassett Kennedy return from the Bright Night Whitney kickoff party in March 1999, four months before his tragic death. Pictured: The glamorous couple, who died in a plane crash in July 1999, are pictured at the Robin Hood Foundation 10th anniversary party in New York in 1998. Pictured: Carolyn Bassett Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. return home from brunch in New York in October 1997.
The expert said: “Carolyn’s 1996 dress, designed by her friend and then-unknown designer Narciso Rodriguez, was an understated masterpiece, accessorised only by Manolo Blahnik sandals and slicked-back hair.”
“Carolyn, with her newlywed husband John on her arm, descends the steps of a modest African Baptist church surrounded by unkempt greenery in rural Georgia. There were only 40 guests. The outfit spawned thousands of replicas.”
From the John Galliano slip dress that Kate Moss wore to her wedding to Jamie Hince to the Stella McCartney halter neck wedding dress that Meghan Markle wore to her reception, Carolyn’s legacy lives on.
Additionally, marketing and fashion expert Josh Newman highlighted that Carolyn’s “timeless sophistication” makes her an inspiration for millennials and Gen Z.
Photo: The wedding photo of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bassett Kennedy appears on the cover of a commemorative issue of Gold Collector Series magazine. John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bassett Kennedy, attended the annual John F. Kennedy Library Foundation dinner and “Portraits of Courage” award ceremony in May 1999 to mark the former president’s 82nd birthday.
The expert continued, “CBK’s closet may seem quite simple at first glance — crisp button-downs, pencil skirts, slacks, and ballet flats — but she has an uncanny knack for making maximum impact with minimal accessories.”
“Rather than relying on loud prints and cuts, she highlighted the purity of fine fabrics, and her discipline in highlighting quality essentials conveys a certain confidence and sophistication.”
“What’s always intrigued me most is how she subverted feminine expectations by fusing so-called ‘masculine’ silhouettes with intimate styling details. By discarding typically feminine adornments, she allowed for bolder accessories like oversized sunglasses, eye-catching brooches and vibrant nail polish. Her playful rebellion against binary stereotypes continues to excite many fashion rebels today.”
Of course, her most famous trait was exuding effortlessly wearable “French girl” glamour: while the socialites of the time might have been obsessed with fit, Carolyn proved that luxury could also be approachable and comfortable.
“Carolyn Bassett-Kennedy proved that if basics shine in their simplicity, then less can actually be more. And her combination of thoughtful restraint and rule-breaking details is part of the reason her style legacy lives on among fans like me. Her influence is ever-present for those looking for chic essentials with a glamorous twist.”
On July 16, 1999, JFK Jr. was piloting a plane with his wife Carolyn (age 33) and Lauren (age 34) when the plane tragically crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. Pictured: Carolyn and Lauren in New York City in 1998 John F. Kennedy Jr. at the controls with his wife Carolyn in 1998 (also pictured aboard a plane that same year)
On July 16, 1999, Carolyn, her husband John, and her sister Lauren were killed when the plane piloted by JFK Jr. crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
They were scheduled to first fly to Martha’s Vineyard to drop off Lauren, then continue to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, to attend the wedding of John’s cousin, Rory, the next day.
According to the new book, “JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography,” Carolyn’s mother warned her daughters not to sail on his boat, the Piper Saratoga, in 1999.
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“She was in a state of panic,” Rosemary writes of the grieving mother in her book. “She was like, ‘I told you never to take both my daughters at the same time.'”
The author said Anne was “angry” after her daughters’ deaths. “I was crying. I was in panic, I was in shock, I was in disbelief,” she recalled.
Carolyn is often blamed for the accident, even though the complex plane was flown by an inexperienced 38-year-old pilot.
In the aftermath of the Kennedy tragedy, Carolyn was blamed for causing an inexperienced pilot to crash into the ocean.
This comes despite the fact that Carolyn often told friends and family that she “didn’t trust” her husband’s flying skills, as documented in DailyMail.com columnist Maureen Callahan’s book, “Ask Not: The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed.”
Carolyn believed that JFK Jr. lacked the perseverance, hard work and focus to become a good pilot.
He didn’t take his training seriously, didn’t log enough flight hours to fly solo, and frequently broke rules by sneaking out to fly solo when he was supposed to be accompanied by an instructor.
On the night of the fatal crash, the pilot of another small plane had told JFK Jr. he was concerned about deteriorating visibility in the sky and told him to wait.
But the eager pilot replied: “No chance.”
His flight instructor offered to fly with him, but he declined. “I want to go alone,” he said.
