If you’ve been following the Women We Love series, you know how fascinated we are with the effortlessly chic and charismatic Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Before her whirlwind romance with John F. Kennedy Jr. and their iconic Tribeca apartment, Carolyn made a name for herself in the world of fashion PR with Calvin Klein. When she finally did tie the knot with her beloved John on September 23rd, 1996, Carolyn walked down the aisle wearing a dress by Narciso Rodriguez (whom she had previously worked with). It was a slip dress, crafted from pearl-while silk crêpe and accessorized with a silk tulle veil and crystal Manolo Blahnik sandals. On her arms, she wore long white opera-style gloves, and in her hands, she carried a sweet bouquet of lilies of the valley. Her hair, so often seen worn straight or pulled into classic updos for outings, was swept up into a tousled bun and held by a clip that once belonged to her mother-in-law Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis. 

Following the very private ceremony held at the First African Baptist Church on Cumberland Island, Georgia, the newlyweds were photographed descending the church steps on their way to a reception at the island’s Greyfield Inn. Denia Reggie was one of the photographers who captured the magical moment, along with 25 other Kennedy weddings. “The dress was lovely and very fitting. [Carolyn] certainly wore it beautifully, and it was made for her,” Reggie told Vanity Fair in a 2021 interview. “It was lovely in its simplicity and elegance and was very much consistent with the theme or feel of the wedding. It was five-star perfection!” There’s no denying how iconic Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s simple and elegant wedding dress would become in the following years. Former Harper Bazzar’s editor-in-chief, Kate Betts, even described the dress during an interview with Vanity Fair as “crystallizing that trend [minimalism] in fashion.” 

Our two cents? The dress was designed to highlight the woman wearing it. In other words, the bride wore the dress with the intent of not letting it “wear her.” Its simple, breezy, and timeless construction reflected Carolyn Bessette’s love for minimalist fashion. It draped just the right way on her tall frame and moved with her, further calling attention to its wearer and her loving groom. While there aren’t many photographs of the wedding that have been made available for the public to see (the couple was married in private), her stylish wedding look inspired wedding trends for years to come. As we know, however, trends never fully go out of style and have a habit of coming back around. Do you know any famous brides who have worn a slip dress to their nuptials lately?

With love.

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