The U.S. through the lens of style

SHE WAS YOUNG, beautiful, and cultivated. She had studied European literature and art, spoke French and Spanish, and traveled abroad extensively. Her taste was impeccable--at once simple and sophisticated. She had, one might say, a modern outlook informed by Old World values. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy was a new kind of First Lady, and the world embraced her as a role model and inspiration. By following her own standards and aspirations, she broadened an awareness of the arts and historic preservation. With her husband, she opened our eyes to international culture and engagement. She transformed our idea of what a First Lady could be, and, in doing so, she transformed the image of America.

"Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years--Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum" examines the influence of this extraordinary woman through the unique lens of style. On display are more than 70 articles of clothing and personal items, classic and rarely-seen photographs, Mrs. Kennedy's handwritten notes, video excerpts from her White House tour, etc. Through these intimate objects and public events, the exhibition transports visitors back to a memorable time in our nation's history--a moment when the world opened before us, and nothing seemed impossible.

While the exhibition displays many of Jacqueline Kennedy's signature outfits and accessories--from pillbox hat and sunglasses to A-line dresses and elegant formal gowns--it is tar more than a fashion show.

"People through the ages, in every part of the world, have used clothing and personal adornment to create identities for themselves and their cultures," explains John McCarter, president of The Field Museum, Chicago. "This exhibition examines how Jacqueline Kennedy created her own public image, and how that image relates to the change in American cultural perspective--the emphasis on youth and vigor, internationalism and culture--that began in the early 1960s."

Mrs. Kennedy publicly feigned innocence of her role. "What does my hairdo have to do with my husband's ability to be President?" she wrote from the campaign trail. Yet, this, too, was part of the image. She was well aware of her power, and used it wisely. "I know that I am so much more of fashion interest than other First Ladies," she told her fashion coordinator, Oleg Cassini. Cassini himself was chosen precisely to project an image: the American fashion magazines had begun to criticize Kennedy's French tastes, and, unlike the more famous designers of the day, who were predominantly French, Cassini was an American, working in New York. (Though born in Paris and raised in Florence, he became a U.S. citizen in 1942.)

With Cassini and others--including Roy Halston Frowick and various American designers, as well as the French design houses of Chez Ninon, Hubert de Givenchy, and Coco Chanel--Mrs. Kennedy chose uncluttered styles that used subtleties of construction to emphasize the wearer rather than the clothes. This understated look--formerly the province of the upper classes and French design--quickly was embraced by the public in the U.S. and around the globe.

Pres. John F. Kennedy knew his wife was a powerful asset, not only on the campaign trail but in his national and international relations. What was it about Jacqueline Kennedy that so captivated people everywhere she went? Perhaps it was not so much the First Lady herself, as her attention to them. Before leaving for a trip abroad--whether on a state visit with the President or on her own as a goodwill ambassador--she did her research. She read about the history and culture of the country, as well as its current concerns. Once there, she demonstrated respect for that nation's people through her words, actions, and wardrobe.

The young Jacqueline Bouvier had studied French literature at Vassar, George Washington University, and the Sorbonne, and she spoke fluent French--even serving, at times, as translator for her husband during informal meetings with heads of state. For visits to Europe, she wore elegant French designs, and Parisians considered her one of their own. At a tense meeting in Austria between Pres. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, the often-belligerent Soviet leader was utterly beguiled by the First Lady. He spoke animatedly with her throughout dinner and declared her sequined dress "beautiful."

On trips to Latin America, as her husband built support for the Alliance for Progress, Mrs. Kennedy wore a wardrobe of bright "sun colors" and spoke in Spanish to wildly cheering crowds. For a visit to India, she dressed in colors inspired by famous Indian book illustrations of the 16th century, and arrived in a jacket styled after those favored by the prime minister himself. While in that country, she laid white roses at the shrine of the beloved Mahatma Gandhi, a gesture of respect that won her praise throughout India.

The First Lady's attention to others was nowhere more evident than in the dinner she and the President gave to honor Andre Malraux, France's minister of culture and esteemed novelist, art historian, explorer, resistance fighter, and statesman. Mrs. Kennedy assembled a stunning guest list of famous artists, writers, and composers--particularly those most admired in France to reflect the guest of honor's multifaceted career and testify to the importance of the arts in the U.S. Malraux was so charmed that he promised his hostess he would send America his country's most famous cultural treasure--the Mona Lisa.