CEBU, Philippines - Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, Jackie as she is fondly remembered, was born in New York society, the eldest daughter of Jack Vernou Bouvier, a playboy stockbroker of French descent and his wife Janet Norton Lee. Jackie had a younger sister, Lee Radziwill Ross, who was married three times. Her parents divorced when Jackie was young and her mother remarried the wealthy Hugh Auchincloss.
As a child Jackie was a well-trained equestrian; she loved horses. She also enjoyed writing poems and apparently adored her father. Her mother was said to be old-fashioned and strict, instilling in her children a strong sense of etiquette, manners, dress and upper-class customs.
Jackie, who was famously married to President John F. Kennedy until his death in 1963 and then to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, is often cited as a style icon. She supported creative adventures in both the arts and fashion industries. Some of the famous designers she loved to wear included Oleg Cassini, Coco Chanel, Hubert de Givenchy, and Christian Dior. Although she spent thousands of dollars purchasing chic ensembles, her look was easily translated to American women - and the entire world for that matter - and became affordable and attainable.
Clean suits and silhouettes, A-line dresses with a skirt hem down to middle of the knee, three-quarter sleeves on notch-collar jackets, above-the-elbow gloves, low-heel pumps and famous pillbox hats became her trademarks. And the "Jackie Look" took over mainstream fashion.
From her oversize dark shades to her signature sheath dresses, three-strand pearls, to her love of French food, Jackie had a sense of style we could all learn from.
Lesson No. l -
Less is more. While Jackie kept an eye on trends, she simply wore one or two accessories.
Lesson No. 2 -
It is all about the fit. You can buy a cheap item and have it tailored. Jackie always experimented with new looks.
Lesson No. 3 -
Mix different styles. Jackie loved decorating. She tried on different color schemes and patterns, especially in the early years, and she did not believe in a matching look. She was always making fine adjustments.
Lesson No. 4 -
Shuffle your stuff. You can achieve a different look, but not radically different - a different mood, a different attitude, but the same stuff.
Lesson No. 5 -
Personalize correspondence. Jackie was famous for handwriting beautiful letters and notes. She never started with thank you. She would talk about the event first and what was special about it for a few sentences before even saying thank you.
Lesson No. 6 -
Use accessories. A scarf can add chic and glamour to the look. Pearls can be worn for daytime or evening affairs.
Lesson No. 7 -
Simplicity. Feminine silhouettes and simple lines are best dress cuts to create a strong but elegant image. Elegance is the attitude. Since childhood Jackie has been known for her good manners and feminine attire.
On January 1994, Jackie was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer. Her diagnosis was announced to the public the following month. The family and doctors were initially optimistic and she stopped smoking at the insistence of her daughter, having previously been a three-pack-a-day smoker. The cancer proved to be aggressive and by April had spread. She made her last trip home from New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center on May 18, 1994. The following night at 10.15 p.m. Jackie died in her sleep.
(Reference: Huffington Post)