Midnight, You come and pick me up, no headlights, Long drive, Could end in burning flames or paradise…sounds like Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy, Jr., huh? As the song says, they never went out of style. The famously tragic It Couple of the 1990s is back on everyone’s fashion radar thanks to FX’s Love Story, and while we can’t endorse a full return to every ’90s trend (all that indoor smoking looks cool but probably smelled horrendous), CBK’s minimalist aesthetic is iconic for a reason. No wonder people got so mad about her character’s costumes that the show hired a new designer and tracked down all of the originals they could.
Sadly, most of us don’t have the means to search eBay for Bessette Kennedy’s exact Prada boots or Birkin bag, but her jeans? Those we can copy. And jeans are something you’ll actually continue to wear after the CBK resurgence inevitably fades (sorry, but a trend is a trend is a trend).
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Here are the exact jeans Carolyn Bessette wore before and after becoming Mrs. Kennedy.
Levi’s 517s
Levi’s 517 Bootcut Men’s Jeans
The original 517 bootcut jean is a men’s style, and before many brands hopped on the “boyfriend” trend, fashionistas would simply belt a men’s jean and call it a day. You can still shop the 517 on the Levi’s site, and there is a women’s version…except Levi’s isn’t making it right now. I’m sure someone at the company is absolutely screaming to get them into production before the Love Story season finale, but in the meantime, there’s Etsy. (Note: the 517s from the ’90s and the 517s from the ’70s have slightly different waistlines; here’s more info for the curious.)
If you want something a bit more luxury that also doesn’t have the Levi’s tag (kind of a giveaway that you’re copying a TV show), Agolde is doing straight-legged minimalism very well right now.
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Levi’s ribcage bell jeans
Levi’s Ribcage Bell Jeans
Per Elle, this was another favorite style of the late publicist, and costs just $110 on Levi’s.com. Save money and add stretch by shopping this dupe from Quince, and get just the right “kick flare” from this Sézane pair.