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Jackie Kennedy is undoubtedly America's enduring fashion icon. We are familiar with her trendsetting sheath dresses, turtlenecks, hats, and jewelry collection. However, there happens to be a secret behind her shoes that we might not have taken notice of, until now. Read on to discover the astounding mystery!
Kathy McKeon, a former assistant of Jackie Kennedy, published a memoir named Jackie's Girl in 2017. Recalling the days she spent with the widowed former First Lady, McKeon let slip a secret that Jackie had about her shoes for decades…
Thanks to McKeon, we get to have a glimpse of the former First Lady's wardrobe. She recalled in her autobiography, "The bedroom walk-in closet was jam-packed with Madam's everyday clothing, all arranged according to color. I had never seen such a dazzling selection of shoes!" One day, she spotted something odd about Jackie's footwear...
Long before McKeon discovered the secret, Oleg Cassini, Jackie's designer, had probably been aware of it for years. The French American created a wardrobe to accommodate Jackie's unique taste in fashion, including selecting her telling footwear.
As we can see, Jackie was meticulous about her outfits. To create a unique style, she spent $145,000 on clothes and accessories alone in 1961, nearly $50,000 more than JFK's salary! Of course, her custom-made footwear also cost a fortune...
Aware that the Parisian style she adored wouldn't go down well with the patriotic atmosphere in America, Jackie was smart enough to hire a fashion team to localize the French couture. Meanwhile, her shoes had some adjustments made to them as well...
We'll never forget Jackie's signature look as First Lady. She turned A-line dresses, low-heel pumps, colorful suits, and gloves into fashionable items. Well-known designers from around the world were asked to custom-make her clothes, but few of them were let in on the secret behind her mysterious footwear...
After JFK's tragic death, Jackie went for a completely different image, setting another trend with her pantsuits, jackets, and round sunglasses. However, her shoe collection seldom stood out, as if she was trying to hide something from the public eye...
Everything came to light when McKeon published her autobiography Jackie's Girl. She was amazed at how organized the closet was. "It was extremely easy to find anything in it. Everything matched. A pair of pants would always be accompanied with the right blouse… and her shoes were always lined up." No wonder it took McKeon little effort to spot the difference in Jackie's shoes!
Such a perfectionist as Jackie was particular about her choice of footwear. In her letters to her personal shopper Marita O'Connor, she laid out specific requirements for her shoes. "Please order me a pair of alligator shoes – size 10A – medium heel – slender – pointed toe but not exaggerated – tricky vamp business... I like elegant and timeless. I must have these for Inauguration Day so you'll have to rush."
McKeon spotted something unusual in the dazzling shoe collection. One heel from each pair of Jackie's shoes was raised by a one-quarter inch. So, why did she make this tweak?
Because one of Jackie's legs was slightly shorter, she decided to adjust her heels to alleviate her back pain and discomfort. What a creative idea! However, she didn't come up with it herself...
Jackie's husband John F. Kennedy experienced severe back pain during the first two years of their marriage. Having found that his left leg was shorter than his right one, he was advised to affix a heel lift to his left shoe. Jackie may have drawn some inspiration from her beloved spouse!
Jackie's charm lies beyond her love for fashion. McKeon recalled in her memoir, "[Jackie] was more than this glamorous figure. She made me feel like part of the family." Not only did Jackie provide a home for the young Irish lady, she also formed an impeccable friendship that continued after McKeon retired. Jackie even took her two children to McKeon's wedding!
The former First Lady's warm nature was further discussed in McKeon's memoir. The ex-assistant wrote, "She was very shy and scared of crowds, but she had a personality that really shined when you got to know her and she opened up to you." Jackie was truly a ray of sunshine!
Now that Jackie's secret has been revealed, it doesn't make us love her any less. Her legacy as a fashion icon and a down-to-earth First Lady will be forever remembered!
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