It was only a few months ago that the minimalist 1990s style of Carolyn Bassette-Kennedy, spurred on by the TV series Love Story, was the go-to aesthetic for inspiration. And while I’ll always be enamoured by Carolyn’s headbands and classic taste, as the weather gets warmer I find myself turning to her mother-in-law, Jackie Kennedy, for style inspiration.
Known for her pillbox hats and skirt suits, Jackie Kennedy has long been an icon for timeless elegance, but it’s her summer holiday style that offers the perfect blueprint for laidback polish. From wandering the streets of Amalfi Harbour in Italy with her sister Lee to visiting the Greek island of Hydra with her second husband Aristotle Onassis, her well-documented travel outfit formula was a simple t-shirt, white trousers, oversized sunglasses and, the pièce de résistance – a headscarf, tied behind the nape of her neck.
As an Australian, and a fringe wearer no less, I’ve learned the hard way that the key to staying cool and looking polished in the hot and humid Queensland summer is to completely pull your hair away from your face. A slick-back bun is one way, a headband is another, but Jackie Kennedy’s headscarf is the easiest and chicest of them all when on holiday.
With a headscarf, wet hair from swimming can be easily covered up, and a hat can be worn on top to protect from the sun. And when it’s not being worn on your head, a scarf can be tied on your bag (even better if it’s a basket bag), or around the waist as a belt, plus it takes up absolutely no room in your luggage.
