Photo credit: Getty Images/Araya Diaz
There has been an endless string of first ladies who have notably donned pearls. Martha Washington, our nation’s first First Lady, owned various pearl pieces from earrings to brooches and our current First Lady Michelle Obama wears a beautiful double strand necklace in her official White House portrait. But it’s undoubtedly Jackie Kennedy who has become synonymous with pearls partly due to her hefty signature triple strand necklace plus the ongoing infatuation with her style in general.
“Jackie”, the new movie from director Pedro Larraín which comes out December 2nd, has reignited the public’s fascination with Kennedy due mostly to the critical acclaim and early accolades the film has received and Oscar winner Natalie Portman’s stunning portrayal of the former First Lady days after President Kennedy’s death.
The film seems to remind people of the fact that Kennedy was much more than a stylish and regal First Lady, but complex, distraught and truly human particularly following her husband’s assassination.
The pearls are really just a beautiful punctuation and symbol of her grace and dignity. It’s no wonder why Kennedy’s legacy and the look of pearls have both endured through eras, beyond trends and across cultural borders to represent the epitome of strength and style.