The camera-ready Kennedys evoked the mystique of Camelot.
by Donna Evers
A photo of Jackie Kennedy during her White House years.
When President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his beautiful, young wife moved into the White House, it was the beginning of a new era in American style. Handsome and photogenic, with adorable little children in tow, they provided a considerable contrast to the plain, aging Eisenhowers of the preceding regime. The young president presented the voters with a brilliant vision for the country’s future. The newly refurbished executive mansion – whose renovations were directed by Jackie Kennedy in person – became the setting for glittering dinner parties presided over by French chefs. These evenings featured a stunning guest list of notables from the world of music, art and literature. Presiding over this splendor, Ms. Kennedy floated regally through the magazines and newspapers in one gorgeous gown after another. Princess Diana may have captured the hearts of her countrymen in the 1980’s, but in the ’60’s, Jackie was our queen.
