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John Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette, the power couple whose style legacy lives on

Young, rich and beautiful – the late JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette were ultimate style icons.

Young, rich and beautiful – the late JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette were ultimate style icons. Photo: Getty

There is a definite ’90s vibe going on in fashion at the moment.

After the excess of the ’80s, a refreshing simplicity dominated the nineties, brought about by designers such as Helmut Lang, Calvin Klein, Jil Sander and Japanese visionaries such as Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garcons.

If I could put a finger on one look that defined the decade it would be the slip dress worn over a t-shirt. Usually seen on Kate Moss.

But perhaps no couple personified this pared-back chic better than John Kennedy Jr and his wife Carolyn Bessette, both of whom lost their young lives in a tragic plane crash not far into their marriage.

As an eligible bachelor JFK Jnr was a notable heartthrob, handsome, curly haired and athletic.

He was a constant presence in New York City, riding his pushbike and looking dashing in his perfectly cut suits, worn with a baseball cap turned backwards or a knitted beanies that gave him a boyish, raffish touch.

It was based in preppiness for sure, with blazers and chinos, but he managed to add a cool edge to it, with a nonchalant muffler or the perfect belt.

It’s a look that is being channeled today by every hipster worth his beard oil.

Carolyn and John hit the streets in New York City in 1999. Photo: Getty

Carolyn, meanwhile, brought a whole new level of style into the equation, a cool elegant blonde who worked in PR at Calvin Klein and who followed the philosophy that less is more.

Her look was a breath of fresh air after an era of Versace gold and Chanel suits.

Although her hair was naturally curly, she wore it straightened and tightly pulled back, her face free of makeup except when she rocked a bright red lip.

Her street style was subtle and perfect – even if she was just in jeans, they were the best jeans, with a slight flare, exactly the right length. Her sandals were simple, but cool. A sweater would be worn with a baseball cap, maybe borrowed from John Jr’s wardrobe; her coats were slim line, tightly belted.

She managed to look incredible in a something as ordinary as a white shirt and black pants.

She had a natural American elegance not unlike that of her superstar mother-in-law, Jackie Onassis, one of the great style icons.

Carolyn was the poster girl for neutrals, and her choice for evening was almost exclusively black; strapless column dresses, the aforementioned slip dress, worn with emphatic black heels, John on her arm wearing an impeccable tuxedo.

Carolyn Bessette and John F Kennedy Jr nailed the laid back aesthetic of that decade. Photo: Getty

Their 1996 wedding was the antithesis of showy wealth and privilege. The fashion world went into raptures at her exquisite silk satin column dress, cut on the bias by designer Narciso Rodriguez, simple veil, barely there makeup, swept back hair.

Carolyn’s no-fuss style has endured, and she has a cult-like status for women who prefer their clothes to be low key and no fuss.

The influence of this couple can still be seen on the streets today, a poignant reminder that real style is eternal.

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