JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette in New York City, and Paul Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon are seen on the set of "Love Story." Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images; Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images "Love Story" follows the doomed love story of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. The show recreates several of Bessette-Kennedy's iconic looks and timeless style. The show's costume designer was replaced after initial backlash to how star Sarah Pidgeon was styled. The iconic style of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy has been often imitated but never replicated — until now. "Love Story," which is produced by Ryan Murphy for FX, chronicles the fated relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who died in a plane crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in July 1999. The series has drawn praise for its striking casting — with Sarah Pidgeon bearing an uncanny resemblance to Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and Paul Anthony Kelly closely capturing the look of John F. Kennedy Jr. — as well as for its thoughtful costume design, which carefully recreates and honors Bessette-Kennedy's real-life style. Here's a look at how the show recreated and paid homage to Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's style. The series recreated an early Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy look down to the leather loafers. Jenny Landy and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in New York City in 1995; Sarah Pidgeon is seen filming "Love Story" in New York City. Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images; TheStewartofNY/GC Images In this scene, before she meets John F. Kennedy Jr. for the first time, Carolyn (played by Sarah Pidgeon) wears a simple black turtleneck, flared black capri pants, and black leather loafers. In both the show and real life, Bessette-Kennedy worked as a showroom assistant for Calvin Klein before rising the ranks to become head of publicity for the fashion house. Despite marrying into American royalty, Bessette-Kennedy knew how to perfect a casual look. JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette in New York City, and Paul Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon are seen on the set of "Love Story." Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images; Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images She was often seen wearing loose Levi's 517 jeans, her hair slicked back into a bun, with a simple monochromatic coat over the top. When it came to recreating the New York City icon's style, the series didn't always nail it. Early leaked images from the set were criticized online for being too modern, fast-fashion-looking, and different from Kennedy-Bessette's more upscale style. In response to the backlash, the show brought in a new costume designer, Rudy Mance, who dedicated himself to making the costumes as accurate as possible. "I get it. I'm protective of [John and Carolyn] as well. We all just wanted to be as precise and accurate as possible," Mance told Variety. Mance said he and his team studied for months throughout filming, comparing old paparazzi photos of the couple with the new looks he was creating for the show and pulling in as many archival and vintage pieces as possible to accurately recreate the look. Part of Bessette-Kennedy's enduring appeal was her dedication to a minimalist, understated style that felt polished yet effortlessly cool. Lawrence Schwartzwald/Sygma/Getty Images; Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images "There's so much mystery about Carolyn. My familiarity with her was through paparazzi images," lead actor Sarah Pidgeon told Vogue. Mance said that recreating Kennedy's style before she was thrust into the public eye was the most challenging. "Everybody knows what they wore from 1996 to 1999, but we were telling the story of how they met," he said, according to Glamour. Her formal looks remained simple but added a sexy edge, a balance "Love Story" tried to recreate. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and JFK Jr. in 1998; Sarah Pidgeon in "Love Story." Steve Eichner/Penske Media/Getty Images; FX Networks Bessette-Kennedy often looked effortlessly sexy when she stepped out on red carpets, like in the strapless black Yohji Yamamoto gown photographed above. Pidgeon wears a similar dress for her meet-cute with Kelly in episode one of the series. It was delicate work for Pidgeon to strike the same balance, especially when fans reacted strongly to early images of her in the role. However, the actor told Vogue she was ultimately grateful for the public feedback about her portrayal. "The online conversations at the beginning of the process served as a reminder of how important it was to get our portrayal of Carolyn correct. She grew even more important to me," Pidgeon told Vogue. "People really, really love Carolyn, and my priority every single day on set was doing justice to her legacy." And even when they were recreating simple outfits, the "Love Story" team ensured the fit was similar to what Carolyn would have worn. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy poses for a picture at a gala in 1999; Sarah Pidgeon in "Love Story." Evan Agostini/Liaison/Getty Images; FX Networks Although Bessette-Kennedy's simple outfits could be recreated with off-brand designers — like the white blouse and floor-length black skirt by Yohji Yamamoto that she wore in 1999 — Mance was dedicated to finding archival pieces. Pidgeon was wearing true recreations of Bessette-Kennedy's looks whenever possible. He also ensured the pieces would fit Pidgeon similarly to how they fit Bessette-Kennedy, as Pidgeon told Vogue. "We found her Prada and Valentino coats, and fitted some Levi's so that they looked exactly how they fit Carolyn," Pidgeon told Vogue. By recreating the magic of Bessette-Kennedy's wardrobe, the "Love Story" team offered a window into her world. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in 1999; Sarah Pidgeon on the set of "Love Story." Justin Ide/Getty Images; Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images Kennedy's clothes were always going to play a central part in her on-screen portrayal since style was so critical to her identity. However, Pidgeon said she hoped the clothes she wears offer a jumping-off point for the total woman she hopes to portray. "She is known as this minimalist fashion icon, but I learned that she was also vivacious, funny, and had a wildness about her," she told Vogue. Read the original article on Business Insider

Wuthering Heights is the latest film to turn heads over anachronistic costumes, but it’s not by any means the first Emerald Fennell’s retelling of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights finally hits cinema screens this weekend. Ever since the first set of photos were released, the anachronisms of the costumes have been central to the conversation. As fashion industry watchdog Diet Prada put it: “The costume design for Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights scandalised audiences with its freaky mix of Oktoberfest corseting meets 1950’s ballgowns meets futuristic liquid organza meets … Barbie?” Continue reading...

Sir Elton John didn’t just write the music for “The Devil Wears Prada” — he popped in at the Broadway Across America’s Biennial Theatrical Conference to sell it himself. The closed-to-press gathering, held Feb. 9-11 at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, gives producers, presenters and booking agents from across North America an early look […]

Brands like Toteme are becoming more popular as investment dressing resurges. Edward Berthelot/Getty Images Workwear is recalibrating to styles that balance comfort with a more polished look. The tightening job market and return-to-office mandates have chipped away at pandemic casualness. Employees may also be using more polished workwear to create a boundary between work and home. Dress for the job you want to… keep? In a job market where power has shifted toward employers, at least one thing remains within an employee's control: how they choose to show up to work. With layoffs and slow hiring shaping the labor market and RTO mandates pulling employees back into offices, experts say workers are dressing more carefully to project competence. In periods of uncertainty, clothing is less about comfort and self-expression, and more about job security, Lizzy Bowring, a creative strategist and trend forecaster, told Business Insider. "Dressing smarter serves as career risk management," she said. The business casual era gave way to full-on casual Business casual had an era — a long one. Over the past 30 years, suits and ties have given way to blazers and sweaters in many white-collar industries. By the early 2000s, the casual look was ubiquitous in tech. Think Mark Zuckerberg's signature gray T-shirt, hoodie, and jeans. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers the opening keynote address at the f8 Developer Conference April 21, 2010 Justin Sullivan/Getty Images When the pandemic hit, casual dressing went from trend to default. There was no need to dress up for your living room. But times are different now. Workers are being called back into the office, and the franzied "Great Resignation" period post-pandemic, when employers were scrambling to retain staff and thrust into bidding wars to scoop up talent, is well behind us. The balance of power has shifted from employee to employer. US businesses are hiring at one of the slowest rates since 2013, and the early impact of AI is beginning to show up. Last month saw more layoffs than any January since 2009, as big companies like Amazon and Citi announced plans to cut thousands of jobs. Because of this, "employees are becoming more conscious of how they present themselves, not because they're being told to, but because uncertainty changes behaviour," Frances Li, founder and director of Biscuit Recruitment, a boutique recruitment agency based in London and New York, told Business Insider. Recalibration, not return An example of a more tailored silhouette is the oversized blazer, pictured here on content creator and writer Alba Garavito Torre. Edward Berthelot/Getty Images Still, experts say we aren't seeing a full return to suits and straight-cut dresses. Trend forecaster Lizzy Bowring describes this as an "'intentional recalibration' — blending comfort with sharper silhouettes, structured tailoring and more deliberate styling." The jacket you once wore over a T-shirt to look smarter for a Zoom meeting is now shifting to a more tailored look, said Bowring. Think oversized blazers and fitted dresses. Fashion's messaging is reflecting this. There's a focus on tailoring and silhouette-forming pieces across luxury brands like Prada, Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta, she said. A model walks the runway at Bottega Veneta's Spring/Summer 2026 fashion show at Milan Fashion Week in September. Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Economic uncertainty has also revived interest in investment dressing: wardrobe staples that work in the office and beyond, cut with precision and built to last. Brands like The Row and Toteme have gained cultural relevance by positioning their pieces as investments, reinforcing the appeal of clothing "that communicates stability, longevity and professional credibility," Bowring added. TikTok content about what to wear to the office and why it matters has also grown in popularity. Younger members of Gen Z, entering office settings for the first time, are questioning how to balance their personal style with work-appropriate attire. Grace McCarrick, a content creator who delivers soft skills training to companies such as Uber and Spotify, said her TikTok videos on being intentional with your appearance at work have been some of her most viral — garnering hundreds of thousands of views. @graceforpersonalityhires The cheat no one is telling you about- you don’t have to look super polished if you look rich. In the north east, the look tends to be a bit dull lol but do what feels right for you ♬ original sound - grace mccarrick "It is so complicated to move up and get noticed in the workforce today," she said. The idea of 'dressing for success' is one of the only levers you can control to help you progress at work, she added. "People who put in the effort stand out like neon signs. They've upped their charisma factor by simply not being as schlubby as everyone else. They could be the most awkward person, but because they look good in a sea of wrinkled khakis with black sneaker 'dress shoes,' they're magnetic," she said. Setting boundaries Formal dress is also a way for employees to clearly distinguish between work and home life. "Work wear cues a performance state, whereas home wear signals a relaxation state," Hajo Adam, an organizational psychologist and professor at the University of Bath, told Business Insider. This separation might help people to actually switch off when work finishes. So, once the clock strikes 5 p.m. — go ahead, loosen up, and hang up your blazer, whether your desk is in the office or in your living room. Read the original article on Business Insider