Hailey Bieber Channels Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s Wedding Rehearsal Outfit
Thirty years ago, fashion history was made when Carolyn Bessette Kennedy opted for two simple slips for her wedding weekend—rejecting the poofy, over-the-top bridal standards of the era. Designed by her close friend Narciso Rodriguez, both bias-cut dresses—one for the rehearsal dinner, one for the ceremony—have gone on to epitomize the CBK-specific minimalism that still populates mood boards today. On Monday, ’90s-loving It girl Hailey Bieber enriched that lore by dipping into the archives and wearing a version of the former.
For an intimate dinner party at Harry’s Bar in London, Bieber wore a champagne-colored slip from Cerruti’s spring 1997 collection, designed by Rodriguez during his tenure as creative director. The fishnet-embroidered V-neck dress was a precise ready-to-wear recreation of the gown worn by Kennedy at her wedding rehearsal dinner on Cumberland Island, in 1996. It was sourced just two weeks ago by My Runway Archive, a rare vintage designer retailer which took to Instagram to confirm the two dresses were “one and the same.” Naturally, Bieber would be the one to give it a new home.
While Kennedy famously wore the slip with her hair pulled back in a messy bun, Bieber put her own glamorous spin on the look with tousled waves and a berry lip. Styled by Dani Michelle, Bieber kept the accessorizing characteristically uncomplicated, wearing just two diamond rings on each ring finger.
Though FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette premiered back in February, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s influence is stronger than ever, with countless It girls aiming to imitate her seminal street-style simplicity. Bieber’s own pared-back polish—with her languid silk slips, timeless trenches, and playful pops of leopard print—has long been reminiscent of Kennedy’s aesthetic. This ensemble, however, is perhaps the reference to end all references.
