Nailing American royalty is not going to be an easy feat.
On Saturday, Ryan Murphy revealed a first look at his highly anticipated new series, “American Love Story,” which will focus on the relationship between political prince John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, fashion icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
While the pair’s tragic 1999 death via airplane crash catapulted their love story into the stuff of myth, the It couple of the nineties were exalted for their fashion sense — and Bessette’s wardrobe has become a requisite staple on many a mood board in the decades since.
So fanatical are her devotees that the newly released video images of actors Paul Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon — with the latter wearing a black mockneck sweater, cropped trousers and pointed-toe slingback kitten heels — immediately sparked backlash from eagle-eyed fashion experts.
While untrained eyes may approve of the Hermès Birkin bag and leather and overcoat seen on Pidgeon, real CBK worshippers will note that the fictional character’s blond hair was fashioned a bit too light, her purse too flat and her beloved tortoise shell headband missing completely.
Fans bemoaned the wardrobe that seemed to re-create her formative minimalist style rather than dip into her real archives.
“1995 styling with 2025 offerings is INSANE work. Back to the drawing board I beg,” one person commented on Instagram.
“JFK 10/10 CBK -3000/10,” another scored the first look. A third stated, “Is it too late to recast Carolyn and hire a wardrobe dept that dresses her accurately?? She didn’t wear ill fitting inexpensive clothes!”
On another post, one fan commented, “Nooooooo this is 2020s Zara does 90s Prada. CBK deserves better! She was an icon of style.”
“Paging @bradjohns333 .They need to hire him as a hair consultant for the show,” one fan said, tagging Brad Johns, who famously colored Besette’s hair in “buttery chunks.”
She was famous for wearing Prada, Calvin Klein, Yohji Yamamoto and put Narciso Rodriguez on the map with her much-adored 1996 wedding gown. The late star worked as a publicist for Klein, catering to VIP clients, and her fashion sensibility is revered and extraordinary well documented.
Fashion insiders left their disdain in the comments of Diet Prada’s post, with celebrity stylists Erica Cloud writing, “All of this is a no” and Erin Noël pleading, “Carolyn is a style icon and her wardrobe deserves the budget to support this, please make sure it’s perfect !”
Moda Operandi foudner Lauren Santo Domingo wrote, “sorry but the wardrobe is wrong.”
Fans will have to tune in to FX on Hulu on Valentine’s Day 2026 to watch “American Love Story” and decide on the authenticity for themselves. Filming is set to begin this week in NYC.
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