While many women copied her style, some disapproved. A fairly common sentiment was that she spent a lot of money on foreign clothes. The emphasis was on the "foreign" part: the name Givenchy seemed a little too French to be in the wardrobe of the all-American first lady (with the maiden name Bouvier). When she replaced the French couturiers after this election-year response without altering her basic style of clothing, Americans seemed content, even if she still spent a lot of money on clothes. So American women went on wearing Jacqueline Kennedy-inspired French fashions with proper American names.

Simplicity, Not Fanciness.

Naturally, this look did not come to dominate high fashion overnight. Women still sported fashions — especially casual wear — that remained popular from the 1950s well into the new decade, and the more pared-down look was saved for special occasions and outings...