Occasionally described as "watermelon" or "raspberry" pink, the two-piece wool set was what the then-first lady was wearing when her husband, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.
It was also the outfit she was photographed in next to Lyndon B. Johnson in the immediate aftermath of JFK's death. "They actually had another dress laid out for her to put on and she refused," historian Steve Gillon told PEOPLE in November 2022.
"She went out in her blood-stained suit and stood next to Lyndon Johnson. Despite these horrible circumstances, she was willing to stand for a photo because she understood what it meant for the nation to have continuity in government," he said.
Gillon added, "She understood that she had a role to play in helping the nation transition to a new president."
Natalie Portman, who wore a recreation of the suit while playing the book editor in the 2016 biopic Jackie, spoke to USA TODAY in December 2016 about its significance, saying, "It's crazy when clothes become symbols, and when you see something so recognizable and iconic. It tells a whole story, just the dress, itself. And then, of course, with the blood on it … [it] has the sort of history of America in it."
It's been over 60 years since JFK's assassination, and Jackie's blood-soaked suit still serves as a poignant reminder of the day's devastation — even though it's never been available for public viewing.
From the origin of the design to how it became one of the most important outfits in American history, here's everything to know about Jackie Kennedy's pink suit — including why it's locked away until 2103.
JFK took an interest in Jackie Kennedy's wardrobe choice for the occasion
According to the 2013 book The Death of a President by William Manchester, the couple's trip prompted the president to inquire about his wife's wardrobe for their impending joint Dallas appearance — and to offer a word of advice.
"There are going to be all these rich, Republican women at that lunch wearing mink coats and diamond bracelets," he reportedly told her, per Vanity Fair. "And you've got to look as marvelous as any of them. Be simple — show these Texans what good taste really is."
Jackie Kennedy had worn the suit before
Before selecting the suit for her trip to Texas with the president, Jackie had worn it at least six times before, according to The New York Times. She had even been photographed in it.
Jackie Kennedy was wearing the suit when JFK was shot
ackie was wearing the pink suit, along with a matching pink pillbox hat, a pair of white gloves and a pair of stockings at the moment when President Kennedy was shot and killed while riding in the back of an open-topped limousine alongside his wife.
Jackie covered his body with her own, as Lady Bird Johnson would later describe in her diary. "As we ground to a halt — we were still the third car … I cast one last look over my shoulder and saw in the President's car a bundle of pink, just like a drift of blossoms, lying in the back seat," she wrote, adding, "It was Mrs. Kennedy lying over the President's body."
In doing so, Jackie's perfect suit was left messy and bloodied. "Mrs. Kennedy's dress was stained with blood," Lady wrote. "One leg was almost entirely covered with it and her right glove was caked, it was caked with blood — her husband's blood."
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