30 Photos Of Jackie O. From The Early Days Of American Street Style

If ever there were a more iconic and stylish first lady than Michelle Obama, it was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Always one to dissociate the politics from her fashion, she was legendary for her approach to dressing under an entire nation's magnifying glass. Simply: If she liked it, she had to have it. And so it'd go that, despite being scrutinised for her spending habits, Onassis and her style were emulated in retailers and magazines across the country.

While Onassis was given a budget of $50,000 for White House decor and renovations (which was gone within her first days as first lady), it was her father-in-law Joseph Kennedy, Sr, who funded her fixation on French couture, according to her bio on the History Channel. Her favourite designers included Hubert de Givenchy, Christian Dior, and Coco Chanel to name a few. But eventually, following criticism on the lavish spending and to incorporate more American designers into her wardrobe, she hired Oleg Cassini, who was prolific in his designs for the first lady.

In the slideshow ahead, we're looking back at the timeless style of the late Jackie O. A New York native, Onassis' often colour-blocked wardrobe could be considered the antidote to the all-black mantra of those who inhabit the city (and still praise her style) today. If it wasn't a pillbox hat, it was a pair of oversized sunglasses. If it wasn't a set of elbow-length gloves, it was a tiny bow. Either way, no detail was left untied. And that's why, through controversy and tragedy, Onassis and her style still live on today.