The Kennedys’ legacy of style endures through auctions of their historic clothing.
Even unmentionables tied to the Kennedys remain hot-ticket items — a pair of JFK’s underwear sold for $9,100 at an auction in March held by Julien’s Auctions.
One of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ most memorable looks, the purple wool maternity coat she wore the night John F. Kennedy was elected in 1960, sold for $50,800 at Sotheby’s Handbags and Fashion auction on Monday in New York City.
The coat’s designer is unknown, but it remains recognizable as a pivotal moment in her rise to become one of America’s defining fashion icons.
Take a closer look at the former first lady’s historic outfit.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis made limited appearances during her husband’s 1960 presidential campaign.
Kennedy Onassis was pregnant with John F. Kennedy Jr. at the time, so she only occasionally joined Kennedy on the campaign trail leading up to election night. One such stop took place in New York City in October 1960, where she accessorized the purple coat with a matching hat.
The coat became an iconic look on November 8, 1960, when Kennedy narrowly defeated Richard Nixon to become the 35th US president.
Kennedy Onassis stood next to the then-president-elect as he delivered his acceptance speech.
A photo of her wearing the coat appeared on the cover of the November 21, 1960, issue of Life Magazine.
The coat featured pleats on the sides, a rounded collar, and six buttons.
Kennedy Onassis, who was eight months pregnant on election night, accessorized the coat with strands of pearls and low heels.
An anonymous consignor with ties to the Kennedy family donated the coat to Sotheby’s for auction in 2025.
According to Sotheby’s, Kennedy Onassis shared the coat with a few of her close friends to wear during their pregnancies. The daughter of the last of these women to wear the coat donated it to Sotheby’s.
Sixty-five years later, the wool coat maintains its bright violet hue.
Sotheby’s estimated the coat’s value at between $6,000 and $8,000. It sold for $50,800, more than six times the high estimate.
Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of Handbags and Fashion, said the coat captures “both an intimate personal story and a defining moment in American history.”
“The extraordinary response to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ election night coat speaks to the enduring power of objects that sit at the intersection of history, emotion, and impeccable design,” Halimi said in a statement.
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