« Fashionista 2008: Who Should Judge Project Runway?

B for Beauty Dec 23, 2008 @ 11:25am

Thoughts on Caroline, Beauty, Jello-O

caroline kennedy.jpg Yeah yeah, I know I’m not supposed to judge politicians based on beauty. But bear with me for a moment while I judge one by her beauty choices.

Here in New York, we’re being bombarded with pretty pictures of Caroline Kennedy, who’s trying to convince Governor David Paterson to appoint her to Hillary Clinton’s old Senate seat. Up until this year, JFK’s daughter dodged the limelight, and she’s still frustrating reporters who want to ask her tough questions face to face. But while she may look and act the part lately, I’m not writing Ms. Kennedy off as an aloof princess just yet.

Turns out, according to a biography by Christopher Andersen, teenaged Caroline put up with constant nastiness from her mother. “You’re not having dessert,” Jackie O said at the Ritz in Manhattan once, loud enough for eavesdroppers to hear. “You’ll be so fat nobody will marry you.” Caroline negotiated her way to some cherry Jell-o, though without the whipped cream. At another point her mother was overheard “‘screaming’ at her daughter for not taking the matter [of weight loss] more seriously.” Then Jackie wrangled four months of diet pills out of a doctor for Caroline - who was still in high school. So how did Caroline react to her mother’s fat-mongering? She shaved off an eyebrow.

I wish Ms. Kennedy would give us more to go on in judging her readiness to be senator (not that we matter; the governor is the only person with a vote for now). But in the meantime, I’ll posit that she’s more than just some woman with “views similar to those of other New York Democrats.” She’s also someone who survived - as a teenager - not just a mother’s obsession with her weight (a lot of women have pulled that off) but a press corps’. And in lean economic times, she might be someone who can negotiate cherry Jell-o for New York.

—GLENNA GOLDIS

« Fashionista 2008: Who Should Judge Project Runway?

Fashionista Main

posted by guest

Dec 23, 2008 12:25PM

What does this really have to do with her beauty choices?

posted by guest

Dec 23, 2008 1:12PM

I was wondering the exact same...

posted by guest

Dec 23, 2008 1:38PM

I think the eyebrow shaving was the beauty choice.... maybe?

posted by guest

Dec 23, 2008 1:44PM

wow.. nice try

posted by guest

Dec 23, 2008 2:44PM

it was an interesting read.

posted by guest

Dec 23, 2008 3:40PM

Fashionista, I appreciate that you have an interest in politics as well as fashion, but quite frankly article such as this only go to show us that your expertise lies in the latter. Sure such an anecdote might show Kennedy's strong sense of self or something like that, but it most certainly does not show that she is qualified to be Senator of New York.

posted by guest

Dec 23, 2008 4:53PM

tres stupid.

posted by fashionursta

Dec 23, 2008 5:43PM

It is nice to know a little bit more about her relationship with Saint Jackie, but it still does not prove her ready to be senator from NY. I say it's great to have a woman, interested in the seat, but let her run for senator and be elected, maybe I would even vote for her, but she certainly has not paid her dues politically. There are so many other people and women in NY politics that might merit the seat more than Caroline. I hope Governor Paterson is listening to what the voters are saying.

posted by guest

Dec 23, 2008 10:45PM

I didn't think it was possible, but this might be worse than your piece on crooked teeth!

Glenna Goldis, as with your earlier pieces on nails and teeth, I was almost tricked into thinking that you were actually saying something here. Your writing has a nice flow to it, sure, and your topics are potentially catchy, but this is empty!! These pieces don't tell us anything, really!

I almost think you are quite talented. But as a "beauty columnist"? No. Maybe as a fish out of water. Flopping about on the streets of New York.

posted by guest

Dec 25, 2008 4:23PM

New York doesn't need cherry Jell-o. New york needs a committed, experienced politican, not a bored sociliate whose self-listed qualifications are being a children's advocate and mother. Because most people do not support children's causes... She's embarassing the party and NY politics.

posted by guest

Dec 29, 2008 3:53AM

I second guest # 10. I'm sorry but this fanciful writing has nothing to do with anything, really. What does Caroline Kennedy's back story and interest in becoming a part of the Senate have to do with fashion? What is this article doing on the blog? How is it contributing to fashion and what fashionista subscribers are expecting to read?? I'm at a total lost.

posted by FabriceSensation

Dec 29, 2008 1:31PM

WOW - tough crowd! #11, you are indeed at a "total lost!"

I say kudos to Glenna for trying to incorporate some politics into her fashion. No - this wasn't a hard-hitting investigative piece, nor was it a fawning review of some sparkly nail-polish worded as a question (like much of the other "coverage" on fashionista). The writer is clearly not insinuating that arguing with her mother over Jello qualifies Kennedy to be a senator, but rather shares an interesting, and in my opinion topically appropriate, story about her spirit and sense of independence.

Let's not forget that Caroline Kennedy is an attorney with degrees from Radcliffe and Columbia and has raised MILLIONS of dollars for charitable institutions as well as New York City public Schools. Sure, she's connected, but she uses her connections to get good things accomplished. She's also a staunch supporter of gay rights and equality, is decidedly pro-choice, and supports gun-control.

I guess you all just want to hear about lipstick though.

posted by guest

Dec 30, 2008 3:09PM

I think this is a really interesting subject, although I don't think the author did it justice at all. I've often noticed that Caroline made choices that were the exact opposite of those Jackie would have made - at least at her age.

Jackie always seemed to me as if she had two main focal points in life:
1) image, and 2) money - and not necessarily in that order. Everything she did seemed to be in pursuit of those two focal points. Her clothes, her makeup, her plastic surgery - all image choices. Even Jackie's intellectual gifts - her formidable knowledge of art, music, literature, her multi-lingual abilities - all of that seemed to have been done simply to add to her persona as a beautiful society woman of style and grace. And as for money, well, Jackie pursued that with the same single minded determination that she used to cultivate her image. For women of her generation and class, marriage was the way to earn money. And so, Jackie married her way into wealth - first with the Kennedy family, and then with the Onassis family. Ultimately, Jackie did end up with someone who would have been unsuitable in her younger days - Maurice Tempelsman - but that was only after she had secured her fortune. And even this relationship - which is usually acknowledged to be her longest, most loving relationship - there were pragmatic purposes at stake. Jackie had inherited a sizeable fortune from the Onassis estate. She needed someone she trusted to guide her in investing the money, so she could live the life she felt she deserved. Tempelsman filled that role.

Caroline, in contrast, never seemed to be interested in pursuing any of that. It is notable that in most older photographs of Jackie and Caroline, Caroline - as a teenager and young adult - appears to be relatively ungroomed, with frizzy hair and a make-up free face. This contrasts with Jackie, who always looks made-up and groomed. Even today, Caroline's style choices appear to reflect her inner sense of pragmatism. Once in a while, she appears decked out in beautiful ballgowns. But this is relatively rare. Most shots see her in nice looking skirt suits, or more often, jeans, t-shirts, and sweaters. Nothing fancy. She never drips with jewels or acts like a wealthy Upper East Side woman. Her education was in law, not in art history. There just isn't anything very frou-frou about her. Even her marriage choices are down-to-earth. Ed Schlossberg doesn't look anything like the dashing JFK. I doubt he came with significant financial clout either. But he evidently did come with one key attribute - love. I have no doubt that they love each other deeply, and that he stands behind her no matter what. This is in contrast to Jackie, who only found that type of relationship late in life. I get the impression that Jackie was not happy with her daughter's choice, but became reconciled to it after.

Also note that Caroline has definitely had no plastic surgery, and no procedures like Botox. This is in contrast to Jackie, who had barely any wrinkles as she entered her 60s - despite a lifetime of smoking.

Granted, she doesn't necessarily have to pursue her image and money. She bears the Kennedy name - that in itself represents glamor and image, whether she is into it or not. And as for money, well, she doesn't have to pursue it. Her mother worked to ensure that she and her children would be well-provided for, always. So she can live her life as she chooses.

Anyway - this is too long. I'll stop here.