r/SimplyCarolynBessette

On Tuesday, February 27, 1996, they attended the Municipal Art Society of New York Benefit held at the 69th Regiment Armory. Caroline and Edwin Schlossberg were also in attendance and presented the Jacqueline Onassis Medal to I. M. Pei. One of the photos was captioned: “John, very protective and attentive to his girlfriend at the benefit gala, was seen holding hands and whispering in her ear."

This event took place just TWO days after their big infamous fight in the park on Sunday, February 25, 1996. The fight was first reported in the New York Daily News on Friday, March 1, 1996—two days after the Municipal Art Society benefit. At the time, they were unaware that the incident had been filmed and would soon be seen by the public.

The rumor that John broke her engagement ring is false, as Carolyn can be seen wearing it in the first photograph.

On November 5, 1997, George magazine hosted a party at Asia de Cuba in New York City to celebrate its second anniversary. Rosemarie Terenzio mentioned this party in her book:

“Back in my room, still seething, I was shoving clothes into my bag when John knocked on the door. I let him in, turned my back, and continued packing. “I just spoke to Carolyn," he said. "She had no idea about the party tonight. Did you forget to tell her?"

I almost shredded the tank top in my hands. The magazine was holding a party that night to mark its second anniversary. Celebrities such as Sheryl Crow, Donald Trump, and Adam Duritz from Counting Crows had been invited to celebrate at the hot new restaurant Asia de Cuba. Carolyn, who had known about it for weeks, was trying to get out of it by playing dumb, and I had no patience for it today.

“Boy, I'm getting it from all angles today. I can't get a break."

“Well, that's what she said," John replied.

“That's bullsh*t," I said, spinning around to face him. "Of course I told her. She just doesn't want to go."

John, suddenly uncomfortable, tried to change the subject.

“Do you really think I'd forget to tell Carolyn about tonight? That's what sucks. After every little thing that I do for this place, you think I would forget that?"..

Carolyn eventually agreed to attend, and both her mother and stepfather were at the party as well. Narciso was invited too.

People Magazine editor Robert Allen was invited and reported on this event:

“JFK Jr was eager to introduce me to his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, at Manhattan's new restaurant Asia de Cuba, where he hosted a party to celebrate the second anniversary of his magazine George.

“Carolyn," he called out, "this is the guy who said you were 6-feet tall in PEOPLE." I explained that it wasn't actually me, but yes, the magazine did include Bessette-Kennedy in its Nov. 3 story Attack of the 6 ft. Women, featuring her with such glamazons as Brooke Shields and Kristen Johnston.

“You can’t imagine how thrilled I was to be included,” said Bessette-Kennedy, confiding that she’s actually 5'10", “but 6 feet in stiletto heels.” Height has been an issue, she told me, “ever since one of John’s relatives [she wouldn’t name names] asked him whether I was 5'6".” The very suggestion stuck in her craw, she said, “until People validated me.”

Bessette-Kennedy also revealed, playfully, that height is an issue with her husband. She recalled a day in October when he had hand surgery at a New York City hospital. “The attendant was taking his vitals,” Carolyn said. “And when she got to his height, she said, ‘You’re 5-what?’ You should have seen the look on his face.” Kennedy, for the record, says he is 6'1" and “191 pounds.”

I have never seen this photo before. Was this during or after her time working at Calvin Klein ? Her eye lashes are standing out in this photo!

Date: November 4, 1996.

John Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy made their first official appearance as husband and wife at the Whitney Museum. Kennedy followed in his mother's footsteps by supporting the New York arts, in this case, the highly respected museum on its 30th anniversary on Madison Ave.

Looking radiant without a bit of makeup, Carolyn nevertheless stared coldly at a reporter who asked, simply, who had designed her evening suit, a low-cut black number. "Do you both hate the press now?" Kennedy was asked. After all, Kennedy never asked for his fame, and Carolyn was not prepared for it. With a regiment of paparazzi, stalkerazzi and writerazzi outside their door every day, who could blame them? "No, no. Why do you say that?" Kennedy asked.

The reporter then whined that Carolyn wouldn't speak to her, even about the easy dress question. Kennedy leaned over. "It's more dignified if you try to find out for yourself," he said nicely. "Hint: It's on the back of the invitation."

Okay, she was wearing Prada. But what about the Big Question? "Have you started a family?" Kennedy put both hands out defensively, his body language saying, "Don't go there."

"I had to ask," the reporter said. "You had to ask," he conceded. "How about rumors that you are moving out of Tribeca?" the reporter continued. "No way," Kennedy said, as New York swells swarmed over him like, well, paparazzi. "It's a great place to live. We're definitely staying there. We won't be driven out."

I was Brad's manager at the salon from its inception in October of 1996 and left soon after the opening in April 1997 due to my concerns that he was using Carolyn's name way too much. His financer Robert Gilligan was a shady character and would argue with me over how the salon should be run as far as exploiting the celebrity clients. I was hired because I had years of experience working with celebrities and felt it was a bad look by over exploiting her as a client to promote the salon. So I wasn't surprised that JFK Jr sent a cease and desist letter to Brad and Robert Gilligan. At that time they had just got married and I saw how stressed out Carolyn was already and not handling her new found infamy very well at all each time she would come to the salon. She was a very nice person but clearly in way over her head and not capable of handling the stress of the paparazzi hounds which John dealt with his whole life and actually enjoyed engaging. I recently watched the show about them and found it to be pretty spot on. May they all rest in peace.

Photos were taken at Betsy and Kenan Siegel's wedding in Miami on March 21, 1998. The photos were shared by their daughter Sophia_Zoa on TikTok. Kenan was John’s close friend from college.

Excerpt from 'Once Upon A Time' by Elizabeth Beller:

Carolyn maintained her close friendship with Betsy Reisinger, soon to be married to John's friend Kenan Siegel on March 21, 1998, in Miami. "Carolyn came down a week early to help me get ready for the wedding," Betsy remembered. "She took me shopping in Bal Harbour and guided me toward the perfect shoes and dress for the rehearsal dinner.

There was a particular pair of white satin Manolo Blahniks she had that she also wanted me to have for the wedding. She called everywhere she could think of to get them for me, but they were sold out.

"Carolyn's solution was to buy me this gorgeous pair of rhinestone and velvet Dolce & Gabbana shoes. They were absolutely gorgeous-except that I couldn't walk in them. We tried to see if I could take a couple of steps, and it was clear I couldn't.

Carolyn laughed and told me, 'Well, at least you'll always have them."

John and Carolyn had a good time at the wedding, and asked their friend Robert Curran, who was shooting photographs, to take a few of them. That's how he got the picture with Carolyn's head thrown back in laughter while John embraces her. "He was singing a song into her ear," Curran recalled.

In another, Carolyn and Betsy hug tightly while Carolyn gives Betsy a big, clutching, grandma smooch. "Our wedding was such a happy day," Betsy said. "For us, but for our friends as well. You can see from the pictures our friend Robert Curran took, Carolyn and John were deeply in love, and in love with life. That is how I remember them, when they felt safe."

[supprimé]

From a recent People Magazine article:

A friend of JFK Jr. and Bessette's told PEOPLE that after the fight (about Carolyn taking Jack to the lobby of Caroline and Edwin’s building during a party hosted by Caroline in October 1996) , it was "a little distant, but respectful" between the couple and Caroline and her husband, Schlossberg.

A source told PEOPLE that Bessette took Jack away from the party simply because he was being "rambunctious."

"They would go over to Caroline's for dinner every few weeks," the source added. "Carolyn would always bring gifts for the kids. [...] And she always picked something special for Caroline."

Speaking of the relationship between the couple and Caroline, the source said that it was a difference in "lifestyle" versus solely "distance."

Caroline was married with three young kids, while JFK Jr. and Bessette did not have children, and were often traveling for George, attending charity events and going to dinner parties, the source said.

"But when they saw each other, they seemed to always get along," the source continued.

According to Steve Gillon : “Caroline did not think Carolyn was good enough for John—she and Ed just found her temperamental and selfish. And John despised Ed for a lot of reasons. It was either Christmas or another holiday, John and Carolyn were going over to Ed and Caroline's apartment and Carolyn was so concerned, and she had all these gifts for them. They go over and Caroline and

Ed left within an hour to go to some sporting event or something. Carolyn thought that was so disrespectful. So, there was a lot of tension there on both sides. One of the big issues in John's relationship with his sister was their spouses.”

Went scrolling on instagram this morning and saw Gwyneth Paltrow modeling the first dress for GWYN's spring/summer collection and immediately thought "I've seen this before....." I looked through the website and there were a few pieces that definitely were inspired by outfits Carolyn wore, which makes sense with Love Story's hype and 90s minimalism trending again. Just kinda funny that it's so blatant, given that Carolyn allegedly did not care for Gwyneth Paltrow (I have no idea if there's any real proof behind this rumor but it gets circulated all the time) 🤣🤣