After 20 Years of CBK Inspo, Lee Radziwill Is My Forever Style Icon
Carolyn Bessette Kennedy is a perennial style icon, and whilst in 2026 she received a new wave of attention, her aunt-in-law Lee Radziwill is just as noteworthy in the style stakes, says Who What Wear UK editor-in-residence, Monica Ainley.
Monica Ainley is a Who What Wear UK Editor in Residence and a Paris-based fashion and culture writer and broadcaster. She is the co-creator of the influential Fashion: No Filter podcast and the culture podcast Fanfare. Monica also authors Mon Review, a weekly dispatch on aesthetics, literature and contemporary rituals.
I have to be honest: my style has been informed—I mean, cut-out-of-a-magazine-and-taped-on-my-wall-level informed—by Carolyn Bessette Kennedy for the better part of 20 years. Probably my mum’s too, come to think of it. If you’d asked, I’d have said CBK was the best person to picture when you’re running late and don’t know what to wear. And it’s not like I think I’m cooler than the Gen Z crowd who are only just "discovering" her; I’m just older! And so is my mum, obviously.
It is kind of annoying when everyone catches onto something you feel is lowkey yours, though, right? Even if you had no particular claim to it to begin with, like… Substack or the Brontes. Suddenly, you're as basic as anyone. But you know who I’ve recently taken up for casual outfit inspiration? Lee Radziwill, Carolyn’s aunt-in-law and Jackie Kennedy’s sister. Yes, exactly, her. Or, if you watch The Real Housewives of New York, Carole Radziwill’s mother-in-law.
I know this isn't exactly a left-field, unheard-of style reference either; Lee Radziwill was an American socialite, PR executive and basically the lifelong fashion influencer before influencers were a thing (not to mention, a princess!). She moved in rarified international circles, eventually marrying Polish aristocrat Prince Stanislaw Albrecht Radziwill. But what she was most known for was her exquisite taste, both on her person and in her apartments; she had one helluva eye for interiors, too. Lee’s imprint on 20th-century style is undeniable.
And yes, Love Story fans will perhaps have noted that Lee is mentioned in the Ryan Murphy series, but not actually shown on screen, which I think was a big mistake on the show’s part, given its main draw was aesthetics. Though Lee lived to be 85, she sadly did not escape the impact of the "Kennedy curse", which, if you understand the family tree, you may have noted. Lee’s son, Anthony (JFK Jr’s cousin and friend, died tragically of cancer at 40, just a month after the crash that killed John and Carolyn.
Anyway, let's go back to happier times and great fashion. I’m not saying Lee’s style was better than Carolyn’s (apples and oranges), but it was broader, simply because she lived a lot longer. CBK’s legacy is tragically frozen in time; Radizwill’s, we can watch evolve over many decades.
What’s compelling about Lee Radziwill is that she lived her life in parallel to her sister, not in her shadow. They were reportedly close, though quite competitive (I’m recommending the wardrobe, not necessarily the personality; but we never really know what goes on behind the scenes, do we?) Still, I'm definitely of the opinion that Lee’s style feels more… daring. Jackie perfected a specific kind of polish, especially from the '70s to the '90s, but Lee’s life gave her more room to experiment, and she did.
She showed up—to fashion week, to dinners, to fun parties—well into her later life. I remember working at a fashion office in my early twenties and my bosses whispering to each other that the Lee Radziwill was going to attend this or that show, and positively quivering with excitement. Lee was even spotted having fab tête-à-tête dinners at Le Voltaire in Paris up until her very last days, which is definitely a goal.
Looking back, her style feels effortless, but in reality, it must have been considered. She wore clean lines, exceptionally well-blended palettes with the occasional bold colour, plus had a knack for making even the most luxurious of fabrics look, well, casual. She was often dressed by Giorgio Armani and Yves Saint Laurent, but never looked like she belonged to any designer but herself. And that, my friends, is the key.
Armani once said that Lee's particular brand of chic was "never forced", and Diana Vreeland defined her kind of elegance as "refusal", as in knowing what not to wear. Whilst Jackie leaned towards overt glamour, and Carolyn stuck to '90s minimalism (let’s be clear on who invented "quiet luxury"), Lee’s style had more joie de vivre than Carolyn’s, and was often simply cooler than Jackie’s. I mean, those jackets! That kind of confidence—the truly discerning kind—is the sort that is acquired over a long, colourful life, and is exactly how I want to dress going forward, especially when I’m, like, really old.
I’ll still be wearing my CBK-inspired vintage Levi’s 517s. Obviously.
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