Black-and-white promotional poster for the TV series 'Love Story' featuring a man and woman in an intimate pose, with the man in a suit and the woman in a backless dress, against a black background, with text indicating the show's release date and streaming platforms.

April 2026

It’s no surprise that the popular Fox original, Love Story has brought 90’s icon, Carolyn Bessette- Kennedy, back into the spotlight. The TV series showcases the relationship between Carolyn and John F. Kennedy Jr. and gives us a look into their personal lives. It is made clear that although much of the show is based on true events, the story was severely dramatized.

Sarah Pidgeon plays Carolyn, best known previously for her role in The Wilds. Pidgeon has received little to no critique regarding her acting but plenty on her appearance. Many fans of the show believe casting directors could’ve found a more “accurate-looking” Carolyn.

Paul Anthony Kelly plays John and is best known as a Canadian model - his appearance gaining him nothing but praise and fangirls.

Despite loaded comments along the lines of, “John and Carolyn would’ve hated this show.” The series has earned an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and is certainly the watch of the season.

Close-up of a woman with blonde hair, wearing black sunglasses, a tortoiseshell headband, and a black coat with a fur collar.
A woman with long, wavy hair wearing a black top looks at black-and-white headshots of various people displayed on a gray wall in an office or studio setting.

3 words. Calvin Klein Collection. Carolyn worked at CK for 8 years, forming a close relationship with Mr. Klein himself. Naturally, her personal style was very inspired by the brand. Think denims, turtlenecks, ballet flats, blazers, anything timeless. You rarely see Carolyn in bright colors; black, white, navy, and brown… that’s about it. Her accessories are the statement piece, specifically her signature tortoise-shell headbands and sunglasses. It’s nothing fancy, but she pulls it off, and so does Sarah Pidgeon. Take a look at TikTok or Instagram, and you’ll see every woman on the planet trying to do the same.

Videos captioned with #CBK, #lovestory, #kennedy, #americascouple, have gone completely viral. Girls are re-creating her famous looks, thrifting for vintage Calvin Klein, and shopping at C.O. Bigelow Apothecary. Vogue even visited the store, saying, “It’s True - You Can Buy Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s Exact Headband in Greenwich Village.” Carolyn was nothing short of an icon in the 90’s, but this is a true testament to her classic style.

Fans couldn’t seem to wait for the release of a new episode every Thursday, so they found ways to fill their time.

A JFK Jr. look-alike contest was held in Washington Square Park, attracting hundreds of eager young men. The winner? Julian DeVincentis, taking home a $250 prize. The event also provided a scavenger hunt for the women of New York, many showing up with signs that read, “Looking for my JFK Jr.”

Book sales sky-rocketed for Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. A biography by Elizabeth Beller, which served as the show’s main inspiration.

The TikTok trend, “dressing my boyfriend as JFK Jr.” took off, reviving the newsboy cap, bandanas, and aviator glasses.

Search counts for “The Kennedy Family” grew significantly. Millennials and Gen-Zers less familiar with the family’s history, are fascinated by the “Kennedy Curse,” the impact of Jackie O, and seemingly endless paparazzi pics.

A family of four, including a woman, a man, and two children, standing outdoors on a white porch with a wooden railing near a body of water, during sunset.
A woman holding a photo of a man in front of a man wearing a purple jacket, with police officers in the background during a protest or rally.

Noteworthy Reviews

Vogue writer, Emma Specter, shared - “54 Thoughts I had about the Finale of Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr.& Carolyn Bessette. One thought in particular reads, “Hearing the Bessette sisters plan the flight that eventually killed them is…a lot.”

Daryl Hannah, actor and ex-girlfriend of JFK Jr. has strong opinions about how she was portrayed in the series: “She is not even a remotely accurate representation of my life, my conduct, or my relationship with John; the actions and behaviors attributed to me are untrue. I have never used cocaine in my life or hosted cocaine-fueled parties.

IndieWire writes, “Toss in a smoking habit and penchant for fashion, and ‘Love Story’s’ Carolyn Bessette feels closer to Carrie Bradshaw than any real person.”

A woman sketching fashion designs at a studio workspace with fabric swatches, pencils, and books, surrounded by design sketches and color palettes on the wall.

Personally, I have nothing to complain about. An exciting show every week? 90’s music? Paul Anthony Kelly? Sign me up. From the perspective of a college girl, this show did everything right. Sure, it wasn’t by the book, but it wasn’t supposed to be. I fell in love with John and Carolyn; if anything, the series made me want to learn more about who they really were.

Episodes 1-5 were certainly my favorite, likely because that’s the falling in love phase… the honeymoon phase. The later episodes were the striking reality. The fights. The lying. The death. Speaking of, I thought the crash was anticlimactic.

Like many other young girls, I often ask myself, what would it be like to be alive at the same time as Princess D? How about Audrey Hepburn? Marilyn Monroe? Now, I’m adding Carolyn Kennedy to that list. I never thought I’d look forward to buying a shirt from Calvin Klein.