People Magazine August 18th 2014

Pleasantly surprised to see the newest issue of People magazine, a cover story on John and Carolyn. The cover features an interview with some close friends as well as an excerpt from Matt Berman's new book "JFK Jr., George, & Me: A Memoir". If you remember I posted about the book a while back, and it is finally available for purchase.

People Magazine August 18th 2014

However, I'm most excited for the 'never-before-seen photos'! Apparently there are two or three new images of Carolyn. I'll be sure to pick up an issue and post the scans online. What a beautiful cover photo of the two as well.

Side note - I can't believe it has been fifteen years since John, Carolyn and Lauren's passing. So sad thinking where all three could have been today. My heart goes out to their family and friends.

Vanity Fair September 1999 : The Private Princess

Sometime in 1997 Carolyn posed for a series of photographs by Bruce Weber, commissioned by

John for their personal collection. After the pair's untimely death in 1999, Vanity Fair magazine published the photos, along with a short story editorial on Carolyn, as a post-humous tribute.

Cover of Vanity Fair September 1999 by Bruce Weber

The September 1999 issue coincided with the annual Style Issue, a celebration of the year's finest taste-makers and trendsetters in the world of style. Carolyn was the perfect fit for such an issue, having lead the pared down fashion pack of the late nineties, but it was also a somber issue marking some of the last photos we'd see of Carolyn.

As I mentioned above, these photos were taken in 1997 - when Carolyn's hair was at its blondest and her eyebrows were at their thinnest! Carolyn wore a black button down shirt and what looks like dark brown corduroys (she was often seen in this combination).

I think a lot of Carolyn fans will agree with me when I say that these are the best photos of Carolyn out there. I couldn't think of a better photographer than Bruce Weber to capture Carolyn's honest and playful personality. John and Carolyn's dog Friday even makes an appearance, along with some well-mannered puppies and birds! I especially love that photo of Friday placing his paw on Carolyn's back.

Unfortunately I don't have this magazine in my possession but I did manage to find a large image of the cover as well as some great scanned images (at the bottom of the post). Since I don't have it in my possession I'm not too sure of which order the photos go on but these are all of the ones I've gathered on the web from this shoot! Is there anyone out there with a copy who'd be willing to help organize these photos (or provide some well needed scans!)?

You can read the short article here and as always click "read more" to see the rest of the images!

New Book : JFK Jr., George, and Me by Matt Berman

New book alert! It looks like we'll have another memoir to add to the already lengthy list of 'John and Carolyn' books. Matt Berman, once creative director of George magazine and close friend to John and Carolyn, is releasing a memoir entitled "JFK Jr., George, and Me".

It looks like this book will run in the same vein as RoseMarie Terenzio's "Fairy Tale Interrupted" - a recollection of life working with and without John, mostly during their tenure at George magazine.

I've posted a little blurb on the book below:

As John Kennedy Jr.'s creative director for George magazine, Matt Berman had a wonderfully collaborative and fun-loving relationship with America's favorite son—his story is told here with unprecedented candor and wit. The Kennedys—their poise, the family secrets, and their grace in the face of unimaginable tragedies—have captured the imagination and interest of the public for more than fifty years. Now, colleague and friend of JFK Jr., Matt Berman, offers us a unique look at John's life as both a professional and “regular guy.” 

When talented creative executive Matt Berman took a meeting with John Kennedy, Jr., in 1995, he was immediately hired to serve as George's creative director, thus beginning an unforgettable journey, both personal and professional. We follow Matt through his first days at the magazine as he navigated the choppy waters of what would be the most-talked-about magazine launch in history, helmed by a supremely confident and charming John. Wry and instantly likeable, Matt shares not only his own personal story of his relationship with John, but also valuable life and work lessons that he learned while working alongside him behind the scenes at George. But most importantly, through Matt's recollections, we see a John Kennedy that the public never got to know. Matt paints a vivid portrait of JFK Jr., that only a select few have ever seen, offering a touching and honest tribute to John's legacy.

The book is due to be released March 2014 (although publication dates are always up in the air) and is not long, at 288 pages. Strangely the e-book seems to have a release date of July 16 this year ... I don't know if that's a factual error but if it is true it's in pretty tacky taste.

From reading 'Fairy Tale Interrupted', Matt Berman was a close enough friend of Carolyn's so it'll be interesting to see if he'll write of any stories with her. Unfortunately I don't think we'll get to see any new pictures of C, seeing as how RoseMarie's book failed to deliver, and this book has a decidedly bigger focus on John.

I still find it curious that an art director of a long defunct magazine is getting his own book deal, and yet another former staffer of George magazine is penning a memoir in their early fifites ... but I guess it's the Kennedy factor. There will always be the ones who want to hear this story and I guess more people are coming forward to write it.

Matt Berman, to the left of John, in the George offices

On another note I recently bought RoseMarie's book and am almost finished reading it. I'll be posting a review on it soon. 

In Carolyn's Makeup Bag : Hair Products

I've already done a CBK Hair Evolution post, which showcased Carolyn in all her phases of blonde. Now I think I'll dig deeper to the root (pun so intended) to show you what products Carolyn used! Just like her pared down wardrobe, Carolyn stuck to basics when it came to her hair products.

To keep her famous blonde mane sleek and shiny it was Kiehl's Creme with Silk Groom. This item is a cult favourite of sorts today and can be used as a leave-in-conditioner or as a styling creme. I know Kiehl's makes really good anti aging products (I'm a big fan of their Ultra Facial Cream) so I'm sure this hair creme works wonders.


Carolyn at the Fire and Ice Ball (1998) / Kiehl's Creme with Silk Groom
She was also a fan of Philip Kingsley's hair products. Remember, when your'e not naturally Scandinavian blonde, all of that dying and bleaching really takes a toll on your scalp. Hence Philip K's Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner, to tame split ends and repair damage, as well as the Elasticizer to smooth and strengthen hair.

Philip K Elasticizer (~25.00), Philip Re-Moisturizing Shampoo

In Carolyn's Closet : Hermes Birkin Bag

Carolyn had a fondness for simple accessories and if there was hardware involved then it would often be gold. What better bag to personify this than the Hermes Birkin. The classic silhouette complemented Carolyn's simple style and her limited colour palette. It also proved to be seasonal, worn with anything from winter coats to summer whites.

CBK and her trusted Hermes Birkin

Now for a little fashion history on the Hermes Birkin. The bag was named after French chanteuse Jane Birkin after a chance encounter between the singer and the chairman of Hermes, Jean-Lous Dumas. The two were seated next to each other on an airplane. Jane spilled the contents of her basket-weave purse, the two discussed on a trans-Atlantic conversation about the quest for a perfect weekend bag. The Birkin was Dumas' answer. 

Jane Birkin and her storage alternatives

Although Jane later abandoned her namesake bag and returned to her trusted basket (old habits die hard!) the bag caught cult status and is today a symbol of wealth and status. 

Personally I'm not a fan of such a structured bag. Although I used to covet an item as iconic as the Birkin when I was younger the whole look is too business chic for me. Like Jane I prefer more simple alternatives when it comes to accessories. 

Here are some more images of Carolyn out with her Birkin bag.