By Steven L. Brawley, Editor-in-Chief

December 21, 2014: A study of Jackie's favorite things provides us with a fun glimpse into what she might have wanted stuffed in her stocking or under the tree at 1040. What would Jackie want?

Clothing:

• Oleg Cassini
• Chanel
• The Gap
• Givenchy
• Carolina Herrera
• Lilly Pulitzer
• Pucci
• Valentino

Footwear:

• Keds
• Manolo Blahnik
• Ferragamo
• Starvos Melissinos sandals
• Jack Rogers sandals
• Tretorn
• Roger Vivier
• E. Vogel boots

Jewelry:

• Kenneth Jay Lane
• Tiffany
• Van Cleef & Arpels
• Harry Winston

Research by Steven L. Brawley

The White House 1961-1963

1961:

• White House Card: For the Kennedy's first official White House Christmas card, Hallmark creates a design that features a wide green silk screen band on a white stock accompanied by the official Presidential Seal and the sentiment “Season’s Greetings 1961” engraved in gold. The imprint reads: “The President and Mrs. Kennedy wish you a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.”
• White House Staff Gift: For the Kennedys’ first Christmas in the White House in 1961, they give their staff a a color photograph by Cecil Stoughton of Caroline's ducks in the fountain on the South Lawn.
• November 8: Charles O. Finley, Chairman for the National Tuberculosis Association Campaign, and Dr. Henry Stuart Willis, President of the National Tuberculosis Association, present the 1961 Christmas Seals for the National Tuberculosis Association to Jackie in the Diplomatic Reception Room, White House, Washington, D.C
• December 12: Jackie visits with children at the D. C. Children's Hospital.
• December 13: Jackie unveils her "Nutcracker Suite" themed Christmas tree featuring trimmings derived from the ballet by Tchaikovsky in the Blue Room of the White House, Washington, D.C. Jackie wears a deep pink silk dress by Bergdorf Goodman (circa 1958). President Kennedy delivers annual holiday season message to the men and women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
• December 20: Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson lights the National Christmas tree - a 75-foot Washington state Douglas fir, initiating the first Pageant of Peace during the Kennedy administration. The President could not be present at the ceremony because his father, Joseph P. Kennedy, had recently suffered a stroke.

By Steven L. Brawley, Editor-in-Chief

December 13, 2014: Looking for some ways to have a Jackie themed Christmas? Here are some fun ideas:

• Amazon
• Danbury Mint
• Dapper and Dreamy
• Etsy
• Kennedy Center
• Kennedy Library
• QVC
• The Great American Doll Company
• The Hamilton Collection
• The Smithsonian
• The White House Historical Association

Image copyright Jake Gariepy (Dapper and Dreamy) - Jackie's 1961 Chez Ninon (Dior design) red wool day suit.

by Brandon Wolf

Exclusive to Pinkpillbox.com

December 3, 2014

Part 2

In Search of the Pink Pillbox

As outlined in Part 1, Jackie’s pink pillbox hat is missing. Torn off by her own doing in the nightmarish dash to Parkland Hospital. The famous pink suit topper passed through several hands that day before last being seen in the White House Map around 8 pm. So what happened?

Possibilities, and Their Probabilities

First, let's review the hat's history and timeline.

Now, here are some examples of developing possibilities about what happened to the hat that day:

Caroline and John Jr.'s Secret Service Agent Robert Foster may have taken the bag and given it to Providencia Parades, Mrs. Kennedy’s personal/wardrobe assistant:

• Probability: Low
• Foster and Paredes were known to be good friends. But if he had given her the hat, why wouldn’t Provi have included in it the box that went to Janet Auchincloss’? She would have been in possession of the hat nearly 12 hours before she had access to the suit.

Agent Foster may have just put the envelope down in the Map Room, and left it there:

• Probability: Low
• Secret Service agents are taught to do things by the book. Since the bag was supposed to go to Hill, it seems likely Foster would have made sure it got to Hill – most likely by giving it back to the guard.

Agent Foster may have given the envelope back to the White House guard, who took it back to the guard office:

• Probability: High
• This has more logic to it. Even in the midst of a crisis such as this, Secret Service agents (and the White House police are part of the Secret Service) are taught to be in control and to do things by the book.

Jackie's Secret Service Agent Clint Hill picked up the envelope from the guard office:

• Probability: Low.
• In a 2011 article, Hill is quoted as saying he gave it to Mary Gallagher. That would seem to imply he never saw it again.