At a glance, the outfit was striking — a pink skirt suit, white gloves, and a pillbox hat, all smeared in crimson. But it wasn’t just a Halloween costume — it was a direct reference to one of the darkest days in America.
Julia Fox sparked intense online debate after appearing at a Halloween event in a costume that recreated one of the most tragic and iconic moments in American history.
Dressed as former First Lady Jacqueline “Jackie” Kennedy on the day of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Fox’s outfit replicated the infamous pink Chanel suit — complete with blood stains.
In photographs from the event, the actress, who dated Kanye West, is seen wearing a bubblegum pink skirt suit with navy trim, styled nearly identically to the one worn by Kennedy in Dallas in 1963.
She completed the look with a matching pillbox hat, white gloves, navy blue heels, and a navy handbag. The costume featured heavy blood stains across the front of the jacket and skirt, along with splattered blood on her stockings and face.
Her makeup, hair, and accessories further emphasized the visual reference, leaving no ambiguity as to what or whom the look was meant to evoke. The ensemble, while meticulously executed, immediately divided opinion online.
“This is despicable. What is wrong with someone who does this. No respect [sic],” one person commented. Another wrote, “Girl what? This is disturbing. Why would you do that? Jesus have some respect for his family. Poor taste @juliafox 👎[sic].”
Others echoed the sentiment with blunt criticism, writing, “This is so distasteful. Jackie witnessed her husbands assassination and to see her reaction afterwards was heartbreaking and horrific. This was a tacky and disgusting choice [sic].”
Another person commented, “That is awful. Making mockery out of a tragedy. Very poor taste…. [sic].” Another comment read, “So inappropriate,” while someone else shared, “That is VERY DISRESPECTFUL!” A seventh netizen typed, “Ummmmm this is super insensitive wow 😢.”
However, several other netizens defended Fox’s choice, with one writing, “Oh please. Nothing wrong with this. Seen this many times over the years. It’s been 62 years.”
Another added, “Controversial maybe, but this costume is so good 😂.” A third admitted, “I don’t care for her at all. But this is awesome. It’s just a costume.”
Following the controversy, Fox clarified the intention behind the costume in an Instagram post that read, “I’m dressed as Jackie Kennedy in the pink suit. Not as a costume, but as a statement.”
“When her husband was assassinated, she refused to change out of her blood-stained clothes, saying, ‘I want them to see what they’ve done.’ The image of the delicate pink suit splattered with blood is one of the most haunting juxtapositions in modern history,” the post continued.
“Beauty and horror. Poise and devastation. Her decision not to change clothes, even after being encouraged to, was an act of extraordinary bravery. It was performance, protest, and mourning all at once,” the post further read.
“A woman weaponizing image and grace to expose brutality. It’s about trauma, power, and how femininity itself is a form of resistance. Long live Jackie O ♥️ (hair by @johnnovotny make up by @jake__dupont),” the caption concluded.
Despite the explanation, Jack Schlossberg, Kennedy and her late husband’s grandson, condemned Fox’s costume in a post on X, writing, “Julia Fox glorifying political violence is disgusting, desperate and dangerous. I’m sure her late grandmother would agree.”
The historical suit Fox referenced remains preserved to this day, steeped in significance. After Kennedy returned to the White House early on Nov. 23, the blood-stained clothing was placed in a bag, presumably by her personal maid, Providencia Paredes, and later stored in a dress box.
It arrived at the National Archives sometime before July 1964, accompanied by an unsigned note written on stationery belonging to Mrs. Kennedy’s mother, Janet Auchincloss.
The note read, “Jackie’s [suit] and bag — worn November 22, 1963.” Whether the decision to send it was made by Auchincloss or reflected her daughter’s wishes remains uncertain.
However, Paredes stated that the suit was first sent to Auchincloss’s home in Georgetown and insisted, “Nobody would have made that decision for her.”
The Kennedy family never requested the suit be cleaned. According to experts, such preservation is a standard practice in garment conservation, with blood and other residue considered part of the historical record.
Phyllis Magidson, curator of costume and textiles at the Museum of the City of New York, noted, “It’s part of the history of the object.” However, conservator Gail Murphy, who has seen the garment firsthand, said the suit “essentially looks brand-new.”
Whether interpreted as a misguided costume or a provocative statement piece, Fox’s choice reignited a decades-old conversation about trauma, legacy, and the power of visual symbolism.