Actress and model Julia Fox has sparked widespread debate after wearing a blood-splattered recreation of Jackie Kennedy‘s iconic pink suit to a Halloween party in New York City. The costume, which depicted the former First Lady on the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, drew immediate criticism on social media, prompting Fox to issue a detailed defense of her controversial choice.
Fox attended The Cursed Amulet Halloween party on October 30, dressed in a replica of the pink Chanel-inspired suit that Jackie Kennedy wore on November 22, 1963, when her husband was fatally shot while riding in a motorcade through Dallas, Texas. The actress replicated the blood-stained appearance of the suit, complete with a matching pillbox hat and red splatters across her jacket, skirt, and stockings.
The costume immediately triggered backlash across social media platforms, with many users deeming it insensitive and inappropriate. Jack Schlossberg, Jackie Kennedy’s grandson and a political commentator, publicly condemned the Halloween outfit on X, writing, “Julia Fox glorifying political violence is disgusting, desperate and dangerous. I’m sure her late grandmother would agree.”
In response to the mounting criticism, Fox took to Instagram to explain her intentions behind the costume. She wrote, “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. Beauty and horror. Poise and devastation.”
The Uncut Gems star elaborated on her reasoning, describing Jackie Kennedy’s decision as an act of courage and resistance. “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. A woman weaponizing image and grace to expose brutality,” Fox explained. She concluded her statement by writing, “It’s about trauma, power, and how femininity itself is a form of resistance. Long live Jackie O.”
Despite Fox’s explanation, reactions remained divided. While some social media users appreciated her clarification and artistic intent, others continued to view the costume as disrespectful to the Kennedy family and the historical tragedy. One Instagram commenter noted, “That’s a great message but unless you tell everyone that lays eyes on you, it’s just gonna look horrifically offensive.” Another user questioned, “Why are we dressing up as people on the worst day of their lives?”
The historical significance of the pink suit cannot be understated. After President Kennedy’s assassination, Jackie Kennedy famously refused offers to change her clothing before Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson’s swearing-in ceremony aboard Air Force One. The suit, which was actually an American-made replica of a Chanel design created by Oleg Cassini and constructed by Chez Ninon boutique in New York, remains preserved in a climate-controlled vault at the National Archives.
This incident highlights the ongoing tension between artistic expression during Halloween and sensitivity toward historical tragedies. As the controversy continues to unfold online, Fox’s costume has undeniably reignited conversations about the boundaries of Halloween creativity and the appropriate ways to honor or reference painful moments in American history.
