You should listen to or read the transcripts of the tapes Jackie recorded, you may view her differently after. She herself says JFK orginally considered her and her clothes a huge political liability but to his credit never asked her to change.....Caroline Kennedy just released the tapes and put out a book if them....just an OT FYI
That's very old news actually. It's been known as far back as when Sarah Bradford wrote her biography on JKO. And it's also why she had to hire Oleg Cassini to be her main designer during the White House years (Cassini was also hired because the clothing and hat unions supported JFK heartily, and it was Jackie's and Jack's way of acknowledging their support by hiring an American designer). However, when her clothing overshadowed him in Paris, Vienna and London in 1961, he didn't whine about his policies being ignored. He figured out how to use Jacqueline's style as an asset to draw attention to his goals. (Her goodwill trip to India and Pakistan, where her clothing also drew attention, was one such example.) And he was consistant in valuing it the next few years. Even in Nov. 1963, he was complimenting her on her wardrobe being as asset. He famously said "There are going to be all these rich Republican women at that lunch...Show these Texans what good taste really is." (Bradford 263)
And, yes, haute couture is expensive. JFK complained about that, but he was complaining about that before the White House years. But complaining about expense of clothing is NOT the same as whining about her style overshadowing him. Plus, Jackie did recycle her clothes during the White House years (both state gowns and casual clothing).
Furthermore, I've been reading about JKO since I was in my teens. Nothing surprises me about her. I was never just been interested in her solely for her fashion. I've read tons of stuff about her life pre, post, and during the White House years. And I'm one of the few people who actually read books edited by her prior to this year (when 2 books about her editing career have been published). Therefore, my mind remains unchanged and I stick to my points.
To get to Kate. I think the casual clothing she is wearing now reflects her lifestyle. Right now, she might be an heir to the the heir's wife, but she's living in a small town in Wales. Wearing high fashion there would be inappropriate. The low-keyness fits in. I do think though she is subtly upgrading all the same. She looks much more put together than what she did 5 years ago, and especially 8-9 years ago.