Where Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy Bought Her Iconic Headbands
Years after her tragic death, the eternal chicness of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy remains. Even though the fashion publicist famously lived in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York, her understated style spanned the globe—making her a timeless fashion and beauty muse that many still mirror today.
One of her go-to beauty destinations: The famous C.O. Bigelow. Set about a mile north of the apartment she shared with husband John F. Kennedy Jr., the Greenwich Village apothecary has been in business since 1838 (making it the oldest in America), and it’s been well-reported that Bessette-Kennedy was a regular customer.
“We’ve always had an amazing clientele, including Carolyn,” shares Ian Ginsberg, president and third-generation pharmacist at C.O. Bigelow. “She had amazing style, and, while we never share, it was reported that she shopped for all of her hair accessories from us.”
While he may be hush-hush on Bessette-Kennedy’s exact spending habits, Ginsberg does say 2024 (the 25th anniversary of her death) brought about an uptick of interest in her style—and that had a very specific impact on certain SKUs.
“Last year, there was a renewed focus on Carolyn and her style, and the business of headbands blew up—all styles, widths, materials, etc. At the same time, we scour the world for unique hair clips, ponytail holders and barrettes. We carry a huge variety and a huge inventory, and we change it up and replenish it often. Our team is also really great in advising our clients and showing them how to wear them.”
Of course, Ginsberg stresses, hair accessories aren’t exactly a new category for the long-standing pharmacy.
“We’ve been curating all types of accessories throughout my career—from the late ’70’s—and before. I remember we used to carry Eric Javits hats back when he began in the mid-late ’80s,” he recalls. “The secret sauce and magic of C.O. Bigelow lies in our people. They have a razor-focus on our customers and a keen eye on trends. Our team is in touch with the market and our customers constantly, and through our relationships in the industry, we can be agile and move quickly.”
Plus, Ginsberg says, headbands have been around for hundreds of years, and their popularity has ebbed and flowed throughout the decades. “They became popular again in the ’50s, and that popularity grew in the ’60s and ’70s with Brigitte Bardot. They’ve always resurfaced in different iterations, with people like Hillary Clinton and pop stars and fashion models wearing them.”
Besides the wearable variety of accessories and a vast selection of beauty products, C.O. Bigelow offers old-world formularies and a curated collection of favorites. In addition to upholding apothecary traditions with personalized care, bespoke formulas and therapeutic remedies, the neighborhood spot prides itself on creating a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.
