" " How a Tortoiseshell Headband Became a Symbol of Timeless Style Inspired by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy . .
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-- Nicole Nigro, a 24-year-old software engineer from Brooklyn, wasn’t even born when a tragic plane crash on July 16, 1999, claimed the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and her sister Lauren Bessette. But despite not having lived through the events, Bessette-Kennedy’s iconic style has left a lasting impression on Nigro and many others.
Nigro’s connection to the late socialite and former publicist at Calvin Klein was recently rekindled when she went to Zitomer, an upscale pharmacy on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, on the hunt for a headband she'd seen in TikTok videos. The accessory in question was a simple, yet chic tortoiseshell headband—1.375 inches wide, priced at US$35 (approximately RM156), and closely associated with Bessette-Kennedy. The former Calvin Klein publicist had been photographed wearing this very headband on multiple occasions before her untimely death at 33, cementing it as part of her signature minimalist style.
For many, Bessette-Kennedy’s understated elegance has continued to influence fashion decades after her passing. Despite the passage of time, she remains an enduring style icon. Her preference for minimalist clothing—described by Nigro as “simple and timeless”—has inspired a generation to embrace clean, classic lines over extravagant trends. While some of Bessette-Kennedy’s clothing, including high-end pieces from designer labels like Yohji Yamamoto and Prada, can be found in auction houses like Sotheby’s, the tortoiseshell headband offers a more accessible way for people to channel her effortlessly chic aesthetic. It’s an emblem of how a subtle, yet elegant, accessory can transcend time and continue to inspire fashion lovers across generations. For women like Nigro, Bessette-Kennedy represents more than just a style icon—she’s a posthumous fashion influencer whose impact lingers through simple, timeless pieces that resonate in today’s fast-paced, trend-driven world . .
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-- The headband that Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy famously wore has become known online as the “CBK headband,” a term that not only refers to the exact style she wore but also to other tortoiseshell headbands of various widths, colors, and makers.
The headbands worn by Bessette-Kennedy were made by Charles J Wahba, a New York City-based label founded in 1959. Handmade in France from acetate, these headbands are designed to fit snugly but are known to mold to the shape of the wearer’s head over time. Available at upscale pharmacies, including CO Bigelow in Greenwich Village—where it’s believed Bessette-Kennedy purchased her headbands—the Charles J Wahba brand offers luxury accessories that embody understated elegance. However, no store has carried the brand longer than Zitomer, a nearly 75-year-old pharmacy known for its extensive collection of hair accessories. Zitomer has been selling Charles J Wahba’s headbands, barrettes, and claw clips since 1976, and it’s also where Bessette-Kennedy is said to have shopped for other essentials like shampoo and scrunchies.
On the day Nicole Nigro visited Zitomer in search of the headband, Shreya Bhide, a 28-year-old software engineer from San Jose, California, was also there, hunting for the same iconic accessory. Bhide reflected on the time period when Bessette-Kennedy wore the headband: “It was what—like one century, a half a century ago?” While it may feel like ages ago, it was only a quarter of a century since Bessette-Kennedy’s heyday, a time before social media and constant online documentation. Today, the photographs of her and the articles written about her before her tragic death are some of the few glimpses into the private life of a woman whose style and influence continue to resonate . .
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-- That may be part of her allure among younger people, said Mimi Stillman, a 28-year-old freelance video producer in Columbus, Ohio.
“I’m not old enough to recall her, but I think it’s so interesting her aura has transcended to my generation,” said Stillman, who bought a Wahba headband at Zitomer in July and documented the purchase in a TikTok video.
“There are no new photos; I would like to know more about her.”
This year, Zitomer has tripled its inventory of Wahba hair products, partly because of the headband’s popularity, said Sharon Sternheim, the pharmacy’s owner. Sternheim added that she has “never seen such a young crowd coming into the store”. She estimated that lately, more than half of its weekend customers had been under 40. Joey Wahba, who runs the hair accessories label started by and named for his father, said the surge of interest in its headband associated with Bessette-Kennedy had resulted in an uptick in sales: The company has sold some 10,000 this year, about 10 times more than it did in 2023 . .
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-- In addition to pharmacies like Zitomer and CO Bigelow, Charles J Wahba’s iconic pieces are available at roughly 80 locations nationwide, including high-end hair salons. However, the company itself doesn't sell its products online—it doesn’t maintain a website or any social media presence.It’s amazing how she became someone that today’s generation admires,” said Wahba, reflecting on the lasting influence of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
Among those admirers is actress Annabelle Dexter-Jones, 38, who fondly recalls seeing Bessette-Kennedy in the crowd at Calvin Klein fashion shows during her childhood. Attending with her mother, Ann Dexter-Jones, a jewelry designer, Annabelle would later become a longtime Zitomer customer herself. She has purchased dozens of tortoiseshell headbands at the pharmacy, including several from Wahba’s collection. For Dexter-Jones, Bessette-Kennedy’s signature look even helped shape the appearance of Naomi Pierce, the publishing heiress she portrayed on HBO's Succession. "Bessette-Kennedy’s style was a big influence on Naomi's character," she shared, underscoring the enduring power of Bessette-Kennedy’s understated, timeless fashion . .
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