Sarah Pidgeon embraced Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s signature restraint while filming FX’s “American Love Story” in New York City on Tuesday. The actress, who stars as the late fashion icon opposite Paul Anthony Kelly’s JFK Jr., was spotted on set in a monochromatic look grounded by a polished pair of patent leather loafers.
Sarah Pidgeon is seen on the “American Love Story” set as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, wearing patent leather loafers.
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The shoes featured a squared moc toe and subtle stacked heel, rendered in black high-shine leather with minimal visible stitching — a sharp, structured silhouette that reflects Bessette-Kennedy’s preference for refined basics. They appear to be slip-on rather than lug-soled or platformed, keeping in step with her discreet 1990s footwear palette, which often included understated Prada loafers or Manolo Blahnik low pumps.
A closer look at the patent leather loafers Pidgeon wore as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in New York City.
Pidgeon wore the loafers with a pair of black tailored trousers cropped just above the ankle, along with a slim-fitting black turtleneck. A structured black shoulder bag and natural waves completed the look, which echoed the publicist’s signature blend of Calvin Klein minimalism and unstudied elegance.
Though Bessette-Kennedy is often remembered for her formalwear — column gowns, silk skirts, barely-there makeup — her day-to-day wardrobe leaned pragmatic. Biographer Elizabeth Beller noted that she often relied on clean basics, particularly when walking through Manhattan or commuting to her office. Flats, loafers and slim trousers were part of her practical yet polished rotation, sometimes paired with bare ankles or a simple crew sock.
Jenny Landy and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in New York City, circa 1995.
Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Costume designer Lou Eyrich, a longtime Murphy collaborator, helms the wardrobe for the series. She previously referenced Bessette-Kennedy’s mix of professionalism and personal ease in interviews, describing the challenge of capturing a woman who “never looked like she was trying — even when every detail was intentional.”
“American Love Story,” created by Ryan Murphy, dramatizes the relationship between JFK Jr. and Bessette-Kennedy — from the couple’s magnetic courtship to their fatal 1999 plane crash. The show has already drawn intense fan scrutiny over costume choices, especially after early scenes showed Pidgeon’s Bessette-Kennedy in Converse sneakers and satin skirts. However, recent photos, including this pared-back loafer look, suggest the costume department is building a more nuanced portrait of the late style icon.