Oh, Jackie!

Kennedy favored fashions by designer Oleg Cassini, who created this apricot silk ziberline dress she wore in India in 1962.

"Fey". That was Jack Kennedy's immediate response when a reporter once asked him to describe his wife, Jackie, in one word. The answer still stands out in my mind for two reasons.

Primarily, because I'd never heard it before and had to look up its meaning. But more significantly, because I have never heard it used to describe anyone (or anything) since then. And given the definition, that seems appropriate -- because there will never be another like Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy again.

Fey: Having or displaying an otherworldly, magical, or fairylike aspect or quality

Remarkably, she was just 31 years old when she began working her magic as the wife of the young president-elect from Massachusetts. And to mark the 40th anniversary of that milestone the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. has just unveiled an installation called Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years- Selections From the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.

The exhibit will run through September 30, 2002, and features 80 original costumes and accessories worn by Mrs. Kennedy on the campaign trail, during inaugural festivities, at the White House and on state visits around the world.

"Jackie was the most stylish first lady ever" exclaims Freddie Leiba, fashion editor at InStyle magazine. "Mrs. Kennedy was a big fashion icon. She charmed Americans and Europeans alike. And even today, designers are still inspired by her!"

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Jackie was as devoted to the designers of her era as they were to her. Her favorite couturier was Hubert de Givenchy (of "Breakfast at Tiffanys" fame). But she was a pragmatist who understood that having a wardrobe made in France could court resentment with the American public.

So she enlisted the help of the French born, but U.S.-based designer (and dear friend) Oleg Cassini. He custom made her clothing, including the inaugural gown, much of which was inspired by the couture houses of Paris.

Mrs. Kennedy also had luck with another American designer by the name of Halston, who at the time, was a hat designer for Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan. He was the first to put her in a pillbox, and the look was to become her signature. Together, they made fashion history.

But to write Jackie off as mere mannequin or muse to fashion's brightest stars would be a mistake, says Hamish Bowles. The Vogue magazine editor is curator of the retrospective, and he observes that she was a collaborator who "rigorously oversaw her own visual presentation".

Freddie Leiba agrees: "Looking at the clothes she brought on a goodwill trip to India and Pakistan, for example, gave me a real sense of who this woman was. The palettes she chose reflected her sensitivity to Asian culture. She dressed in a way that complemented her host nation. With Jackie, it was a question of scholarship."

Elizabeth Parr, who is director of the exhibit, says that even though many of the pieces on display are couture (and thus very costly) -- there are also signs of Jackie's Yankee thrift and practicality.

Seams were let out in some pieces to accommodate her pregnancies. And vintage photos that line the gallery walls bear witness to the fact that Jackie did not mind wearing one-of-a-kind ensembles more than once. "She was a big recycler" concedes Parr.

Jacqueline Kennedy at a White House presentation ceremony, December 5, 1961. Dark red wool boucle by Rodier, 1961

Also notable, for its absence, is the color black. "Of all the evening gowns we have on display" reports Parr, "only one is black." That the First Lady loved color will probably come as a big surprise to most visitors who, so far, have only seen black and white images of the clothing in old TV footage and press clippings.

Letitia Baldridge worked as Jackie's chief-of-staff and social secretary. And though 40 years have passed since they shared just 1,000 days in office, Baldridge's memories remain undiminished: "Jackie's eye was celebrated, because it was the foundation of her unerring taste. Her eye told her when to adopt a startling new fashion, and when to leave it alone."

And then there was the carriage. Says the former friend and staffer: "When you saw her, even from afar, you were dazzled. She didn't simply stand out in a crowd, she commanded it. The posture was ever erect, even when sitting, even when wearing jeans."

Though her clothing collection is what draws fans to the show; it's her personal papers and letters that give viewers some real insight on Mrs. Kennedy's highest priorities in life.

Rose Kemble, a self-proclaimed "Jackie O fanantic", saw the show when it debuted in New York City last year. "I loved and respected her more when I read her letter to (then) Mayor Abe Beame, describing Grand Central Station's historical significance to the city, and asking for his help to save it from destruction," says the IBM executive.

But what impressed Kemble's daughter, Tracey (who saw the show first and then encouraged her mother to go) even more, was Jackie's personal touch.

"I liked reading her hand-written thank you notes to the sales staff at Bergdorf Goodman," says the film producer. "They were all so warm and personal. It was obvious that regardless of status, she wanted everyone to know that she appreciated what they'd done for her."

And her fans can only hope that Jackie O knew the feeling was 100 percent mutual!

Couture dressing is typically the province of monarchs and movie stars, for the simple fact that it is prohibitively expensive.

And there's no way that Jack Kennedy could have kept his wife in the pink (or apricot or celadon) on a public servant's salary.

Which is why Joseph Kennedy underwrote his daughter-in-law's clothing allowance. A man ahead of his time, the family patriarch understood the value of image; and what he wanted the First Couple of Camelot to represent was:

(And let's face it, if Jackie O were a cloth-coat-sensible-shoe-wearing type of gal- - would you have given this article a second glance? ...I didn't think so!)

Who could forget Jackie on the steps of the Capitol building in her pillbox hat on inauguration day? Too young to have followed the trend the first time around? Well, Patricia Underwood's take on the '60s accessory can have you trying one on for size in no time.

Pillbox hat by Patricia Underwood

Meanwhile, Michael Kors updates another Jackie classic: the matching dress and coat ensemble for Celine.

And check out actress Kristen Davis's (Charlotte on "Sex & the City") head-to-toe transformation as Jackie Kennedy in this month's InStyle magazine. Look for the Special Makeover Issue with Kristen on the cover! On newsstands now.

Chased by paparazzi for most of her adult life, Mrs. Bouvier Kennedy Onassis managed to shield herself from the glare of fame -- in high style.

Lucky for us, big frames are making a comeback this season.

Co-opt the ultimate "Jackie O" look in a pair of Ray Bans or Christian Roth sunglasses (crazed-cameraman not included!)