Ryan Murphy’s new Hulu show, “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” is drawing attention to the tumultuous romance between Kennedy and Bessette. Beyond the relationship, online audiences are fascinated by the couple’s style, particularly JFK Jr.’s suave fashion.
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On TikTok, “Love Story” has sparked a John F. Kennedy Jr. appreciation renaissance. Gen Z users are analyzing his style, calling him ahead of his time. However, a closer look at JFK Jr.’s sophisticated style reveals a heavy inspiration from the fashion of Black men in the ’90s. The young businessman, known for rocking Kangol hats and a mixture of baggy and formal wear, mirrored the looks of icons such as Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, and Spike Lee and many other brothers.
TikToker and vintage fashion enthusiast @neddievintage, who is White, highlighted the strong resemblance between John F. Kennedy Jr.’s style and that of Black men in the ’90s. He emphasized the importance of Gen Z online recognizing the true source of Kennedy’s sartorial inspiration.
“JFK Jr. was not at fault, nor is anyone for appreciating his style,” the TikToker explained. “However, we must acknowledge and be acutely aware that the genuine inspiration was consistently Black pop culture, which itself originated in 1980s Harlem.”
Delving further into the history of New York fashion, Neddie added that Harlem inspired more than just John F. Kennedy Jr.
“A lot of the original core principles of what people now consider quiet luxury are coming from Harlem in the ’80s,” he stated. “People in that place overflowed with brilliance and personal style. So the seemingly new style trends shouldn’t be an insult, but rather a proper tribute from this pocket of styles’ long path to pop culture relevance that John F. Kennedy Jr. was on the tail end of. JFK Jr. was inspired, not the inspiration. Manhattan adopted it; Harlem created it.”
Therefore, it is no surprise that Harlem has continuously been recognized as a bustling cultural capital, not just for the neighborhood’s contribution to music and literature, but also to fashion. Specifically, Harlem was recognized by GQ as the menswear capital of the world in April 2025, as it served as inspiration for last year’s Superfine Met Gala theme.
In the comments of the video, Black folks agreed with everything Neddie had to say about the fashion of John F. Kennedy Jr., even listing more Black men who could have inspired him.
“Yassss! His style really reminds me of Dwayne from A Different World,” wrote one user.
“Black culture is the blueprint for most of American pop culture,” added another.
“Turn this up,” exclaimed a third user.
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