I’m obsessed with 90s fashion – here’s why ‘Love Story’ will be my next TV crush (despite the backlash)

I was born in 1996, which means I should have zero personal nostalgia for the 90s. And yet, here I am, obsessed with everything from Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s minimalist tailoring to Princess Diana’s timeless elegance and Gwyneth Paltrow ’s effortless cool. More than two decades later, their understated style remains the epitome of 90s chic – and I will never stop studying every silhouette, hemline and tucked-in T-shirt.

So when I heard Ryan Murphy was creating a new biographical romance anthology series, I was instantly all in. The first instalment? A deep dive into one of the most iconic couples of the 20th century: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.

The series, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, is inspired by Elizabeth Beller’s book Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and will explore their undeniable chemistry, whirlwind courtship and high-profile marriage over nine episodes. It stars Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn, Paul Kelly as John Jr., Naomi Watts as Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Alessandro Nivola as Calvin Klein.

If you’re like me, fascinated by fashion, romance and a little bit of American royalty, this is basically catnip. The series promises to capture the spark between Carolyn and John – the connection that was electric from the very start – as they navigated love under the intense glare of the public eye.

Of course, nothing Ryan Murphy touches comes without a little drama. First came the name change: originally American Love Story, the series was retitled simply Love Story to appeal internationally. Then there was family backlash. JFK Jr.’s nephew, Jack Schlossberg, publicly condemned the project, accusing the production of ‘profiting off’ his uncle’s life without consultation.

And then… the fashion drama. Early on-set photos of Pidgeon as Carolyn sparked intense critique: her wardrobe looked ‘off the rack’, the iconic Birkin bag was the wrong size (a 35 instead of her signature 40) and even the hair wasn’t quite right. Brad Johns, Carolyn’s former hair colourist, noted that the on-screen version was ‘too 2024’ and lacked the buttery tones that defined her signature look. For a series about one of the 90s’ ultimate It-girls, this was a problem.

Ryan Murphy addressed the backlash, clarifying the test shots were just that – test shots – and not the final wardrobe. From there, he and executive producer Brad Simpson assembled a dream team of ten consultants, including Bessette’s biographer Elizabeth Beller. They replaced the original costume designer with Rudy Mance, who hopped on a plane within 24 hours to completely overhaul the look. Mance, a former Condé Nast fashion assistant turned Murphy costume veteran, had a team of 40 and even tracked down a Canadian collector with 30+ authentic pieces – including Yohji, Valentino and Prada – that mirrored Carolyn’s original wardrobe.

Recreating her iconic style wasn’t just about clothes everyone remembered from 1996–1999. ‘The most challenging thing was how to tell the story in terms of the clothes, who she was before she was photographed relentlessly,’ Mance told Vanity Fair. And honestly? Watching the early paparazzi shots of Pidgeon walking around as Carolyn, I got chills. Every detail, from the little black dress to the L.L.Bean tote and the Havaianas flip-flops, suddenly screamed 90s perfection.

The first three episodes of Love Story drop on Disney+ on 13 February, with new episodes every Friday after that. And yes, I’ve already cleared my calendar. Between the romance, the scandal and – most importantly – the fashion, this is shaping up to be my next TV obsession.