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Jacqueline Kennedy's Iconic Pink Suit Locked in Vault Until 2103

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Kennedy in limousine in Dallas
John F. Kennedy sits next to his wife, Jacqueline, in a limousine in Dallas shortly before his assassination on Nov. 22, 1963. (Image credit: Walt Cisco, Dallas Morning News; Public Domain)

The blood-caked pink Chanel suit that Jacqueline Kennedy wore on the day her husband was killed has been tucked away in a climate-controlled vault outside of the nation's capital since 1964. And according to The New York Times, the iconic outfit will stay there, barred from public view for almost another century in accordance with the family's wishes.

The National Archives is charged with preserving the pink suit as well as its accessories, including the stockings, navy shoes, bag and navy blouse the first lady wore when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas almost 50 years ago to the day on Nov. 22, 1963. (The only two items lost from the former first lady's outfit are her pink pillbox hat and white kid gloves, according to The Times.)

Caroline Kennedy legally handed over her mother's clothes to the National Archives in 2003. But, to avoid the sensational treatment of the objects, Kennedy stipulated that the suit could not go on public display until 2103, The Times reported, adding that access to the pink suit never seems to have been granted for research purposes.

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Megan Gannon
Megan Gannon
Live Science Contributor
Megan has been writing for Live Science and Space.com since 2012. Her interests range from archaeology to space exploration, and she has a bachelor's degree in English and art history from New York University. Megan spent two years as a reporter on the national desk at NewsCore. She has watched dinosaur auctions, witnessed rocket launches, licked ancient pottery sherds in Cyprus and flown in zero gravity. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.