Persol · Men's Sunglasses
PO3330S Polarized Sunglasses
Straight off our JFK Jr. board. The fastest old-money upgrade there is.
$250–$500
Shop Now →The JFK Jr. Boyfriend · /jfk-jr-style/
The JFK Jr. Boyfriend: 90s style that still works
JFK Jr.'s wardrobe is famous because it barely existed. A white tee, jeans, a crewneck, a bomber jacket, sunglasses, and a suit when required. That is the whole archive. The reason those photographs still circulate is fit and repetition, not variety.
So this page is short on purpose. Buy the sunglasses, buy the knitwear, and get everything else tailored rather than replaced.
As an Amazon Associate, Build a Boyfriend earns from qualifying purchases. How this works.
The one accessory that does the work
Persol in black horn is the least try-hard frame made, and sunglasses are the cheapest way to buy a jawline.
The rest of the uniform
Layering pieces in the plainest possible versions. Brown leather, navy knit, boat shoes for the summer half of the year.
The actual uniform
The 501 and the reverse-weave crewneck. Two garments, most of the archive.
Levi's · Men's Knitwear
Levi's Men's 501 Original Fit Jeans
The 501 is the original, and the cut JFK Jr. actually wore. Buy them rigid and let them fade.
Under $100
Shop Now →
Levi's · Men's Knitwear
Levi's 505 Regular Fit Jeans
Straight through the leg, no stretch, no distressing. The jean in every photograph of him on a bicycle in Tribeca.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
Champion · Men's Knitwear
Champion Fleece Joggers
Grey marl fleece, tapered hem. Reads as sport rather than surrender.
Under $100
Get It Here →
Champion · Men's Knitwear
Champion Open-Bottom Fleece Sweatpants
The open hem is the older, better-looking cut. Wear with a white tee and nothing else needs to happen.
Under $100
Shop the Pick →
New Balance · Men's Knitwear
New Balance 574
Grey suede, no logo shouting. The trainer that looks unstudied because it genuinely is.
Under $100
Get It Here →
Nautica · Men's Knitwear
Nautica Quarter-Zip Sweater
Half-zip knit over a collar. The single easiest way to make a man look like he owns a boat.
Under $100
Shop Now →
Amazon Essentials · Men's Knitwear
Amazon Essentials Quarter-Zip French Rib Mock Neck Sweater
French rib holds its shape through a winter. Buy it in navy and stop thinking about it.
Under $100
Shop Now →
Amazon Essentials · Men's Knitwear
Amazon Essentials Quarter-Zip Fleece Pullover
The weekend version. Midweight fleece, mock neck, no branding across the chest.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
Dockers · Men's Knitwear
Dockers Vargas Leather Boat Shoe
Boat shoes only work in real leather. These are, and they cost less than the ones everyone recognises.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
COOFANDY · Men's Knitwear
COOFANDY Shawl Collar Button-Up Cardigan
The shawl collar is what separates a cardigan from a jumper with buttons. Twenty-six dollars.
Under $100
See Price →
Amazon Essentials · Men's Knitwear
Amazon Essentials Shawl-Collar Cardigan
Sixteen dollars for the Hyannis Port silhouette. Wear it over a white tee and say nothing.
Under $100
Shop the Pick →
Hanes · Men's Knitwear
Hanes Ultimate Heavyweight Fleece Crewneck
Grey marl, heavyweight, no logo. Seventeen dollars and it is in half the photographs of him.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
Champion · Men's Knitwear
Champion Reverse Weave Crewneck Sweatshirt
Reverse weave means the fabric runs sideways so it does not shrink up the body. Worth the extra.
Under $100
See Price →
Amazon Essentials · Men's Knitwear
Amazon Essentials Cotton Piqué Polo Shirt
Fifteen dollars for a proper piqué polo. Buy navy and white and the summer is handled.
Under $100
Shop Now →
Dubinik · Men's Knitwear
Dubinik 8.8oz Heavyweight Denim Shirt
A real denim shirt with weight to it — the layer this whole look is built on.
Under $100
Get It Here →
Haggar · Men's Knitwear
Haggar Classic Fit Premium Stretch Corduroy Pant
Corduroy, which is the trouser this entire look is missing.
Under $100
See Price →
J.VER · Men's Knitwear
J.VER Solid Oxford Button-Down Shirt
Twenty dollars for the shirt that goes under every other thing on this page.
Under $100
See Price →
Legendary Whitetails · Men's Knitwear
Legendary Whitetails Long-Sleeve Henley
A henley is what he wears on the boat, and this one has the weight to justify it.
Under $100
Get It Here →
Nautica · Men's Knitwear
Nautica Quick-Dry Solid Swim Trunk
Twenty dollars, solid colour, no print. Which is the entire brief.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
JFK Jr. Style FAQ
What sunglasses did JFK Jr. wear?
Classic Italian acetate frames, most often in a rounded rectangular shape. The modern equivalent is the Persol PO3330S in black horn — the same restraint, with polarised lenses.
How do I get the 90s men's look without it being a costume?
Keep the silhouette modern and the pieces plain. The 90s reference should come from proportion — slightly roomier trousers, a shorter jacket — not from graphics or logos. One vintage cue per outfit is the limit.
Is JFK Jr. style the same as old money?
Adjacent. Both avoid logos and favour repetition, but JFK Jr.'s version is more casual and more American: denim, sweatshirts, running clothes, sunglasses. Old money is dressier and more rural.