Born 1933 as Elizabeth Janet Pickering in New York City, Betsy Pickering began her modeling career in the early 1950s, making her first of several appearances on the cover of Vogue in 1953.
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| Betsy Pickering in the 1950s |
Betsy was a constant on the International Best Dressed List. She was elevated to the Best Dressed Hall of Fame in the early 1970s.
Betsy was a member of the Bath & Tennis Club and The Everglades Club in Palm Beach, the Meadow Club in Southampton, N.Y., and The Colony Club in Manhattan. She was also an active member of The Garden Club of Palm Beach and served as a chairwoman for The Society of the Four Arts benefit.
Betsy died in 2013, in Santa Barbara, California, after a long illness. She was 79. Take a look at these glamorous photos of young Betsy Pickering as a model in the 1950s.
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| Betsy Pickering in figure-defining silk satin dress, panier framed by Jo Copeland-Patullo, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Harper's Bazaar, October 1954 |
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| Betsy Pickering in black silk crêpe dinner/cocktail sheath by Ben Reig, rhinestone-bow cap by Dior, photo by Roger Prigent, Vogue, June 1, 1955 |
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| Betsy Pickering in Lyle & Scott cashmere sheath with hip-line welting by Christian Dior, photo by Virginia Thoren, Vogue, September 1, 1955 |
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| Betsy Pickering in an elegant sheath, squared high in front, low and bowed in back in Merrimack velveteen by Anne Fogarty, Vogue, August 1, 1956 |
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| Betsy Pickering in CMB Majestic Canada Mink dark lustrous stole from Calman Links Furriers, photo by Virginia Thoren, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1956 |
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| Betsy Pickering is wearing a black velvet chéchia tied with a white satin ribbon and mascara veiling over all by Svend, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, September 15, 1956 |
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| Betsy Pickering is wearing a dinner hat of blue-white satin folded around a black velvet cone, lightly veiled in black net, by Svend, photo by Frances McLaughlin, Vogue, September 15, 1956 |
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| Betsy Pickering in a black twill-backed velveteen dress by Anne Fogarty, fur by Fredrica, photo by Rockfield, Vogue, August 15, 1957 |
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| Betsy Pickering in Argentine broadtail lamb jacket by Zimmerman-Scher, beret with veil by Emme, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, July 1, 1957 |
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| Betsy Pickering in beautiful draped gown of brilliant blue velvet by Grès for Vogue Pattern 1386, photo by Roger Prigent, Vogue, November 15, 1957 |
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| Betsy Pickering in black satin cocktail dress with bell skirt and straight across neckline by Nina Ricci, photo by Roger Prigent, Vogue, November 15, 1957 |
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| Betsy Pickering in brown wool-Orlon suit by Handmacher, brown otter toque by John Frederics, reversed calfskin bag by Lederer, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, car Lincoln convertible, Vogue, August 15, 1957 |
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| Betsy Pickering in romantic full evening dress of emerald-green lace has bodice that's high in front and low in back tied with wide satin ribbon by Jacques Heim, photo by Roger Prigent, Vogue, November 15, 1957 |
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| Betsy Pickering is wearing a deep-red velour cap wound round with satin ribbon ending in a rosetted bow by Tatiana du Plessix, earrings from Saks Fifth Avenue, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, August 1, 1957 |
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| Betsy Pickering in Arnel and rayon suit by Glenhaven, Celanese ad, Vogue, March 1, 1958 |
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| Betsy Pickering in emerald silk dress with floating back panel by Helga, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Vogue, October 1, 1958 |
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| Betsy Pickering in golden satin evening gown, the brief bandeau is edged in fringe and set on a narrow wrapped skirt, by Lanvin-Castillo, photo by Richard Avedon, Harper's Bazaar, September 1958 |
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| Betsy Pickering in the minaret sheath of filigreed medallions in cotton batiste from Saks Fifth Avenue, Vogue, April 15, 1958 |
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| Betsy Pickering on Wall Street, photo by Jerry Schatzberg, 1958 |
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| Betsy Pickering in black crêpe cardigan suit, the cardigan is lined in white silk surah, the dress is sleeveless with leather bow-belt, by Ben Zuckerman, hat by Lilly Daché, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, February 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in black rayon-crêpe dinner/theatre/dance dress by Lee Claire, white net hood with black satin bows by Lilly Daché, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, July 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in black silk crêpe dress with top that blouses away from the belt in back by A. Goodman, huge net cartwheel hat by Lilly Daché, shoes by Newton Elkin, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, July 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in black wool egg-shaped dress with belled skirt and cape doubling as collar and jacket by Simonetta, hat by Canessa, photo by Wanda Gawronska in Florence, Italy, Vogue, April 15, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in cashmere two-piece from Lyle & Scott, photo by Virginia Thoren, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in clinging, drifting white crêpe dress wrapped in black and white satin polka-dots by Charles Dickey, photo by Norman Parkinson, Vogue, January 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in Como Italian silk dress by Vera Stewart in lime green, blonde or navy, Vogue, December 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in imported pink wool riding jacket suit by Ben Zuckerman, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Harper's Bazaar, February 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in imported silk brocade theatre sheath and jacket by Mollie Parnis, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Harper's Bazaar, October 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in late-day shirt dress of yellow on black silk surah by Anne Fogarty, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, February 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in late-day shirtdress of navy blue crêpe and silk chiffon by Larry Aldrich, jeweled pin from Lilly Daché Boutique, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, February 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in pale blue silk dress with pleated bertha collar and skirt worn with pale blue silk hat by Yves Saint Laurent for Dior, shoes by Roger Vivier for Dior, photo by Henry Clarke, Vogue, March 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in pale blue silk shift with softening folds at the neckline and flat bow and pleated belt by Lanvin-Castillo, photo by Henry Clarke, Vogue, March 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in pinstriped suit by Christian Dior (YSL for Dior), photo by Henry Clarke, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in short evening dress of black faille with skirt widened to full Infanta size and huge cuffs with rose cuff links by Patrick de Barentzen, photo by Wanda Gawronska, Vogue, April 15, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in silk faille dress, criss-crossed bowed with white piqué accent by Jo Copeland, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, Harper's Bazaar, February 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in slim black silk crêpe dress from Miss Bergdorf at Bergdorf Goodman, white sheer organdy cartwheel hat by John Frederics, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, July 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in Spring suit of chiffon worsted flannel with white linen collar by Ben Reig, photo by Gleb Derulinsky, Vogue, February 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in suit of chalk-streaked navy blue flannel, jacket is belted with wide-away collar by YSL for Dior, photo by Henry Clarke, Vogue, March 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in suit with leopard accents by Herbert Sondheim, Vogue, September 1, 1959 |
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| Betsy Pickering in two-piece dress by Nina Ricci, photo by Henry Clarke, 1959 |