Sex and the City and How It Influenced Fashion
Introduction & Plot Summary
Sex and the City, the romantic-comedy television series from the late ‘90s and early 2000s, is loved by many for its honest depiction of life as a single woman in her thirties living in New York City and all of the mess that comes with it.
While the nostalgic romanticism of the city and portrayal of female friendships are largely responsible for the show’s fame, the characters’ fashion is equally as iconic and continues to influence trends 20 years later. While the options of looks to choose from are endless, I’ll be referring to S2:E17 “Twenty-Something Girls vs. Thirty-Something Women” in this analysis.
Description
According to Vogue, Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, is to thank for the wave of mixed patterns, funky styles and bold statement pieces that took an entire generation of women by storm in the early 2000s. New York street style during this time is practically synonymous with what the show’s iconic group of four were sporting episode to episode.
One of Bradshaw’s more iconic looks is her cowboy-inspired outfit worn for the “Hamptons Hoedown” towards the end of the episode.
Source: IMDb
While different from her normal wardrobe, it’s clear that even her themed costumes have played a part in what’s trendy today. At the party, Carrie can be seen debuting a snake-skin tube top paired with a bold wrapped skirt and hot pink cowboy hat. This look alone has been replicated and referenced countless times for festivals and summertime styling.
Sex and the City utilizes fashion in a very specific way, that adds to the overall sub-theme of the show: there is not one way to do life. Taking the clothing in the series at face value with no context, one might assume the characters wearing the pieces are in their early 20s. However, Bradshaw and her crew are perfect demonstrations of sticking true to creative expression and personal style, even past the age society deems as acceptable.
Analysis
Sex and the City does a great job at utilizing the concept of working in history, present and future. As mentioned previously, the reason this show works is because of the world we get brought into while watching. Viewers who have never been to New York and are well under the age of 30 inherently feel the nostalgia associated with the series, and fashion has a lot to do with it.
If we’re being realistic, there’s no way Carrie is able to afford the new pairs of Jimmy Choos she seems to buy on impulse time and time again with her journalist salary. Patricia Field, the show’s lead costume designer, told InStyle that the characters’ style in the show was used to push their individual narratives and was a defining part of establishing the different personalities we see on screen.
All that to say, although we can use our better judgement to understand Bradshaw’s spending habits weren’t necessarily reflective of a typical writer’s income, some logic had to be sacrificed to make the beloved show the New York City fantasy we all needed it to be.
Source: IMDb
Conclusion
As someone who is obsessed with the New York aesthetic, myself, I recommend giving the series your attention. Whether it be for the fashion, the drama or the desire to travel back to a time many of us weren’t even around for, Sex and the City is the perfect show to spark inspiration and tap into your most stylish self.
Source: IMDb