Fawning over Sex and the City is just as socially accepted in 2020 as it was in the late ’00s, but there are plenty of ways the show redefined culture throughout its six-year run—not least, the stellar wardrobe choices of one Carrie Bradshaw.
As the show’s main character, Carrie’s fashion sits somewhere between the rest of her friends—the over-the-top, loud outfits of Samantha, the business-savvy style of Miranda, and the conservative, WASP-y aesthetic associated with Charlotte.
Naturally, Carrie’s wardrobe is just as admired today as it was in the ’90s and early ’00s, with Instagram accounts like @everyoutfitonsatc (an obvious follow for SATC aficionados) bringing to light all of Carrie’s best looks for a new generation.
From the tulle tutu found in a bargain bin, to the endlessly iconic Galliano-era Dior newspaper dress, scroll down for nine storied Carrie Bradshaw outfits that are just as history-seeped as they are chic.
The Fendi ‘Baguette’ bag
Carrie’s effortless style shaped the wardrobes of millions of women, even down to their accessory choices. When she first wore Fendi’s ‘Baguette’ bag (an underarm classic that’s synonymous with the late ’90s), it became one of the Italian fashion house’s best-selling products, and is frequently considered as one of the very first It-handbags of the 2000s.
The Dior by John Galliano newspaper dress
Carrie’s famous Dior slip dress, adorned with newspaper print, is nothing short of legendary. As pointed out by @everyoutfitonsatc, the look actually hails from a John Galliano-era Dior collection inspired by homelessness (the kind of reference that we wouldn’t count on seeing in 2020).
The all-important tutu
What’s become arguably one of the most important outfits in TV history was actually purchased for $5 in a discount bin, according to SATC‘s legendary costume designer, Patricia Field. Field admitted in 2012 that while SJP was immediately on board with the wildcard outfit, it took a little more convincing to garner the approval of the show’s creator, Darren Star.
The Dior ‘Saddle’ Bag
It’s safe to say that Carrie was a fiend for Galliano-era Dior (as were many stylish women of the 2000s), and was frequently spotted toting the brand’s iconic ‘Saddle’ bag—a piece that was later revived by current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, and is just as covetable now as it was back in the early ’00s.
The strategic Birkin
SJP fell pregnant with her first son, James Wilkie, during filming in 2002. When her bump became too large to conceal, the show’s wardrobe department employed the help of a $15,000 Hermès ‘Birkin’ bag in navy blue (the same style of handbag that Samantha fought Lucy Liu for in the show’s fourth season). Oversized clothing was also employed in many other scenes in order to hide the bump.
The Vivienne Westwood wedding dress
No matter your thoughts on Carrie’s Westwood gown for her ill-fated wedding in the first SATC film, you can’t deny how quintessentially Carrie it is. It also features many of Vivienne Westwood’s trademark design characteristics, including whimsical, borderline brash tailoring and nods to the history of British ‘punk’ culture that the designer is is synonymous with.
The Halston looks
In Sex and the City 2, Carrie wears a handful of outfits by New York label Halston, after Sarah Jessica Parker joined a role at the iconic (albeit financially troubled) fashion house in real life. Thus, Carrie’s wardrobe momentarily reflected SJP’s real-life wardrobe.
The actress finished up her time working for the house in 2016, and told Vanity Fair: “I don’t want that time back, and I don’t regret it, because there is no way I would’ve walked away from that enormous responsibility without learning something.”
The Dior logo top
Another staple of John Galliano’s time at Dior, Carrie sported one of the designer’s famous ‘J’adore Dior’ tops in SATC2 (over a decade after Lucy Liu famously wore a similar one when she cameoed in season four). The style became a must-have wardrobe piece of the 2000s, many years before Balenciaga and Gucci’s logo-adorned tees stole our attention.
The nostalgic tulle skirt
SATC‘s TV run concluded in 2004 after six seasons, and Patricia Field embossed the finale with a look we’d all remember. The tulle skirt from the show’s final scene (with a white tank top underneath, no less) is a matured version of the tulle tutu from the show’s opening credits—this time reflecting a more nuanced, grown-up Carrie.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
