Sometimes I wish I was Carrie Bradshaw reincarnated.
As the main character on HBO’s “Sex and the City,” I always thought she was the ideal woman. Her closet was never-ending, she never wore the same outfit twice, and her mess of golden curly locks always seemed to fall perfectly in place. Like any other human being, Carrie had her bad habits—a cigarette addiction and the tendency to charge her credit card one too many times–but she had three great friends, a knack for writing, and a long-lasting relationship with New York City. Because of her portrayal throughout the show’s six-season run, I have come to adore her. Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte have also become lovable characters, and have stayed beautiful as they age; every girl can pick out a character from the show to whom they can relate. This is why I am awaiting the release of “Sex and the City 2,” and why I believe it to be a staple of not only the movie industry but the fashion world.
There is no doubt that the series, as well as the first “Sex and the City” movie, is extravagant, and at times unrealistic. All television shows and movies are like that in some way. Clearly, if I purchased a pair of Manolo Blahniks once a week like Carrie does, I’d be in serious debt. But that’s why I find the ‘Sex and the City” franchise to be so important. I think it is a show that can empower women to be creative when it comes to fashion, bold when it comes to forming relationships, and free to have fun despite the threat of aging, obtaining careers, and becoming responsible. Manhattan is a scary, urban jungle. The variety of people, the shock of different cultures, and the fast-paced, no-time-to-waste attitude that accompanies the city is intimidating, but Carrie and her closest girlfriends still manage to find happiness and success there. Why can’t we, as viewers, do the same?
In the first “Sex and the City” movie we watched Carrie experience the ultimate heartbreak, abandoned by the infamous Mr. Big at the altar. We also got to witness her “break-over,” a term I learned from my friend, alluding to the makeover one can receive after the end of a relationship.
However, in the second part of the saga, the four women are balancing careers, motherhood, and naturally, aging. The friends take an international trip to Adu Dhabi, where shockingly, Carrie is confronted with ex-fiancé Aiden. For Carrie Bradshaw, the romantic ups and downs never cease. In the meantime, we know all four ladies will be fabulously dressed throughout the film—traveling to another country means not only new clothes, but a whole new wardrobe that fits their surroundings. It’s a fashionable affair wherever Carrie and her posse go, and despite the surprises this film is sure to reveal, we can take comfort in the fact that the couture will be nothing short of spectacular.
For the fashionista, “Sex and the City” is a visual Bible—one can learn a lot about what’s trendy just by watching one episode of the series. Don’t be intimidated by the show’s emphasis on haute couture, Fifth Avenue shopping, or wardrobes stationed on the Upper East Side. If there is one thing I’ve learned from my favorite show of all time, it’s that fashion caters to you and your style, not the other way around. The straight-laced lawyer, the prim and proper art dealer, the fearless and sexy publicist, and of course, the fashionably daring sex columnist are all different, yet stylish in their own right. From this show, I have concluded that we are all stylish in our own right and in our way. To me, that is what fashion is all about.
Although “Sex and the City” is often an exaggeration of real life, it still touches on issues that women will always be concerned with—finding love, making a home, keeping friends, making money, and being ultimately happy with the life they have chosen to live. The show’s emphasis on fashion is a reflection on a passion for life for the women who have made the show what it is. The fashion we see makes everything more exciting, glamorous, and fun, so women can aspire to live their lives, no matter what they do, in the pursuit of it all.
