And Just Like That: Reviving the Fashion Legacy of Sex and the City
Plenty of “And Just Like That” spoilers are lurking below, FYI.
You can’t tell the story of “Sex and the City” and its revival/sequel “And Just Like That” without spending an inordinate amount of time discussing the fashion. Over the course of the original show’s six seasons, Carrie Bradshaw became a universal style icon. She inspired generations of women to waltz around New York City in tulle dresses, all while carefully dodging potholes in their Manolo Blahnik pumps. Styled by the inimitable Patricia Field, Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) delighted in getting dressed. Her style was quirky, vibrant, romantic: she’d stop by McDonald’s in a pink Oscar de la Renta frock or go wedding-dress shopping with a belt tied around her bare stomach. Throughout the series, as well as in the three “Sex and the City” movies that followed, Field and Parker set trends, launched design careers into the stratosphere, and created an endless stream of iconic looks. Now, the “And Just Like That” outfits aim to carry on that legacy.
Image Source: HBO
Carrie Bradshaw continues to inspire women to embrace fashion on “And Just Like That,” but this time, it’s more than just style. Costume designers Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago use her outfits as a mechanism to communicate her state of mind. When she wore a tulle skirt and black headpiece to Big’s funeral in season one, it was to make her late husband proud. When she threw Big’s blazer over her shoulders before heading out in a cocktail dress, her outfit suggested she’s healing from his sudden death – and finding space for his memory (and belongings) in her new life. Later, as she started to date and feel like herself again, she was back in a Norma Kamali ruched blue dress that fit impeccably well; it’s so quintessentially her that fans dubbed it the “Carrie dress.” Her Moncler x Pierpaolo Piccioli look in season two recalls the glamour of her tulle dresses from the previous series – and takes it to another level. Who else would wear a theatrical puffer coat and gown for the bomb cyclone but Carrie Bradshaw? Likewise, in season three, the first scene captured her in the perfect Simone Rocha look: the Spring 2024 sheer midi dress and coat with rosettes blooming from the pockets. In another scene, she steps out in a quirky “Strawberry Shortcake” hat that has the internet divided, much like that time she almost got married with a bird on her head. The message? Bradshaw is officially back and in her element (we hope).
Image Source: HBO
Fashion is undoubtedly sacred to Bradshaw, but the other characters also have their memorable style moments. Miranda Hobbes’s colorful halter dress and Seema Patel’s leopard look from season one could’ve been right at home in the original series. In season two, the characters dressed up to attend the fictitious, “Veiled Beauty”-themed Met Gala: Lisa Todd Wexley in a breathtaking red Valentino gown and Charlotte York Goldenblatt in a bold corset top and skirt.
But beyond just being fashionable, the characters’ outfits also carry a greater significance. Take for example, Rock Goldenblatt’s unconventional styling of their Oscar de la Renta dress as they prepared to share their gender identity with their parents in season one. Or Miranda’s uncharacteristically sexy halter jumpsuit as she stepped outside a stale marriage to flirt with Che Diaz at the bar. In season three, Patel’s impossibly chic white fringe dress proved she had no business scouting movie locations all day while Todd Wexley’s quirky, oversize ball necklace is a nod to her penchant for thinking outside-the-box, a trait that clashes with her unimaginative documentary producers.
In “And Just Like That,” fashion is more than just clothes. It’s a way for the characters to express themselves, convey their emotions, and make a statement. And with the help of Rogers and Santiago, the fashion in the revival series continues to be a major player, just like it was in the original show.
Ahead, check out the best “And Just Like That” outfits so far – and shop the best fashion
