Few shows had more impact on contemporary fashion than Sex and the City. Designer Patricia Field pulled from the best fashion of the period, both couture and retail, to make all four main characters uniquely representative. Whether it was Charlotte in country club clothes, Miranda in practical workwear that yielded softer and more fun outfits, Samantha in her power suits and gorgeous colors, or Carrie in her wild and untamed romanticism, each character was represented beautifully via clothing. Ahead, the most iconic looks.
Green-Tipped Hat
Some of the characters were deemed more chic than others—and Miranda (in keeping with her no-nonsense personality) wasn't always the one wearing the coolest outfit. But this long coat and green ribbon hat was proof that she had a unique, cool style.
Butter Yellow
The show wasn't always visibly Y2K inspired—often favoring couture over specific trends—but this outfit from 2001 had the low-rise and tube top energy from the era. Also, proof that a light butter yellow has always been cool—and great for people with blonde hair.
Florals in Spring
One of the more subtle aspects of the show was the complementary outfits the four main characters would wear while still retaining their individual aesthetics. Here, Samantha's floral pants and red gloves were the perfect mirror image to Carrie's white with her red flowered coat.
Contrast
Particularly where Carrie was concerned, there was always a touch of chaos in a look. It was a good match for her curly hair and independent personality—and it led to some surprisingly ingenious pairings. I still can't believe those two patterns work together.
"Work" Dress
Another brilliant aspect of Sex and the City fashion was its new spin on classic pieces. The costume designers took a standard, business-appropriate sheath dress and made it totally inventive, thanks to the shorter hem, strappy sandals, and cool contrasting bag. Carrie looked ready for work and drinks.
A Major Coat
At the time, Carrie in a light fur coat was as indelible as her love of tulle. (The lighter color complemented her light hair and offered less contrast while still being a statement piece.) Nowadays, the fur would probably be faux, but the look would still be maximalist.
Coordinating Outfits
It was a little unusual for Miranda to get so much gorgeous color, while the other women were relatively muted. But kudos to the show for its excellent blocking: Carrie and Charlotte in black on the outside, and Samantha complementing Miranda in the middle.
Black Glitter
Sex and the City did "going out" outfits extremely well—in part because it really hammered home the women's social lives in bustling New York. It would be hard to find a better example of a cocktail dress outfit than this black sparkly number and contrasting red shoes.
Capital-T Tulle
Ah, yes. Tulle dresses and skirts were an important part of the Carrie aesthetic: dramatic, feminine, and a bit ridiculous (in a good way). This was a more nighttime version than the classic pink from the show's intro, with those booties adding a little heft.
Head to Toe Glow
Samantha's style was particularly awesome—I would argue as great, and as representative of the character, as Carrie's. She went bold and colorful and a little menswear-inspired, as with the short pea coat here. Color blocking had never looked so good.
Primary Colors
If someone in the 2000s was ever nervous about wearing color, one look at the show would offer inspiration for days. Carrie's full embrace of primary colors in the blue top and red skirt and necklace offered a solid case for pairing your most contrasting items of clothing.
Character Outerwear
Scenes of the four women walking outside in the colder months were a particular treat if you liked coats. As with much of the show, each piece complemented the character: Miranda with some color but deeply practical, Carrie in a romantic choice, Charlotte prim but deeply stylish, and Samantha the most vivid of the bunch.
Feathery Fluff
An admittedly common scene—Big and Carrie arguing, with Carrie walking away in a fabulous outfit—but this fluffy pink dress was spectacular. The gloves always added a touch of whimsy to the outfit, while the sky-high stilettos kept the outfit "couture" instead of "twee."
Ombre
Charlotte was always fascinating from a sartorial perspective: she had a more buttoned-up style but nevertheless took some fashion risks. Such was the case with this chic travel outfit—light summer dress with red patent bag and gorgeous Burberry luggage.
Short Hair, Long Coat
When it came to making a statement, no one did it better than Carrie. Even though this jacket had some confusing elements to it—are those tassels or a tie on the side, and why were they red?—her general aura of being the most fashionable person you'd ever seen really sold it.
Pastels
What did one wear to a wedding in the Hamptons in 2002? Voila! As befitting an event where the women were not 1) the ones getting married or 2) in the ceremony, they were relatively mild in matching pastels. There was still room for individuality, though, such as Carrie's bubble hem.
Ladybug Chic
All of Carrie's "Paris" outfits were particularly chic—you could tell that the character had been waiting a long time to look like a native Parisian. At the time, this outfit drew comparison to a ladybug, thanks to the red color and black dots, but it's held up.
Silver Pieces
Frankly, those of us viewers who loved fashion were paying closest attention to the accessories. (It was also a way for the costume designers to elevate an outfit and help it feel more "current.") This bag was probably not as expensive as the ring Carrie's wearing, but they complemented perfectly.
Matching Accessories
As far as the women's dating life was concerned, you could tell a romantic partner was "the real deal" if he matched her outfit. Thus, Big in his brown suit and Carrie in her subtly matching clutch were eventually going to be endgame—you just had to see the signs.
Golden Glow
Carrie staring wistfully on the deck of a ferry: extremely 2001. While the silk dress deserved all of the attention it got, for me the best part was the golden accessories. They caught the light of the sun in a way that made her look positively ethereal.
A-Lines
Matching outfits—a fun aspect of Sex and the City! It's also worth noting that Miranda's outfits got better and better as the seasons went on; she didn't contrast so strongly with the other women and was also allowed to experiment with a more fun, delicate style.
That Flower Brooch
Carrie took the oversized flower brooch and made it her own signature style. It's no wonder: the gorgeous bloom complemented the shape of her hair and added romance to the simplest of outfits (in this case, petal pink pants and a plain white tank top).
Paris-Bound
Also known as the dress where Carrie decided her future at the end of the show's last episode (of the original series). The seafoam tulle was a perfect encapsulation of the character's origins with a nod to her evolving character arc. And of course, the stilettos made it classic Carrie.
Pretty in Pink
Carrie was often found wearing pink, but not necessarily in the most feminine way. The pink coat and shoes were delicate and prettified, sure, but the black top and gray bottom helped the look feel more "grounded." Carrie's best outfits offered that perfect mix.
Dinner Party Wear
Imagine looking this coordinated with your group of girlfriends. The four women were gorgeous in complementary black and gold, from the thick chunky necklace on Miranda all the way to Samantha's skirt. This might have been the best application of a separate, but matching aesthetic.
Costuming
Sometimes, Carrie's looks tipped into pure parody. This asymmetrical dress, lace jacket, flower hairpin, and cream lace stilettos should look objectively silly, but Sarah Jessica Parker always imbued Carrie with enough confidence to sell it every time.
Preppy
A little on the nose? Perhaps, but Charlotte in an oversized pink Polo Ralph Lauren sweater was exactly on brand for her. Whether it was brunch, an event in the Hamptons, or drinks, you could always count on Charlotte to be as preppy as the dress code would allow.
Classic Stripes
Carrie, leaning out of a Parisian balcony, in an American version of the classic French stripes: the best of her "Paris" outfits, in my opinion. What made this particularly outfit so successful was the fact that the stripes on top were going in a different direction than the ones on the skirt.
An Epic Trench
For all the plotlines around her romantic escapades, Samantha was a no-nonsense businesswoman. Her clothes confirmed that, particularly this gorgeous white trench. The viewers understood exactly what made her so successful—she was the best part of every room she entered.
Sunny Daze
My absolute favorite part of Sex and the City were the episodes filmed in hotter weather. The winter coats were great, sure, but the show did summery dresses better than anyone. This watercolor pattern plus the substantial gold belt would still hold up today.
Big Red
Even in the early seasons, Samantha had a strong sense of self (and style, obviously). Even though Carrie's fashion was often more creatively couture, Samantha's simplicity was often her greatest asset. It didn't get better than this red statement dress.
That Flower Dress
On the way to meet her ex for the first time since he divorced, Carrie epitomized her style here: a little messy with the asymmetry on top, a little windswept, but romantic and gorgeous. And then five seconds later she and Big both ended up in a lake.
