Who is the Genius Behind Carrie Bradshaw’s Fabulous Closet?
And just like that, 24 years later Patricia Field’s styling from the hit series Sex and the City is still idolized by just about any woman that loves clothes. Patricia Field was able to capture Carrie’s light, girly, whimsical, and fun girl boss of a personality through her wardrobe. Patricia Field’s encaptured the young 30-year-old single woman, specifically Carrie, through Manolo Blaniks and Fendi Baguette bags. Carrie’s whole essence through her outfits created a phenomenon and cultural reset for every woman walking the streets of New York. I mean still today it has me wanting Carrie’s wardrobe and trying to replicate looks through my own closet. That speaks volumes to the stylist that Fields is because I was not even born when the show first aired and here I am so inspired by Carrie Bradshaw’s style. She captured such an effortlessly fun capsule of clothing that is rare and hard to pull off, but Patricia Field did it.
The stylist originally struggled with Sarah Jessica Parker’s character because she could not fully grasp who Carrie was from the start. The other three girls had very definite looks that Field could very clearly put together. In an interview with Vogue, Field shared,” She(Carrie) was the only one who sort of developed over time…Carrie evolved, working together with Sarah Jessica Parker.”
As the seasons went on the show grew into a phenomenon, which made major designer brands want to jump on an opportunity to have their clothes featured in the series. This definitely made Field’s job much easier with lots of designer options to pick from for the girls.
Patricia Field is a fashion designer herself that has had her own boutiques in New York. It was actually her necklace from her own store that became Carrie’s staple name necklace. For Patricia the necklace represented something beyond an accessory, it represented New York.
The most iconic outfit associated with the show and Carrie is the opening credits. When Carrie is wandering around the streets of New York in her own world, as she normally is, and gets splashed by water from a bus passing by. She has on a very feminine, but not too avant-garde tulle skirt and bodysuit. It’s simple yet, elevated. Fun yet, classic. Funnily enough, Patricia Field found that very tulle skirt in a showroom in a $5 bin and picked it up. She liked it because she knew in the opening credits Carrie needed to be wearing something that would last forever, not just something from the late 90s.
If you are into fashion, if you have a passion for it, if you are just showing some interest, if you like to just casually keep up with the fashion world, I highly suggest you look into Patricia Field. She has an art that is truly magical and amazing. Not only has she done Sex and the City, but also the infamous Devil Wears Prada. If you know me you know that very movie is the whole reason I have wanted to pursue this industry for so long and have truly had a love for the world of fashion.
Personally as a fan of the show, the beauty, I admire and see in Patricia Field’s eye for styling was the way she made Carrie’s looks so indefinite. One day she could be sporty, the next preppy, and the next fully glammed out. Not a single look missed. They all fit Carrie and encaptured her so well because Carrie’s life was so indefinite, why on earth would her clothes be?
