TV Inspiration: Sex and the City

I think it goes without saying that far and away the most fashionable TV show of all time is Sex & the City. Every group of girlfriends from Manhattan to Minsk can now define themselves as a Carrie, a Samantha, a Charlotte or a Miranda. (Heaven help you if you're a Miranda.) Everyone wants to think that they are the Carrie of their particular circle of friends as she is truly unique, but the trick to being Carrie isn't to copy her style. It's to be unequivocally true to your own quirky style, regardless of what is in fashion at the moment. In that sense, we can all be the Carrie of our group of girlfriends with just the right mix of Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha added in when the occasion calls.

First, let's take a look at each of these ladies in turn and figure out what defines each of their styles.

Let's just go ahead and get Miranda out of the way, shall we? Her hair was so unfortunate the first season, that I will not even go there in this post. As a corporate lawyer, her wardrobe mostly falls into two extremes: frump central and boring power suit. Yes, there are some looks for going out or hanging with the girls that aren't nearly as unfortunate, but typically, Miranda keeps it remarkably simple until later seasons when she finally starts to have a few decent looks:

The absolute best Miranda looks typically come from one of the movies, like the yellow dress in the last picture. When speaking of her best outfits, they tend to be simple silhouettes with one focal point or statement accessory, but nothing over-the-top. Her jewelry is never too big and usually compliments her outfit in an understated way. Bags and shoes tend to be fairly neutral and while in later seasons she looks polished and put together, at best, she's the last one you think of when it comes to mimicking SaTC style. 

Samantha, on the other hand, is also a business woman, but given her position in PR, she makes sure to stand out whenever possible. She is the originator of "Statement" accessories, as evidenced by several of the photos below. 

Samantha's style always incorporates bold colors and patterns and unlike most people, she will often combine both, as you can see in the first photo. Most style gurus would suggest that a bold red top OR leopard print skirt should be the focal point, but Samantha has no qualms about combining the two into something overt-the-top and fabulous. Her idea of understated is... actually, she doesn't know the meaning of the word and believes more is more. More color, more pattern, more glitter and glam, more, more, more! Despite the colorful, quirky combinations, all of her outfits are also extremely sophisticated, modern and all of them have a sexy edge. She's not afraid to show some skin with a plunging neckline or strategic cut-outs and everything she wears looks like it came off the runway five minutes ago. 

Charlotte, on the other hand is the epitome of classic elegance and preppy chic. None of these ladies are afraid of color, but Charlotte's choices are extremely feminine and often borderline girlie. Where Samantha loves clothes that drape and cling, Charlotte prefers structure and tailoring. 

When I think of Charlotte, I think of Kate Spade or Ralph Lauren. I think of feminine prints like delicate florals and pink seersucker. I think of hearts and bows and ruffles and lace. The girlie-girl in me is mildly obsessed with everything Charlotte ever wore. Charlotte is the fashion equivalent of crossing all your "t's" and dotting all your "i's." Nothing is every improperly creased or stained (except her wedding dress, of course). While there is literally nothing Samantha ever wore that could be described as "cute," Charlotte makes up for that by never appearing in an episode without being perfectly adorable. 

And finally, there's Carrie. I could write multiple blog posts about Carrie- any decent fashion blogger could and most have. Carrie's fashion is so in-the-moment, that at times it's practically a costume. She's quirky and bold in her choices, but unlike Samantha's runway flair, Carrie's clothes always have a vintage flair to them. Whether it's vintage Dior or a $2 no-name scarf, she always puts together an unexpected combination. Her outfits are surprising, fresh and light. Here are some of my all-time favorites: 

So which one are you? A Miranda? A Samantha? A Charlotte? Or a Carrie? I hope you've enjoyed this blast from the past and that maybe a few of these photos have reminded you of some of your favorite SaTC outfits from years ago. Leave a comment if you like and as always, thanks for reading! 

Glitter and Glitz

For weeks now, I've been coveting so many different glittery shoes. Maybe it's the fact that I have yet to figure out what to wear tonight (New Year's Eve), or maybe it's just that I've always loved glittery, glitzy shoes and lately they seem to be everywhere. Whatever the reason, I'm obsessed. And while I'm into the black and silver and pewter styles, my favorites are the gold ones. From nude champagne to deep metallic gold, I'm drooling!

Sparkle an Interest Heel, Modcloth, $39.99

Kinnetic, Steve Madden, $59.95

Trousr-G, Steve Madden, $79.95

Ulltra-G, Steve Madden, $89.95

Open Toe- Glitter Pumps, My Diva's Closet, $45

Stuart Weitzman "Swoon" Glitter Evening Pumps, Bloomingdale's, $335

Ivanka Trump Women's Pinki, Shoes.com, $125

BCBGeneration Gold Glitter Shoes, Shoes.com, $79

Of course, I am not oblivious to the fact that there has been a bit of a gold glitter shoe craze since the SATC2 movie came out and we all saw Carrie's amazing Louboutins: 

It's funny how some trends come and go in a matter of weeks. Others have staying power, like gold glitter heels. Or is it the staying power of Louboutins that is keeping this trend alive? 

My brain is not working today

Have you ever sat down to work on something and found that you just couldn't get your brain to be on the same page with your agenda? That's how I feel right now. I want to post a blog (because it really is a daily thing for me that I really enjoy doing) but I just can't seem to get my brain to work right now. I believe there are several reasons for this. First, it's been rather hectic at work the last few days. Second, I'm planning an event for this Sunday that I can't really talk about except to say that I have a lot of work to do. Third, I am going to see SATC2 tonight, so my brain is partially exploding from imagining all the fashions I'm going to see in a couple of hours. Add to that, I have injured my left hand, which is making typing this blog a LOT more difficult. I am a 100 words-per-minute kind of girl- I once worked for a temp agency where they tested your typing for speed and accuracy as if it was the 1950's. One day I tested myself just for fun and for real I scored 100 wpm with 99% accuracy. But enough bragging about that. Today it's more like 30 words per minute with 50% accuracy. You see, the other day I sprained my thumb while pulling a drawer out. It was positioned about 6 feet high and it slipped and came out all the way. My left hand caught it, but at the expense of my thumb. It's been painful ever since, but don't worry I have an appointment to get it checked out. In the meantime, it's wrapped up to the point where it's basically immobile and the other 4 fingers have dramatically diminished range of motion. It looks pathetic. I posted about it on facebook the day it happened and my friend Shawna commented that it's a serious injury that professional basketball players often endure. She even said it is serious enough for them to sit out for weeks with a sprained thumb. At that point in the commenting, I was getting a LOT of sympathy, so I felt I needed to set the record straight. I replied by saying that while my thumb certainly was injured, it couldn't possibly be nearly as bad an injury as a pro basketball player would have. In fact, my biggest hardship thus far was struggling to open a new bag of Chips Ahoy. I really expected that punchline to get at least a few "lol's" but it was like facebook had shut down for the night. Instead of a bunch of laughs, I got a virtual tumbleweed rolling across my computer screen. So do me a favor and leave me a comment telling me you lol'd at my Chips Ahoy quip. I'm fragile and like Tinkerbell (and Rachel Berry), applause keeps me alive. Or in this case, applause AND laughter.

So until my brain starts working again, you're stuck with this lame post. If you are a faithful reader, I'm sorry for letting you down. Until I'm back in the saddle, why don't you check out some archives- a few of my favorite posts in fact:

Inspiration- July 16, 2009
Top Ten for Men- July 21, 2009
Hot Air Balloon Dress- February 15, 2010
From Plain to Pin-up- April 11, 2010
Style Support- August 29, 2009

And finally because I just can't help myself, I'm going to copy Shoe Dazzle's idea and select four shoes- one for each of the SATC ladies- to finish off this completely random, disorganized, out-there post. I hope to be back on my game in a day or two.

Miranda: Fendi Cut-out Slingback, Barney's, $695

Charlotte: Dolce & Gabbana Floral Print Slide, Nordstrom, $495

Samantha- Giuseppe Zanotti Jeweled Back-Zip Sandal, Neiman Marcus, $1,055

Carrie (total cop-out, I know): Manolo Blahnik Mary Janes, Neiman Marcus, $645

Sue me for being unoriginal on that last one. Or applaud me for knowing my SATC inside and out. Either way, those Mary Janes were the obvious choice. Cross your fingers and hope that mu brain turns back on soon! In the meantime, I'm off to see the movie!

SATC2

I recently read a review of the new SATC2 movie that basically said all fans should "pivot on their Manolo Blahniks" AWAY from the movie theatre. It was a review full of criticisms of the writing and plot lines. Guess what- I don't care! I fully expect this movie to be utterly ridiculous in terms of the plot and I'll be honest- some of my favorite lines from the show and movies are the ridiculous ones (which Samantha is usually charged with). So I'll say it again- I don't care! I'm not seeing this film because it's going to change my life emotionally or convince me to take on some humanitarian cause. I'm going to see it for the FASHIONS. Call me shallow if you must, but it's how I see it. Plus, why do we need Carrie and company to teach us more life and relationship lessons? They finished their work in those areas with the final episode of the series (I still stand by my opinion that no matter what your current relationship situation, there is an episode of SATC that covers it). The movies? They're just bonus material if you ask me. They are escapist fantasies for those of us who want to be a little self-indulgent on movie night. If they do any more than that, they have over-achieved (in my opinion). Of course I love films that move me emotionally or challenge me intellectually, but let's be honest- if I was dealing with all of that AND trying to take in all the accessories, my head would explode. I will likely see the movie tomorrow night, so no spoilers in the comments, please.

Anyway, one of the things I've always loved is how Patricia Field puts together looks for the foursome. Whether its the cover art for a DVD set, a movie poster, or even a scene with the four lovely ladies, I just love how she finds pieces that create a snapshot of the moment. When there is a specific color scheme in mind, she always chooses dresses that suit the various personalities of the characters. For example:

(I DIE for SJP's dress in this one!)

And when the outfits are required to function as part of a scene in either a movie or an episode of the show, they all work together without matching. A few examples:

What Patricia Fields manages to accomplish every time is amazing to me. Perhaps this is because I face similar challenges in my work at AMT when dressing the performers on stage, but I think her task is much more daunting. In every one of these photos, she has managed to:

1.) Stay true to each characters personal style

2.) Select garments appropriate to the event/scene/goings-on of the moment

3.) Balance the four looks so that they all stand out equally

4.) Create outfits that if pulled from the group shot would still be able to stand alone as great looks

Color me impressed. Enjoy the movie! 

SATC- Focus on the Fashion

The media (and fashion bloggers, too) are having a field day over the new SATC2 movie poster, and I can't blame them. It is a photoshop disaster for sure. But let's be honest- we are all counting down the days to this movie regardless of the horrible advertising. And why? Because we all DIE for the fashions. Sex and the City has long been the reason Manolo Blahnik" is a household name, and Carrie Bradshaw should be credited with making it ok for women to dress outside the box. Well, really Patricia Field should be credited, as she is the genius behind all the outfits on the show and the movies. I could spend an entire week posting pictures of my favorite Carrie Bradshaw outfits throughout the years, but I'm going to exercise self restraint and try to keep it to just this one post. We'll see if my resolve weakens in the future.

Carrie has always been a master of accessories. I wanted to find some photos from the early seasons because her style at that point was really funky in a thrift-shop, vintage kind of way, whereas late seasons and especially the movies are quirky in a haute couture, designer kind of way. I love it all, so I'm not complaining. This photo reminded me a bit more of the early Carrie (although it's actually more mid-series as you can see she is wearing Aiden's ring around her neck).

I did find one really fun early Carrie photo that I have to share with all of you:

This outfit is so great- the LBD paired with gold lame boots and an enormous flower brooch. For those of you who don't remember, this is the episode where she plays spin-the-bottle at a party and ends up kissing Alanis Morissette. Hilarious.

Perhaps one of the most striking single pieces she ever wore, the Dior "newspaper" dress was a real stunner. Equally stunning was the moment when Natasha let her have it about everything that happened between her and Big. That's what I love about the show- as great as the fashions are, the stories are equally fabulous.

Carrie's outfits were nothing if not controversial, although I think the above hibiscus flower dress is one of the more tame. Others disagree. Others also think this pink chiffon Hamptons wedding dress is hideous. I rather like it and I think it was a perfectly elegant masking of SJP's pregnancy.

By far, my absolute favorite Carrie outfits were the ones she wore while dating the artist Aleksandr Petrovsky. The relationship may not have been the best, but I literally gasped and swooned for all of these:

This dress is pure fantasy. I love it.

 Even though this day in Paris was less than ideal for Carrie, full of rain and unfriendly locals, how could it be all bad when she got to wear this fabulous outfit?

My favorite of the favorites is this Oscar de la Renta- Petrovsky gives it to her to wear to the Met and she faints on the way, so they end up at McDonald's instead. Great episode. Great dress. Some people hate the jacket, and say she ruined the dress by wearing them together. I disagree, although I do prefer the dress on its own.

Do you have a favorite Carrie outfit? I find it too hard to narrow it down to just one, but if I were forced to choose, it would be the pink Oscar dress above. The way I feel about clothing is similar to how Carrie summed up relationships at the end of the Hampton's wedding episode (when she wore the light pink chiffon dress above): "Some people are settling down, some people are settling. And some people won't settle for anything less than butterflies." Let your clothes give you butterflies.