20 of the Most Iconic Looks from SATC for an Iconic 20 Years

Photo from hbo.com

20 years … 20 years since the air of “Sex and the City.” 20 years since Carrie Bradshaw in collaboration with Patricia Field took fashion to the next level. 20 years of timeless looks that are still considered trendsetting today. Carrie Bradshaw could truly pull off any look that she took to the streets of New York. She certainly left her mark on the industry, and 20 years later, few have been able to top what she has done.

Carrie has appeared in six seasons and two films. Her shoe obsession, bold accessories and dresses galore made her style in SATC world famous. Every episode showed a different side of her style and truly captured how versatile you can be with fashion. Experimentation is key with fashion. As it was expressed in “Sex and the City,” the clothes you choose to wear can be expressive of your mood and what is happening in your life.

With hundreds of episodes and thousands of outfits, it’s quite difficult to narrow down which of Bradshaw’s outfits were the most iconic. On the other hand, she has inspired so many people and really changed the fashion game that we really need to give credit where it is due. Here are VALLEY’s picks for 20 of the most iconic Bradshaw looks from “Sex and the City.”

20. The White Dress

“Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free ’til they find someone just as wild to run with them”

Seeing Mr. Big after his engagement party and looking better than ever without him. How ironic that Carrie was wearing a white dress and ran into Big during his engagement. Is this some foreshadowing? This longline white dress is breathtaking but so simple and really flatters her.

19. Classic Carrie

Day to day, such a simple look but will always turn heads! Carrie could always walk the streets of NYC in a simple body-con with some statement accessories and make it something iconic. Whether she was going to a café to work on her weekly column or lunch with the girls, she could wear this look anywhere and put her own spin on it.

18. The Tutu

This look will never get old! Such a great opener for every episode! This tutu will always be a Sex and the City staple. In the opening credits Carrie is seen walking down the street when a bus drives past her, hits a puddle, and splashes her. She looks up only to see her face on the bus! This style isn’t traditional Carrie, but it looks great on her nonetheless.

17. Paris

Paris in a look! After she took the leap of faith and moved to Paris with her boyfriend, Aleksandr Petrovsky. She was in the city of her dreams, and exploring by herself. This outfit is such a classic, old school look. The mixing of different stripes could come across as tacky, but Carrie made it work like she always did, fabulously.

16. Runway Look No. 1

What a look! If only this made it to the real runway show. This stunning floral Dolce & Gabbana gown was Carrie’s original runway look for her first fashion show ever. She was loving it and felt very comfortable to strut the catwalk. With her hair color and the length of this dress it looked absolutely beautiful on her. Then things took a slight turn for the worst.

15. Waiting for Aleksandr Petrovsky

What a stunning look, sadly it didn’t even get to make it to the streets of Paris. Aleksandr was very busy in Paris getting ready for his show, he was an artist. Carrie was alone frequently because he was always  working, but this night they planned a nice dinner for the two of them. She had been looking forward to it all week. She got dressed in this beautiful gown only to wait hours for him and he never showed up. She was devastated and wasted this iconic Versace dress on him.

14. Wild West

Mixing patterns and rocking it! The moment Carrie first laid eyes on Mr. Big’s new woman, Natasha. Carrie was with the girls in The Hamptons for the Fourth of July. They attended a party that a bunch of “20- Somethings” were throwing. To her surprise, Big was there, back from Paris, with his new 26 year old girlfriend. This cowgirl fantasy really worked for Carrie! The scarf on her arm adds a nice little detail to the whole look.

13. NYE

This outfit is from the first SATC movie! New Years Eve and Carrie was still recovering from her wedding. She was sleeping and her phone rang and Miranda was on the other line, upset that she was alone on NYE. Like a good friend does, Carrie got out of bed and walked across town to comfort Miranda. In Carrie fashion, she had to step out in her fur jacket and pearls.

12. (French) fries

Her cute way of apologizing to Mr. Big, plus she got to rock a make shift Parisian look with le’  french fry. Big told Carrie he might have to move to Paris for his job. She was going make it work with him even if they were on opposite sides of the world. She got upset when he told her to look out for herself and not do things for him. Carrie put on a beret and brought over greasy food and Big was shutting her out. Carrie was always ahead of the trends, berets are back in style this season!

11. Windy City

Carrie hit the town by herself and looked fabulous doing it. Museums, eats, and good reads all over the city! Sometimes you just need a day to yourself, and that’s exactly what Carrie did in this scene. This super cute outfit is so color coordinated. The red blazer she is wearing really brings out the red stripe in her skirt. The little details are everything and Carrie always paid attention to that.

10. Read all over

Carrie wore this look after confronting Natasha in public. This John Galliano newspaper dress was so special it was worn twice. Once in the actual show and then reappeared in the first movie. The first time she wore it, she talked to Natasha. It was so pivotal because Carrie always saw Natasha as this mythical creature that stole Big. So for her to finally confront her was a big deal — no pun intended — and this was the perfect dress for that.

9. Floral number

Classy and sassy — the reunion with Mr. Big. Carrie walks into the restaurant where her and Big are meeting, and sees him standing on a dock next to the restaurant. This floral number is perfect for a brunch or lunch date. The length is perfect and the pattern is gorgeous. She looks so effortless in this dress with her natural hair and accessories to match!

8. Love, dove, glove

Her toast didn’t make the guests fall in love but this look did! Carrie was very out of her element, when she recited a poem she wrote at a friends wedding reception. Her style of writing was never lovey-dovey. It was always about dating never about marriage. This sheer, strapless, wispy gown definitely made up for her corny poem that she regretfully recited in front of hundreds.

7. Oh, Stanny!

That patchwork though!! Stanford and Carrie spent their afternoon looking at “a beautiful man selling beautiful furniture” AKA Aidan, secretly they were really there for him. Trying to blend in while stalking Aidan after Stanford pointed him out for the first time. He caught Carrie’s eye instantly. That was the day Carrie met Aidan and the rest is history.

6. Man Watching

Carrie and Charlotte rating men as they walk by. Hoping that her hat would make her incognito, that plan didn’t quite work. As each man walked by the spot they were eating, Carrie and Charlotte played a game to see how many men walked by they would actually go on a date with, just for fun. Carrie’s hat makes this whole look. The baker boy hat has made a comeback, people have realized how cute they really are, if you wear them the right way.

5. Ballroom in McDonald’s

After a terribly boring night, Carrie and Aleksandr capped it in the most romantic place of all, Mickey D’s. Bradshaw and Petrovsky went to McDonald’s of all places. They finally got their ballroom dance in, in line at the fast food chain. Aleksandr surprised Carrie with this dress at the beginning of the night. She pointed it out to him in a magazine and he got it for her to wear to the opera! The shape and color of the dress are so beautiful and look flawless on her.

4. Runway, Faux Pas!

In the episode when Carrie debuted in her first fashion show, and took a tumble! On the day of the show, a last minute change was made to her outfit. She was supposed to wear that beautiful D&G dress. Although the vision changed, she was now wearing sequined underwear and a bra paired with this navy blue long jacket. She was mortified that she had to wear underwear in her first appearance on the runway. On top of that when she was walking she fell and Heidi Klum stepped over her in the middle of the runway.

3. “I never wear most of this stuff yet … yet. But someday I will.”

Thank god Carrie got this look back after Aidan convinced her to throw it out. After doing a thorough closet cleaning when Aidan moved in with her, Carrie was forced to throw away this fierce Roberto Cavalli dress, which she reluctantly followed through with. She was devastated, but she miraculously got it back, re-wore it & rocked it.

2. Drunk at Vogue

An amazing all black number to mourn her reputation after getting wasted at Vogue. This sleek professional look was perfect for the prestigious magazine. She went to Vogue to work on a featured piece she was writing for the magazine. Once she arrived, her editor Enid, ripped her piece to shreds. Which called for 10:30 a.m. martinis at Vogue, after one and half martinis Carrie was drunk at Vogue, and had to be escorted out.

1. Post-breakup fur

Even after her breakup she stills looks fab. Carrie quite often rocks a fur coat. She has taught all of us that a fur coat is a staple and a great staple in every woman’s closet. Regardless of the mood she was in, she never let herself go. She always cares about how she looks, in the best way possible. Even when she’s going through the pain of a breakup she can still look on point. Add to cart!