The Tamesis
I remember once listening to an interview sex and city Writer/director/executive producer Michael Patrick King casually mentioned that, with a few exceptions, the show mostly takes place in the spring and summer.
In retrospect, it makes total sense. Carrie Bradshaw is essentially a creature of summer. While she’s undeniably a fashion girl — with a total obsession with layering for fall — there’s a warm-weather simplicity to her wardrobe. That’s not to say it’s boring or commonplace. No, never. Behind all the weirdness, irreverence, and chaos, there’s a foundation of sensuality and ease. When I think of Carrie Bradshaw, I immediately picture her in an incredibly simple bodycon dress, carrying a designer bag, and shoes that deserve a second look. In fact, I saw her on Twitter recently wearing a sleeveless gray T-shirt dress, tan Manolos, and aviator sunglasses that said, “This is the best look anyone has ever seen.” You know what? I have to agree.
The beauty of Carrie Bradshaw’s summer outfits under the watchful eye of Pat Field is that despite all the gaudy designer wares and quirks, she looks like a true New Yorker. Anyone who has spent a summer living in the city will recognize the familiar gesture of trying to look your best in less than ideal weather conditions. We dress for today and for ourselves. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a lie; at its heart, this is a city worth seeing perceived——So you inevitably have to dress for other people’s eyes. Even though this happened long before social media, Carrie understood that New York held unfathomable possibilities, and she wanted to look incredible—seemingly interesting— for all of them. She wanted to dress up for potential suitors, her friends, but perhaps most importantly, for the city itself.
As you’d expect, her summer look is surprising. Sometimes that means piped mesh gym shorts and a slightly cheery shirt, and other times it’s a white sundress (perhaps with a parasol attached). Maybe it’s mid-rise jeans and a cap-sleeved ringer T-shirt for a casual night out drinking with the girls on a humid night, or a long-sleeved crop top paired with a striped Prada skirt. Maybe a ribbed tank top, or a Galliano newspaper-print dress. Sometimes you opt for hot pants and a tube top when you want to turn back, or a painterly Richard Tyler wrap dress with a thin ruffle at the neck when you’re having lunch with someone special in the boathouse. The list goes on.
The point is, as summer approaches, it’s a reminder that, yes, “no one in history has looked better than Carrie Bradshaw.” More specifically: Carrie Bradshaw in Summer. Inevitably, she’s a blueprint for a certain type of New Yorker who tries to make it in the city, battling warm days and the commitment of nights out that begin with a casual glass of wine and end at dawn. With all that in mind, here are just a few of the many inspiring CB-approved outfits that can help you have a Carrie Bradshaw summer, too.
