Manolos never go out of style
When Sex and The City Debuted in 1998, it wasn’t just a love letter to female friendship and the hardships of dating — it was a fashion statement.
When you think of fashion in TV shows, you can’t help but think of Sex and The City. The leading ladies turned sidewalks into catwalks and made household names out of designers like Manolo Blahnik. Now, more than two decades later, And Just Like That.. revisits the icons, no longer in their 30s but navigating their style, identity and aging in a new fashion landscape.
Data-Driven Fashion Identity in SATC
An examination of the original series' outfits reveals a lot about the essential pieces of clothing:
A balance between femininity and structure was emphasized by the predominance of blouses (60%), blazers (35.6%), and skirts (27.8%).
Cotton (52.2%), chiffon (61.1%), and lace (72.2%) were the most commonly used textiles; they were all layered, soft, and breathable, reflecting the characters' complex emotional states.
The proportion of shirts (90%) and crop/slim shapes (47.8%) indicates a steady harmony between traditional tailoring and modern silhouettes.
In terms of color, the most popular tones were:
Deep greenish-blues like #254c48 (29.4%) and #a3c6c2 (19.6%), reinforcing the cool-toned, urban palette that defined SATC’s New York energy.
These figures validate what we already knew: SATC was about feeling fashionable, not just being trendy. Each texture (with 94.4% print use and 66.7% floral) supported a highly expressive, individualistic look.
The Collective Vibe: Summer, Love, and Expression
98.9% of outfits were categorized as “Summer” style, highlighting the show’s preference for light, revealing, and breezy attire.
Characters dressed for romance, heartbreak, and everything in between, and more than half of them expressed "romantic" or "elegant" aesthetics.
The chiffon (61.1%) and lace (72.2%) add an almost dreamy softness to the otherwise busy, angular world of New York.
Carrie Bradshaw:
Then: Carrie was a fashion wildcard. Her closet had tutus, Dior newsprint, crop top, vintage finds, all matching the city vibes and chaotic energy. She was an expert in mismatching.
Now: Carrie now has a more mature view on her wildcard style. Think: oversized silhouettes, bold color clashing, and a nod to her past (yes, she still wears that iconic belt). She’s no longer experimenting and testing—-there's a self-awareness in her looks now: still playful, but with layers of memory and reinvention.
Charlotte York:
Then: She was the embodiment of WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) and Upper East Side. She was a classic, preppy, polished and traditional. Charlotte wasn’t Charlotte without a Polo Ralph Lauren outfit.
Now: Charlotte remains with the same essence, but more older and wiser. Softer silhouettes, bolder colors, and expressive accessories. Her statements speak, they don’t shout. There’s a subtle tension in Charlotte’s wardrobe: the desire to maintain a timeless image while adapting to a less rigid world — particularly as she navigates parenting and identity politics.
Miranda Hobbes:
Then: Miranda was practical and structured. In functional suits, boxy blazers, and turtlenecks, unlike her friends, she favors restraint over drama and structure over softness. She’s dressed to be taken seriously in a male-dominated world.
Now: Miranda’s style has undergone the most radical transformation. Her post-corporate wardrobe leans gender-neutral, with slouchy tailoring, natural fabrics, and a softness that reflects her internal shift. As she explores her sexuality and battles social discomforts, her clothes become a map of vulnerability, uncertainty, and liberation.
Absent but Present: Samantha Jones
We still talk about you, Ms. Jones! While Kim Cattrall’s Samantha doesn’t physically appear in most of And Just Like That..., her legacy lives on — in spirit and in style. Bold colors, structured suits and unapologetically sexy outfits served as a blueprint for showing that being a fashion icon has no age. And though the series often feels her absence, the show tries to honor her presence by letting the remaining women take bigger risks with their looks.
Fashion as a Narrative Arc
The transition from Sex and the City to And Just Like That... is about growing up, not about getting older. The women are no longer attempting to prove anything. They’ve swapped sky-high heels for sensible platforms, and form-fitting dresses for statement coats — not because they’ve lost style, but because they’ve found substance.
