It’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, which means the most stylish people in the world have descended upon Manhattan to see where the world top designers will be pushing fashion in 2015. But what defines New York City fashion in the 21st century? Whether you’re looking at the designer duds sold in Bergdorf Goodman, hipster street style or the bold fashion of the outer boroughs, you can see one woman’s stamp on almost everything a modern New York woman wears. That woman is Patricia Field.
Patricia Field is a fashion designer and boutique-owner, but she’s best-known as the costume designer and stylist on Sex and the City. She was responsible for crafting all of Carrie’s iconic looks. Field explained in the video interview below that she and Sarah Jessica Parker joined forces to convince Sex and the City producers to use that infamous tank top and tutu in the opening credits. Field believed that the whimsy of the skirt would make it not only stand out, but stand the test of time.
In the same interview, Field explained that Carrie’s style was inspired by all of New York. Carrie might be an “uptown” girl with access to the latest designer fashions, but her nameplate necklace is a reference to the types of jewelry that Field saw Black and Latina girls wearing around town in the 1990s. All of Carrie’s outfits either reflect her emotional point in the story or directly reference the vibrancy of New York life. Patricia Field’s voice as a stylist encompasses the high and low cultural intersections that make New York City great. To pull her looks off, a woman needs the same confidence and romanticism that you need to survive life in New York City.
After Sex and the City, Patricia Field worked on many films – most notably The Devil Wears Prada and Ugly Betty. Once more, Field used clashing textures and patterns to explain a character’s mindset and status on screen. While it’s easy to see how Carrie Bradshaw’s style trickled down to early 21st century suburban mall fashion — does anyone remember Sarah Jessica Parker’s GAP ads??? — Field’s work on Ugly Betty might have accidentally predicted hipster street style and normcore.
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Patricia Field and Sarah Jessica Parker joined forces to convince 'Sex and the City' producers to use this look in the opening credits. Field believed that the whimsy of the skirt would make it not only stand out, but stand the test of time. HBO
In an early 'SATC' episode, we see Carrie pose for her bus billboards in what her friends term "the Naked dress." She also wore the skin-tight, skin-toned dress on her first date with Big (Chris Noth) — thus making the revealing ensemble an emblem of both her professional success and personal story.HBO
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Carrie kept it daring by wearing this classy, yet clingy, beaded nude dress to a wedding with Big. Notice the obvious contrast in her dress with Miranda's (Cynthia Nixon) mournful and conservative cocktail dress. Field is also a master at dressing characters according to their mood and persona. HBO
Carrie wore this "newspaper" dress to confront Natasha about her affair with Big. The designer duds are matched with her street-style nameplate necklace.HBO
Carrie wore this romantic dress to confront Big at the boathouse and famously fell into Central Park's pond in it. It's romanticism matches Carrie's optimism.HBO
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When Carrie became a model for a day, she not only got to live her fantasy on the runway, but she also mortified herself by becoming "fashion roadkill." Her chic, yet completely revealing ensemble mirrors this contradiction. And, per usual, combines textures, colors and styles in classic Field fashion.HBO
Just as Carrie finds herself torn once more between Big and Aiden (John Corbett), she is clad in a dress made of dueling colors. A Patricia Field rhinestone apple pendent is close to her heart. HBO
Large flowers often became Carrie's go-to accessories. The broaches broadcast femininity, but their size, color and loudness also demonstrated her character's boldness.Everett Collection
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Carrie wore this chic jacket, black dress and romantic shoes for her last hurrah with Big out on the town. The shoes, however, are probably the most famous part.HBO
Carrie wore this sexy slip to her book release party in season 5. It mixes the coy independence of the flapper age with the sexuality of a neglige. Everett Collection
The Russian (Mikhail Baryshnikov) wooed Carrie with wild romantic gestures like this pink Oscar de la Renta gown. The fact that they wind up taking it to a McDonald's only asserts the high-low intersections of New York City life and fashion.Everett Collection
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You can take the girl out of New York City, but you can't take the New York City out of the girl... Even when Carrie goes to Paris in the series finale, her outfit is full of the whimsy that defined her New York City ensemble. This outfit screams France, but is something only a woman from New York City could pull off.Everett Collection
Patricia Field has famously said that Carrie's epic tulle gown in the series finale is her favorite outfit from the show. The mountains of ruffles echo Carrie's look in the credits, but the somber aquamarine tone reflects her character's disillusionment with the Russian.Everett Collection
After 'Sex and the City,' Patricia Field worked on many films - most notably 'The Devil Wears Prada.' For Andi's transformation from wallflower to fashionista, Field clad Anne Hathaway in Chanel's chic take on a good schoolgirl gone rad.Everett Collection
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Meryl Streep is undoubtedly a chameleon, but she needed Patricia Field's flare for mixing dramatic textiles, bold colors and designer duds to full capture Miranda Priestly.Everett Collection
Long before Olivia Pope made white coats cool, Andi Sachs paired one with a Chanel newsboy cap. The look is pure, but lux. Everett Collection
Andi's full transformation from ugly duckling to NYC swan is marked by her chic and dreamy black gala dress. It's like Madame X meets Jane Austen — which is appropriate for a book worm flirting with personal disaster.Everett Collection
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If Andi's gala gown is a showstopper, it's only because she and Emily (Emily Blunt) are wearing dresses that mirror Miranda's lavish look. Miranda sets the tone; her assistants just follow along.Everett Collection
Even after Andi quits her job and returns to the grind as an idealistic journalist, she maintains clean lines in her wardrobe. Now, instead of wearing dowdy, washed out colors, she's wearing sharp, simple and luxurious fabrics. Everett Collection
Even though the clothes Betty (America Ferrera) wore in 'Ugly Betty' seemed loud and ridiculous, they were pulling from trends at the time and predicted the mismatched patterns and retro silhouettes that would define hipster style of the 2010s. Everett Collection
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Patricia Field with Meryl Streep on 'The Devil Wears Prada.'Everett Collection
Patricia Field with Sarah Jessica Parker on 'Sex and the City.'Everett Collection
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