If you’ve known me for more than a minute, you know my sincere adoration for all aspects of Carrie Bradshaw. Made famous by none other than Sarah Jessica Parker, I have a soft spot in my heart for Carrie’s quirks, sense of style, and quick wit. She may be a fictional character, but I’m pretty sure I’m not alone when I say she’s been there for me with some major life lessons.
If you’ve watched the Sex and the City, you can’t deny that you and your girl gang each picked out who was which character. Even though every group likely has their own Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha, I couldn’t help but wonder: is there a little bit of Carrie in everyone? She’s the every-woman. We’ve all been there—whether it’s repeatedly going back to the same (at times dysfunctional) relationship, being a little messy with our finances, our penchant for all things designer clothes, shoes, accessories (see previous “a little messy with our finances”)…. Carrie was a little messy at times, but embraced it. She wasn’t perfect and never pretended to be. She’s the self-proclaimed “Katie Girl” (a reference to the film The Way We Were for the young’uns reading)—a woman who’s far from simple and who can be a bit of a challenge at times.
Carrie has taught me that it’s okay to own your eccentricity and embrace being a Katie girl with “c-c-c-c-curly hair”; that it’s okay to “never be the woman with perfect hair, who can wear white and not spill on it.” One thing that always struck me about Carrie that I loved was that she rarely, if ever, had her nails done. For the most part, polished nails have gone and in hand with fashion, and these days few fashionistas would be seen in public sans mani. Speaking only for myself, the only time you’ll find me with nail polish on is a day I’m shooting content. More often than not, my nails are short, uneven and unpolished. Sure, getting a manicure is nice and a fun treat for most, but I think I’m one of the few who finds it nearly impossible to relax, constantly worrying about how long it’s taking and what time it is. Silly, maybe, but I’ve worried so much less about my nails since this revelation.
Another lesson I’ve come to learn from her (much to the dismay of my husband) is to BUY. THE. DAMN. SHOES. I’m not saying we take it to the extreme of “I’ve spent $40,000 on shoes have I have no place to live?” But, there’s nothing wrong with indulging yourself and rewarding yourself for working hard. Some people choose food to indulge, and some choose fashion!
I’ve also learned to go after my goals thanks in large part to Carrie. In some ways she appears to be living the dream—writing her own column and eventually for Vogue, seemingly making her own hours yet still putting in hard work, with a reward of doing what she truly loves and writing about the things most important to her. That’s part of the reason I launched my blog and why I’m seeking out writing for a few online publications (shameless plug: I’ve recently been published on Making It In Manhattan and it’s a literal dream come true!) There have been few things as rewarding as seeing my own byline on one of my favorite websites, and it’s something I hope to be able to continue and make a career of.
Carrie’s shown me that I can dress how I want, be who I am without apology and go after my dreams. My closet is full of color and impractical footwear. My hair is naturally c-c-c-c-curly and unfortunately for some, I can be hard to handle sometimes. I hop on board with almost any trend, yet love styling outfits and accessories and making them my own. I love classic pieces and simple staples that can make up a closet, but lean toward an over-the-top accessory or shoe more often than not to pair them with. My style, my taste, and my opinions are always changing, and my wardrobe is always evolving. One thing that hasn’t changed over the last (however many🤷🏻♀️) years—and I don’t see it changing any time soon—is my admiration for Carrie, her friends, and her closet. If you can relate to Carrie or any of her friends, I’d love to hear about it!