"Carrie Diaries" style deviates from "Sex and the City"
To be honest, I was just as skeptical about “The Carrie Diaries” as everyone else. Candace Bushnell, the creator of the show and author of the series, was taking on a big project with “Sex and the City”-sized shoes to fill.
I wanted to know, along with everyone else — how would they recreate Carrie Bradshaw’s character without the sex, the city and the clothes? In the original series, Bradshaw’s personality and her love for the city are often portrayed through her wardrobe choices. So how is it that a teenager from Connecticut can show us a glimpse of Carrie Bradshaw without her massive collection of Manolo Blahniks?
“The Carrie Diaries,” which premiered on the CW network on Jan. 14, shows us Bradshaw before she became the girl who would show off her bra and still look sophisticated by using color and prints instead of sex appeal. This black satchel purse covered in paint and Jackie O sunglasses tell viewers that this Carrie also likes to make a statement and stand out, though a bit more conservatively than her grown-up counterpart.
However, there is still a glimpse of Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex and the City.” Bradshaw from the Carrie Diaries wears a necklace with the letter “C,” a nod to the iconic “Carrie” necklace from the HBO series. The jewelry’s presence reassures viewers that Carrie will eventually evolve into Carrie Bradshaw.
The show is set in 1984, “a time when Ronald Reagan and shoulder pads were all the rage.” However, the show’s target audience has probably only experienced the eighties through cult classic films such as “The Breakfast Club” and by laughing at their parents’ embarrassing pictures.
The show does not necessarily portray ’80s fashion accurately and attempts to steer away from the vibrant colors and over-the-top fashion statements that characterized the decade. Think leotards and just about any Dynasty or Madonna-inspired looks that emerged in the early ’80s.
Instead, Carrie is dressed more modestly, for lack of a better word. She features a more natural look and incorporates fashion trends that have made a comeback, such as bright patterned sweaters and printed pants, into her wardrobe. This is important, since viewers are constantly looking to different forms of media for fashion tips and advice, and television is perhaps the most popular.
Just look at shows like “Gossip Girl” and “Friends,” where the “Rachel” haircut and Blair Waldorf’s signature headbands are still talked about and frequently copied.
By doing away with the over-the-top style statements that were the hallmark of “Sex and the City,” the show’s stylist, Eric Daman, does not alienate the show’s viewers and creates a character that is instead relatable and fashionable. The show does not need to depict the ’80s accurately because viewers are tuning in to see what Carrie is wearing and expect to see what is currently in stores and trending on fashion blogs.
The show may not be as funny or clever as the original series, but the thing is, this is our generation’s Carrie. We can no longer relate to Carrie Bradshaw, sex columnist from the early ’00s, which is why this show cannot and has not replicated this character. It may seem weird that a show based on the 1980s is trying to relate to our generation, but it works.