If you’re like me, the melancholy of Sex and the City coming to an end after six decadent seasons is significantly abated by the fact that TBS now airs an edited version of the show two nights a week. It’s solacing to know that I can still plop on the couch with a pint of ice cream and get my fill of girl talk, Manolos, and embarrassing relationship moments.
By Kimberly Olsen
2/5/2005
Photo by: Laura Petrilla
And, of course, shopping. It is impossible to watch Sex and the City and not have an aching desire to immediately run out and search for the Fendi bag Carrie took on her date with Big, or the classic Ralph Lauren sweater Charlotte paired perfectly with Levis for Saturday morning shopping. No matter what the Sex and the City gals wear, the outfits are flawless and tailored to encompass each character’s unique appeal.
You’re probably thinking, "But I live in Pittsburgh." Well, here’s the good news, Pittsburgh ladies: Whether you consider yourself a Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, or Charlotte, cancel your next shopping trip to New York, because all you need to be stunningly Sex and the City-worthy is an afternoon in Steel City with your new best friend, Mr. Credit Card. Prepare to discover some of the best designer shops in Pittsburgh, and perhaps next Saturday at breakfast, sandwiched in between details of the previous night’s disastrous date and your ex’s new wife, you can show off your most recent splurge to your best girl friends.
So you think you’re a Carrie…
We love Carrie because she wears Manolo Blahniks with sweats backstage at the fashion show, then falls on her face mid-strut down the runway. We love her because in season two she constantly wears that gold nameplate necklace, spurring every girl from Jersey to Sacramento to hunt for one bearing her own name. And we love the fact that she leaves the gym wearing stilettos, which look unexplainably fabulous with aqua Spandex leggings.
Carrie’s number one fashion staple, however, isn’t stilettos, a necklace, or a Cavalli mini-dress—it’s confidence. No matter how seemingly outrageous the print, how funky the scarf or how innocuously cute the mens’ underwear, Carrie can pull off any outfit because of her unapologetic flair for mixing, matching, and breaking every fashion rule in the book. If you consider yourself the kind of girl who loves a good vintage steal but can’t resist the latest pair of Jimmy Choos, you’ve got a bit of Carrie in your fashion template, and you need to get yourself to these stores, pronto:
•Maxalto 54211/2 Walnut Street, Shadyside
This high fashion boutique carries Dolce & Gabanna, Anna Sui, Miss Sixty, and Just Cavalli, to name a few. You’ll find the right mix of tanks, pants, dresses, and heels to create an outfit that would make Carrie envious. The jewelry is not to go unnoticed, either—bold necklaces and bracelets that add charm to any outfit.
•Emphatics One Oxford Center, Downtown
Perhaps the center for designer fashion in Pittsburgh, Emphatics carries Chloe, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Balenciaga, upon others. It’s the perfect place to find Carrie-worthy labels if you’re looking to mix-and-match an outfit.
…or maybe you’re a Samantha
Samantha couldn’t care less about what people think of her brash—albeit fun-loving—nature toward men. She’s a PR vixen who understands the importance of image in her career. Like Carrie, Samantha’s got the confidence to always be dressed to kill. Who else would look classy hailing a cab in a hot pink Ungaro pantsuit? Or could pull off meeting a date on the street in nothing but black lingerie and a trench coat? Samantha epitomizes modern femininity: she’s independent, bold, but still dresses like a woman out to rule the world—and the bedroom. Find Samantha-esque outfits here:
•Cheeks 5425 Walnut Street, Shadyside
Cheeks features hot lingerie in European brands, as well as workout gear and comfy pajamas. Perfect to find that ensemble your boyfriend’s been craving.
•Sugar Boutique 3703 Butler Street, Lawrenceville
This boutique is a melting pot of fresh designers, including Steel Couture (flawless jewelry for Samantha—their goddess-worthy chandelier earrings are a must), Cybelle, and Sanibel, who’s hats are perfect after that facial that might have left your face a bit flushed (remember Samantha’s chemical peel? Enough said).
Miranda, boring? Never!
We’ve seen Miranda’s corporate look as overly stiff and suffocating (think mauve suits with matching pumps) in the earlier seasons of Sex, but by the final few seasons she’s softer, more polished and wearing brighter, edgier outfits to the law firm and out on dates. She’s nailed the art of the suit jacket and skirt ensemble, which is usually jazzed up with delicate jewelry and stilettos (not pumps). For cosmopolitans with the girls, flattering v-neck dresses (often in black, sometimes glittery) are staples in Miranda’s closet. If you share the corporate by day, cosmopolitan by night lifestyle, check out these stores for outfits to perk up your wardrobe:
•Talbots One Oxford Center, Downtown
The store to go to for business attire that says, I’m important, not, I got this from my great-aunt, Talbots features crisp suits for day and classy dresses for evening. Perfect for a Miranda-type.
•e.b. Pepper 5411 Walnut Street, Shadyside
This two-level boutique carries upscale womens’ apparel for day and night, as well as jeans and a fantastic Kate Spade collection.
And finally, Charlotte
There’s a little bit of Charlotte in all of us, that longing to wear a pleated skirt and look Park Avenue classic, not Britney Spears school girl. Charlotte’s like a cocktail of Audrey Hepburn’s delicateness and Jackie O’s ladylike shyness—there’s nothing come-hither about her. She’s the modern reason for the Ralph Lauren Polo (besides golf) and Chanel houndstooth. Never “preppy,” Charlotte is a lady in a strapless Oscar de la Renta dress, with matching clutch and peep-toe shoes. Put her in Pittsburgh, and this is where she’d shop:
•Saks 5th Avenue 513 Smithfield Street, Downtown
Whether in New York City or Pittsburgh, Saks stands for classic elegance. You’ll find timeless Burberry, Lacoste, Tocca, and Prada—enough clothes to keep you looking Charlotte-chic and sophisticated.
• Palm Place 5523 Walnut Street, Shadyside
For a weekend trip to the spa or just a tennis lesson, there’s no better place to find preppy pastels than Palm Place. Here, Lilly Pulitzer reigns as the leading designer of floral print bathing suits and classic polos. Think pink.
