Carrie Wasn't The Only Fashionista On Sex And The City — Steal Her Besties' Aesthetics, Too

For six seasons, from 1998 to 2004, "Sex and the City" wowed audiences with not just how far they were willing to push the sexual envelope, but with the fashion choices, too. In fact, turning on HBO on Sunday nights just to see what costume designer Patricia Field had picked out for the cast was just as fun as seeing what new sexual terminology was going to come into play during that episode. Analingus, anyone?

Although many parts of "Sex and the City" haven't aged well, we would be remiss to not call the show ahead of its time — because it was. It would also be a major faux pas to not acknowledge the role it played in fashion, then and now. After all, SATC did make designers like Manolo Blahnik household names and, at least for a short stint, convinced the world outside New York City that some New Yorkers actually dressed like iconically fashionable female characters, like Carrie Bradshaw

While Carrie may have been the standout character because of her fearless fashion risks, she certainly wasn't alone. Samantha, Miranda, Charlotte, and even Stanford all came into their own throughout the series, fashionably speaking, leaving an indelible imprint on pop culture. If you've ever watched the show and found yourself coveting the look of one of Carrie's besties, allow us to give you a hand. You don't have to live in New York to dress like a fashionista in the making. 

Similar to her friend Carrie, Samantha Jones isn't afraid of colors and big prints. But while Carrie rocks her style with a somewhat bohemian approach, Samantha is much more upscale, dressing as the New York City power publicist that she is.

To steal Samantha's look, you need to embrace boldness from head to toe. That means going for big earrings, low-cut tops and dresses, and animal prints. Although Samantha runs her own PR agency and doesn't have a boss to contend with regarding her fashion choices, she keeps her daytime looks professional. For example, a hot pink two-piece suit paired with a solid-colored heel or a body-hugging pencil skirt with a white button-down oxford shirt.

At night and for events, Samantha knows it's important to shine and often opts for all things shimmer. After all, who can forget when in "Sex and the City 2," Samantha wears the same thing as then-18-year-old Miley Cyrus? A moment that gets a deadpan response of, "Awkward, times two," from Tim Gunn. Samantha is proof that fashion is ageless, and sequins are forever.

As far as style evolution goes, Miranda Hobbs reigns supreme. While she starts the series (in 1998, mind you), in fairly boring tailored suits, she comes into her own over the six seasons and starts playing with colors and patterns.

If you want to be mistaken for Miranda Hobbs the next time you walk into work, invest in a few suits that have a bit of a queer, androgynous feel to them that will get the office gossiping. Is she gay? Is she on the bisexual spectrum? Is she just 20 years away from rocking a strap-on with her partner Che? This look should be complemented by sensible shoes and even more sensible jewelry — maybe skip the jewelry altogether.

When getting ready to go out on the town with the girls, it's important to channel timeless sophistication that won't go out of style. An easy way to pull this off is by having at least one black sheath dress in your wardrobe that can be worn with a high black heel and a bold lip.

Two words: twin set. If you don't know what a twin set is, but you want to steal Charlotte's look, it might be time to re-examine who you are and what you want to be. Are you waspy meets preppy dipped in pink, or not?

While Charlotte's style changed as she aged, in the early days she was all about twin sets (matching cardigan and top), full or pleated skirts (never forget the Prada lipstick skirt), and a matching designer bag. Basically, you want to look as though you've just been plucked out of a Ralph Lauren ad. But that's for during the day for her job at the art gallery. At night, Charlotte took things up several notches — especially after marrying into Trey MacDougal's family fortune. Think dresses by Oscar de la Renta and sophisticated, yet minimalist jewelry from Tiffany. A single strand of pearls is always a perfect choice.

Although Charlotte has always been more fashion-minded than Miranda, she still sticks to classic pieces that are anti-trend staples. A Burberry trench coat? Of course. Dark indigo straight-cut denim? Naturally. A pair of designer ballerina flats that go with everything? Obviously.

Just like Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte, Stanford was another one whose entire look elevated with time. While he always stuck with suits and bowties, his color palette got exponentially louder over the seasons. It spoke not just to his fashion evolution, but how much more that character was able to embrace his authentic self.

One of the best things about Stanford's style is that his daytime outfits easily roll into nighttime looks. If a suit works during the day, it certainly works at night. But to truly steal this look, you need to open yourself up to being the center of attention (although not on purpose) at all times. Even next to Carrie, Stanford always stood out. 

The best way to do this is to find what colors you can commit to and make that your personality. Invest in suits, bowties, socks, shoes, pocket squares, and even eyeglasses that fall into your beloved color scheme and just go with it. If you're new to bright hues, then this is your opportunity to create a colorful capsule wardrobe if you don't feel like you can dress like Stanford 24/7.