It’s a question every woman has mulled over at one point or another: Am I a Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, or Charlotte? After And Just Like That triggered a wave of Sex and the City re-watches over the past couple of years, it’s a question that’s on our minds now as much as it was back in the ’90s when the show originally aired. (Which is fair, considering it says just as much about someone as any zodiac placement or enneagram type). And after two-plus decades, SATC’s lessons on friendship and love still stand strong—as do all four leading ladies’ signature styles.
Sex and the City costume designer Patricia Field managed to develop wardrobes for each character that made their style as distinctive as their personalities and that were as much of a part of their identities as their careers and love lives. Carrie’s eclectic, often disjointed style made her a pop-culture phenom that has remained consistently relevant since the ’90s; Samantha’s strong, sexy style was as unapologetically true to herself as her “I am not the type of woman who sits at home and waits for a man” philosophies. But until recently, Charlotte York Goldenblatt’s style has flown painfully under the radar.
Charlotte’s WASP-y, preppy style might not have been quite as in-your-face as her friends’ were, but its I-just-left-Ralph-Lauren, old-money quality has an advantage in its timelessness. She was a spokesperson for knowing what she liked and staying true to it in more ways than one and was a pioneer of the “quiet luxury” aesthetic years before it was coined. Her style managed to be both classic and completely unique, a combination that’s always sought-after but rarely nailed.
While all of Charlotte’s outfits could easily be worn today—both due to the resurgence of ’90s and Y2K fashion and its classic appeal—my personal recent re-watch got me thinking: What would Charlotte York wear if she were created in 2024? I’m no Patricia Field, but I have some ideas.
wedge heels (budget-friendly option) | halter top | jeans | halter top | clutch (budget-friendly option) | earrings
While Charlotte largely stuck to her Elizabeth Taylor-inspired style, one detail she loved to sneak into her looks was a good cowl neck. This silky, cowl-necked halter top screams “Charlotte York’s out on the town,” especially paired with a dark-wash denim and trendy, oversized clutch. Miss York would adore the fact that wedges are back and would celebrate it with this fabulous floral pair.
dress | clutch (budget-friendly option) | earrings
As a certified WASP, Charlotte had a calendar full of events most of us only have once a year. Galas, charity events, fancy dates—the girl was busy. For her next formal event, she’d love the shape and structure of this Cult Gaia dress, which would perfectly enhance the hourglass shape she loved to play up. She’d complete it with trendy—but still classic!—gold accessories for a look that would make any cardiologist’s heart skip a beat.
tennis bag | polo | skirt | sneakers | bracelet
Another trend Charlotte was (way) ahead of the curve on? Tenniscore. The girl loved to be on the courts, and she’d have no shortage of tennis outfit options in 2024. I believe she’d still be rocking a feminine, baby-pink polo with a classic white tennis skirt, but since she definitely wasn’t afraid of color, she’d add some green into the mix, too. Of course, she’d have a monogrammed tennis bag that she took straight from the country club to brunch with her friends.
earrings | dress | heels | bag
Charlotte York specialized in pieces that were sexy but somehow would still be acceptable to meet her future Mother-in-Law in. This form-fitting, slinky white dress would have been the perfect base for one of her Friday night ensembles, especially with a classic pair of slip-on heeled mules for a result that’s classic but far from boring.
top | skirt | sunglasses | earrings | flats
If Charlotte was running around in 2024, I think she’d be telling everyone who’d listen that ballet flats weren’t “back” because they never went out of style. For a busy day of running errands and socializing, Charlotte would wear an off-the-shoulder top with an A-line maxi skirt, then complete it with a pair of (probably Chanel) ballet flats. She’d keep to the color-sandwiching palette with a white top-handle bag and black sunglasses that Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy would approve of.
