And just like that. . . Carrie Bradshaw takes her final bow.
Tonight’s series finale of And Just Like That saw the iconic Sex and the City character, famously portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker, make her final TV appearance—alongside her fellow OG characters, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis). And in true Carrie fashion, she embodied her avant-garde fashion sense right up to the very last scene.
Costume designed by Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago, Carrie’s AJLT wardrobe throughout the series has been an epic playground for nostalgia; She has re-worn many iconic pieces from the early SATC days. (In case you missed it, we defined Carrie and all her signature wardrobe staples here.) For the costumers, it was bittersweet to see the show come to an end, considering how much fun it has been dressing Carrie over the years. “They didn’t tell any of the crew that this [season] was the ending. I was in denial,” Rogers tells Vogue. “But as I read [the last episode], I was thinking about ways I could see her for the very last time. I was subconsciously trying to create something memorable.” So, let’s dissect that grand finale Carrie look, shall we?
Concluding with a shot of Carrie singing and dancing in her (glorious) New York home, our final glimpse of the character sees her in full-on fashion garb. No cozy sweats or loungewear here: It was only fitting that Carrie marked her final cameo in a voluminous crinoline skirt—a nod back to the iconic tutu she wore in the original Sex and the City opening title sequence, of course. “I knew it had to end in a crinoline,” says Rogers. “I always love to give homage to the original tutu, because that set the entire tone for what this show was going to be. But Carrie is mature and not going to be in a little mini tutu—it had to be a little grown-up.”
This approach resulted in a below-the-knee skirt by Molly Goddard, which Rogers saw on the runway during London Fashion Week. “It was in this cranberry color, and because the last episode is [set on] Thanksgiving, I thought we should build an outfit around this color.” Rogers and Santiago paired it with a sequin-covered pink cardigan sweater by the late designer L’Wren Scott. “She was a friend of SJ’s,” says Rogers. The long plaid vintage coat, meanwhile, was sourced from Portobello Market in London. (Carrie is a well-noted lover of archival fashion, after all.) “It had a matching mini skirt, vest, and jacket,” says Rogers of the outerwear find. “SJ loved the kick pleats in the back.”
As for the statement accessories, they had to finish off the look with even more intentional pieces. The brown leather purse was courtesy of Vivienne Westwood—one of Carrie s favorite and most-worn labels—while the fuchsia heels were from SJP Collection, a nod to the leading lady’s former shoe brand. “We had a million cranberry and fuchsia heels, but those were the ones,” says Rogers. And that jaunty little velvet-pink chapeau? It was also a vintage style that has been in the AJLT wardrobe for years, just waiting for its moment. “Of course we had to put a hat on,” says Rogers. “Hats have always [created] feuds with the lighting directors—so we had to have one last knife in the back!”
Sure, such a flamboyant outfit may be a heightened version of the Carrie we know and love—perhaps a tad over-the-top, or an extreme caricature of a Carrie look. But for Rogers, it was important to leave viewers with an overwhelming sense of joy. The costume department wanted to go out with a bang. “It’s just joyous, because life ain’t too joyous these days,” says Rogers. Reflecting on the series as a whole, Rogers says she has nothing but smiles to look back on. “It’s been such a pinch-me experience,” she says. “To dress Carrie in the late ’90s with Patricia Field, and then to do the two movies and this show—it’s a hard act to follow. Pat always said, ‘I want this TV show to be a moving fashion magazine.’ And she achieved that. I just tried to carry the torch.”
