The Art of Dressing | What makes movie and series costumes iconic on screen
This article was written by Demi Karanikolaou for Harper’s Bazaar Greece. You can find it here.
It can be universally agreed that films and TV shows are more than mere entertainment. The images we see on the big and small screen often define aesthetic movements and pinpoint cultural moments in time. For many around the world, it is where they find inspiration and beauty, immersing themselves in worlds that feel both familiar as well as aspirational. Costumes are often the ingredient we remember long after the full movie script has been forgotten. Of course, there are those iconic pieces that have almost become characters themselves: Keira Knightley’s green silk gown in Atonement, or Audrey Hepburn’s black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. However, there are also other films whose wardrobes have become iconic through accumulation - wardrobes that may not rely on a single dress but instead create a full mood around a show. Few series did this as powerfully as Sex and the City. Sure, there were showstopping pieces like Carrie Bradshaw’s tutu, the Dior newspaper dress, the Versace mille-feuille gown - but it was mostly the visionary styling of Patricia Field, alongside Molly Rogers on her team, that turned clothes into a cultural movement. In the spin-off show And Just Like That, Molly Rogers continued that tradition: the storylines may have divided fans, but the fashion remained the heartbeat of the show.
In the finale of Season 3 - a season confirmed as the last of the show - Carrie appeared in what is likely one of her final looks: a striking floral sweeping skirt and top combo by British designer Patrick McDowell. For McDowell, the process was equal parts rooted in the show’s legacy and deeply personal: “I was inspired by one of my favourite outfits from the second Sex and the City movie, that big Zac Posen underskirt, worn as a regular skirt, paired with a J’adore Dior T-shirt,” he recalls. “We were also told the scene would be outside, so I wanted to include a floral pattern. It became personal, since the pattern was created from a scan of flowers my boyfriend had bought me at the time.” I couldn’t help but wonder, is real emotion the secret ingredient that makes an on-screen costume have impact? Seeing how important fashion has been for a show, what makes a costume truly iconic?
The Alchemy of Desire
While the garments themselves are important, very rarely do they hold the key to transforming a costume into something aspirational. Instead, the alchemy seems to lie at the intersection of the fictional character, the script, and the overall mood of the film. The most aspirational costumes make clothes feel lived in, but also just out of reach, like Carrie Bradshaw’s tutu that made tulle feel accessible on the streets of New York, or Euphoria’s glittery eyelids and daring cut-outs that more recently caused many Gen-Zers to defy their mothers’ fashion advice. For Emmy nominated Costume Designer Mekel Bailey, who styled Netflix’s breakout Baby Reindeer, the starting point is always character. “Costumes are absolutely integral in building storytelling and being able to convey subtext, emotion, and character without a single word being spoken,” he says. “I always start by meeting with the principal actors, to understand the person who will bring the character to life. From there, I dive into the script, breaking it down to gauge each character’s journey, including their emotional arc. Each costume decision is grounded in that progression. When costumes align with the narrative, that’s what makes a show memorable… that’s the magic.” Patrick McDowell echoes the idea that context shapes clothing. “Dressing an on-screen character, versus a client, means the background set needs to be considered. Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago (in And Just Like That) are brilliant at placing pieces in the right scene, and the look I created truly popped against the pared-back backdrop of a runway filled with white wedding dresses,” he explains.
Lasting Impact
In a genius move, the Sex and the City franchise made fashion a character in its own right, something that allows its legacy to live on through the many fans who continue to be inspired by its style. The impact has been so great that the clothes themselves have become objects of longing and nostalgia - a nostalgia that is still commercial. Fashion editor and influencer Caroline Vazzana, who has collected original SATC pieces including a sparkly Halston Heritage gown from the film, says her followers love watching Carrie outfit recreations. “People love my outfit recreations, especially when I find the original pieces,” she explains. “There is such a love and nostalgia connected with the show. It’s like revisiting an old friend you watched it with - revisiting the fashion is just as good.” For Vazzana, part of the magic is how timeless the clothes feel. “Although the show originally came out in the ’90s, it almost feels timeless. Patricia Field is such a genius at mixing textures and prints. I still find myself revisiting the show for inspiration, and I think many others do too. It’s almost like a treasure hunt: you watch the show and then run to eBay to see if you can still find any of the original items.”
Similarly, for collector and TV host Dawn Anna Williamson, SATC was just as formative. “The show completely shaped my fashion identity,” she says. “These clothes, shoes, and accessories demonstrate a rich tapestry of memories, of hustle, and of growing up. The late ’90s into the early 2000s was a golden era for fashion - Galliano at Dior, and Tom Ford at Gucci,” Williamson continues. “Many of those pieces have become highly sought after and museum worthy. Collecting them and preserving them is a duty I take seriously. My collection isn’t just an SATC archive - it’s a fashion archive.” Indeed, it is this exact deeply personal combination of nostalgia and identity that truly elevates costumes to icons. Long after a series or a film is over, the clothes remain sought after, and woven into the lives of those who love them. For Mekel Bailey, the leap from costume to cultural artefact comes down to harmony. “A costume becomes iconic when everything is in perfect synergy: the actor, the performance, the costume itself, the production design, the hair and makeup. Nothing overshadows the other - instead they all come together to tell a cohesive story. Sometimes it’s the silhouette, the colour, or simply because something is unexpected. It captures a moment so powerfully that it leaves a lasting impression. It becomes a cinematic imprint that is timeless.”
When Costumes Become Cultural Artefacts
While we have said goodbye to Carrie Bradshaw many times in the past, with her - thankfully - returning once again, the looming idea that And Just Like That Season 3 is ending the franchise is quite daunting. In this sense, her last looks in what might be the final time we see her are deeply emotional. It is, after all, the closing of a decades-long conversation between a character and the clothes that made her an icon. For Patrick McDowell, the weight of that moment was impossible to ignore. “It’s crazy to know that perhaps one of the last pieces she’ll ever wear is ours,” he notes. “It truly is surreal to dress someone you’ve seen throughout your life in many forms. I grew up with my mum watching Sex and the City, and later so did I. Both Carrie and Sarah Jessica Parker really embody who our client is.” In a poetic way, it is indeed fitting that one of Carrie’s final looks combined cultural homage and personal intimacy - a grand skirt patterned with flowers from the designer’s own love story. After all, the most iconic costumes don’t just dress characters, but merge fantasy with reality and aspiration, becoming part of how we imagine ourselves.
In the last scene of And Just Like That and without a love interest in sight, Carrie declares: “The woman realised she was not alone. She was on her own,” speaking of the protagonist of her novel, who mirrors her emotions. But Carrie Bradshaw could never truly be on her own. She has fashion, and a wardrobe big enough to always keep her stimulated. That same wardrobe will keep us on our toes for many decades to come - and that is iconic.