You can be sure to find Sarah Jessica Parker’s best looks both on and off the screen. The actress famously played one of TV’s most stylish characters, Carrie Bradshaw in Sex And The City, however, she has proved she has an impeccable dress sense in her own right and constantly steps out in head-turning gowns and statement accessories.
Parker starred as the New York-based journalist with an extravagant wardrobe in the iconic series from the late 1990s. Fans of the show would await Bradshaw’s head-turning fashion as much as the dramatic plot twists. She reprised the iconic role in 2021 for the revival series And Just Like That… in 2021, and her outfits were every bit as good as the original series.
Additionally, Parker’s successful acting career – which has seen her pick up six Golden Globe Awards and two Emmy Awards – also featured roles in the films Footloose and Hocus Pocus. The star, who is mother to three children with her husband Matthew Broderick, also appeared on TV shows including Divorce and Glee.
Over the years, Parker – who launched her own fashion brand SJP Collection in 2014 – has continued to wow with her stylish ensembles at A-list parties and on the red carpet. She is known for embracing eye-catching fabrics and having fun with outfit combinations.
Sarah Jessica Parker’s best looks
1. The sweeping pink gown
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Parker commanded attention when she hit the streets of New York in 2019 in this jaw-dropping fuchsia pink gown by Zac Posen. She accessorised with mismatched pink and yellow strappy heels from her own line SJP Collection and finished off the voluminous ensemble with a sleek up-do and smokey eye makeup. This look is a masterclass in dopamine dressing.
Bow maxi dress from Anthropologie
RRP: £198 | This fuchsia dress with its voluminous tiers and distinctive bow would make Carrie Bradshaw proud. With its one-shoulder design and sweetheart neck, it’s the ultimate statement gown.
Tiered patterned dress from Boden
RRP: £112 | This sleeveless tiered dress from Boden is a more subtle way to incorporate fuschia into your wardrobe if you’re not ready to go full Carrie Bradshaw.
Pink midi dress from Nobody’s Child
RRP: £45 | This silky pink dress from Nobody’s Child is distinctive, playful and oh-so-versatile. It’s a perfect wedding guest dress, too – wear it with strappy heels in summer and with courts and a cover-up in winter.
2. The voluminous patterned dress
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Parker attended the Met Gala in New York in 2013 in a striking gown with an even more distinctive headpiece. Her floor-length dress featured a beautiful print and a voluminous skirt, and she finished off the head-turning ensemble with an elegant gold headpiece.
3. The breezy shirt and maxi dress combo
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Want to repurpose your maxi dresses for chillier weather? Parker demonstrated a handy styling trick while filming for And Just Like That… in New York in 2021. She layered a classic blue shirt beneath a flowing boho-style maxi dress and accessorised with a strand of pearls and metallic platform heels.
4. The statement gold dress
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Parker pulled out all the stops for the Met Gala in New York in 2018. The star opted for a statement gold floor-length dress, which featured ruffled shoulders and a long train. She finished off the jaw-dropping ensemble with jewelled headwear. Yes, this look is a little OTT and garish – but isn’t that what the Met Gala is all about?
5. The tweed winter coat
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We love a classic winter coat, and tweed makes the perfect material. Parker looked smart in a three-quarter-length option – featuring a tie belt – on the set of And Just Like That… in New York in 2022. Peeking out beneath were cropped blue trousers, knitted tights and black heels.
6. The green thigh-split dress
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A well-placed thigh-split is certain to add glamour to any party dress. Parker wowed in an emerald green frock at a dinner at London’s Kensington Palace in 2023, which featured flowing sleeves. She accessorised with a sparkly lilac shoulder bag.
7. SJP’s understated 2011 Met Gala look
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Parker opted for a simple silhouette at the Met Gala in New York in 2011, however, the bejewelled fabric of the star’s long-sleeved, floor-length dress ensured she stood out on the red carpet. She kept the rest of her look simple, opting for a sleek up-do and smokey eye makeup.
8. The statement handbag
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The importance of a carefully chosen accessory is something Parker knows only too well. At the screening of the third season of Sex And The City in Los Angeles in 2000, the actress paired a multi-coloured handbag with a strappy midi dress. She finished off the look with curly hair, a rosette tied around her waist and silver heels.
9. The grungy black leather jacket
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Parker exuded cool at the Hollywood premiere for the film Ed Wood in 1994. The star stepped out in an LBD – or little black dress – with a simple leather jacket and black ankle boots. She also kept the rest of her look pared-back, opting for dewy make-up.
10. The all-blue everything outfit
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Brightening up the streets of New York, Parker wowed in a blue skirt suit – featuring an asymmetric knee-length hemline – on the set of And Just Like That… in 2021. The actress accessorised with layered gold jewellery, classic black heels and a blue crocodile-effect handbag.
11. The sparkly patterned mididress
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Parker shimmered at the Deauville American Film Festival in Deauville, France in 2018. The star wore a long-sleeved black midi dress – featuring a sparkly multicoloured print – which she paired with a pair of dusky pink satin-effect heels and a simple silver pendant necklace.
12. The cream floral gown
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Florals are as much for evening wear as daytime, in Parker’s books. The star wowed in a long-sleeved, floor-length cream gown – featuring a subtle bow at the waist – at the Met Gala in New York in 2012. She wore her hair in a bouncy blow dry and accessorised with gold cuffs.
13. The monochrome maxi dress
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Parker kept things simple at Sex And The City’s 25th Anniversary Exhibition in New York in 2023. The actress opted for a black and white maxidress – featuring billowing sleeves and a square neckline – which she paired with an eye-catching striped handbag and black footwear.
14. Channelling Carrie Bradshaw in a sheer grey cape
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There are only a few people who can pull off a cape, but SJP is definitely one. Parker paired a sheer grey design with a sleeveless cocktail dress at the New York premiere of And Just Like That… in 2021. The frock featured sparkles and pink taffeta detailing that perfectly matched her satin-effect heels.
15. The off-shoulder floral dress
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Many of Parker’s most stunning outfits come from Sex And The City itself. In the third season of the series, the actress wore a pretty floral off-shoulder midi dress featuring ruffled detailing, which she accessorised with big bouncy curls and a large pink handbag.
16. The simple cream mini dress
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Parker’s flawless sense of style goes back decades. At the Vogue Fashion Awards in 1997, the star wore a simple strappy cream mini dress, which she paired with nude heels, an elegant updo and a smoky eye – a very easy make-up look for an evening out.
17. The belted tartan dress
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Parker isn’t afraid to turn heads – and this tartan number definitely turned a few. The actress channelled Scottish style at the Met Gala in New York in 2006, with her belted dress featuring swathes of red tartan fabric. She finished off the eye-catching ensemble – which featured a voluminous nude taffeta skirt and lacy black detailing – with a pair of strappy black heels.
18. The blue slingback heels
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When Parker wore a wedding dress on the set of And Just Like That… in 2022, you would have assumed the voluminous white gown might be the star of the show (especially considering it’s backstory in the show – if you know, you know). However, the memorable scene – shot on the streets of New York – saw her pair of blue slingback heels, that perfectly matched her silky cape and feathered fascinator, take centre stage. If there’s one thing Carrie Bradshaw knows, it’s the power of the perfect pair of designer heels.
19. The statement cropped jacket
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Parker demonstrated the powers of a statement jacket at the premiere for the film For The Boys in Los Angeles in 1991. She paired the striking multicoloured cropped number with a gold bralet as well as loose red velvet trousers and elegant red footwear.
20. The devilishly good red cape and gown combo
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Parker made a head-turning appearance at the presentation of the film I Don’t Know How She Does It in Moscow, Russia in 2011. The star matched her sleeveless red floor-length gown with a matching cape and wore her hair elegantly up at the sides.
21. The white cropped trousers
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Forget the jeans and heels look, Parker showed off the cropped white trouser and heels combo at the Met Gala in New York in 2016. The star also wore a white top and jacket, which featured dusky pink taffeta poking through the sleeves, and also finished off the ensemble with a statement necklace that matched her blue footwear.
22. The flowing printed maxi dress
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Parker looked effortlessly chic at the American Museum of the Moving Image in New York in 1999. The star paired her flowing long-sleeved brown maxidress – which featured an elegant geometric print – with an eye-catching blue necklace as well as metallic heels and a matching clutch bag.
23. Proving red and pink *do* match
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Parker isn’t afraid to get creative with colour pairing and effortlessly demonstrates how to style red clothes with this sophisticated tailored look. The star looked sharp in a red long-sleeved blouse and pink tailored trousers at the Late Show With David Letterman in New York in 2011. She finished off the look with big wavy locks and a pair of white heels.
24. The black maxi dress
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We love a classic black dress – and a maxi-length can be quite the fashion statement. Parker looked chic in a long-sleeved v-neck number while out in New York in 2020, and she was photographed pulling up her hemline to reveal a pair of pretty baby blue heels.
25. The striped pink shirt
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In one of her character’s more iconic looks, Parker teamed a pink and white striped shirt with some classic tailoring. The actress paired the item – for a Sex And The City scene shot in New York in 2007 – with a white waistcoat and matching tailored trousers. She finished off the quirky ensemble with a black tie and black open-toed heels.
26. The mismatched heels
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Parker stunned at the New York City Ballet 2023 Fall Fashion Gala in 2023 with this classic, chic look – with a quirky twist. The star stepped out in a long-sleeved off-shoulder black midi dress, with a voluminous skirt, which she paired with an elegant silver handbag. However, she brought a subtle edge to the look with her footwear – opting for mismatched silver and black heels.
27. The oversized blazer jacket
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Straight-leg denim can make some of the best jeans for a cool, relaxed look. However, if you’re after a way to instantly smarten them up, then you can’t go wrong with an oversized blazer jacket. Parker used the style trick during an evening out as a teenager in 1980, during which she also wore a pair of white trainers and carried an elegant pink clutch bag.
28. The pink shirt dress
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Parker channelled Barbiecore to a film a scene for And Just Like That… in New York in 2021. Her fuchsia pink shirt dress was nipped in at the waist with a large black belt with silver studs, and she accessorised with a pair of classic black heels.
29. The crop and long skirt combo
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In a look that isn’t for the fainthearted, Parker showed off her toned abs in a bandeau crop top and long skirt at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles in 2001. She accessorised the sparkly black ensemble with silver diamond earrings and black ‘Mary Jane’ style footwear.
30. The big-sleeved blue gown
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Parker wowed on the red carpet at the Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York in 2019 with this blue printed floor-length gown featuring voluminous sleeves. All eyes were drawn to the exaggerated sleeves and structured skirt, so she kept accessories fairly minimal, completing the look with a burgundy floral headpiece.
31. The statement fascinator that stole the show at the 2022 Met Gala
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There was no missing Parker at the Met Gala in New York in 2022. The actress wore an off-shoulder long-sleeved gown – featuring a monochrome check design and button detailing. She accessorised with a statement fascinator, featuring bright pink flowers, which could provide some headwear inspiration if you’re wondering what to wear to the races.
32. The mid iskirt and heels combo
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Parker looked seriously chic at Fendi’s 25th Anniversary of its ‘Baguette’ handbag in New York in 2022. The star looked elegant in a tweed shirt, a mink-hued midi skirt featuring pastel green velvet trim and a pair of green velvet heels. She added further colour to her look with a striking purple designer handbag – a Sarah Jessica Parker X Fendi special.
