Current:Home > InvestThe enduring appeal of the 'Sex and the City' tutu -AssetPath
The enduring appeal of the 'Sex and the City' tutu
View
Date:2025-04-23 06:35:29
A tutu worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in the hit HBO TV series Sex and the City has sold at auction for $52,000 — over four times more than expected.
Made out of layers of white tulle and a satin waistband, the tutu became famous after Parker wore it with a pink tank top and strappy heels in the opening credits for the show, which originally ran from 1998 to 2004.
The auction house Julien's Auctions had expected the airy ballet skirt would fetch just $12,000. The sale this month came as part of the auction house's Unstoppable: Signature Styles of Iconic Women in Fashion Hits the Auction Runway sale.
In the Sex and the City opening sequence, the camera pulls back to reveal the skirt just as a bus splashes Parker's character, girl-about-town Carrie Bradshaw, with puddle water. "It was so good for that pie-in-the-face," Parker said in a 2018 interview for People of the contrast between the picture-pretty pastel outfit and the sudden, embarrassing dousing of its previously happy-go-lucky wearer.
According to the auctioneer's website, costume designer Patricia Field found the skirt in the $5 bin in a New York Garment District store.
"Parker's character was originally going to wear a spring 1998 Marc Jacobs runway dress in the opening credits, but Field wanted to style her in something that wasn't specific to the time so it wouldn't date fashion-wise. She showed the skirt to Parker who loved the idea," the website said.
"We talked a lot about what this should be — thrilled that was the decision we made," Parker said in the People interview. "I would never wear it myself personally. But it's spot on."
The tutu didn't fetch nearly as much money as other outfits presented at the auction. A black velvet Catherine Walker cocktail dress worn by Princess Diana and Princess Grace's 1961 Givenchy ensemble worn to the White House to meet President John F. Kennedy both sold for $325,000.
Yet Sex and the City was known for its fashions, making 20-somethings fully conversant in the language of Manolo Blahnik, Prada and Fendi. And like many of the outfits Parker wore on the show, the tutu has gone on to develop quite an afterlife.
"While Sarah Jessica Parker had her handful of iconic outfits while playing Carrie Bradshaw during Sex and the City (read: Manolo Blahnik pumps, newspaper dresses, purple Fendi baguette bags), her number one, unforgettable, quintessential look was undoubtably her tiered white tulle skirt," wrote Samantha Holender in an article about the show's fashions for Us.
Articles have chronicled the in-depth history of the tutu, while it's inspired the runway trends of major fashion houses.
"After using it often at Valentino, Maria Grazia Chiuri brought tulle back in a big way in her first collection for Dior – and the frocks went on to be worn by some of the world's most famous red-carpet stars, including Jennifer Lawrence and Bella Hadid," wrote Harper's Bazaar's Amy de Klerk in a 2018 article about Sex and the City's key styles.
Knock-off versions of the skirt — as well as outfits inspired by it — can be found in abundance on clothing websites for prices ranging from less than $100 to more than $2,000. Replicas have been auctioned off for charity. And the tutu has also outfitted drag queens and myriad Halloween costumes.
The skirt reappeared in the 2008 Sex and the City movie — when Bradshaw pulled the item from her closet and decided not to throw it out — as well as in the 2021 TV show reboot, And Just Like That, albeit in a longer, billowier version.
Parker reinvented the style in black as part of her debut LBD (Little Black Dress) fashion collection in 2016. And she donned a Carolina Herrera tutu dress worth more than $4,000 to a performance last year at the New York City Ballet.
"She channeled her inner Carrie Bradshaw," wrote Ruby McAuliffe in InStyle of Parker's look that night.
veryGood! (48285)
Related
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- Montana judge blocks enforcement of law to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors
- Los Chapitos Mexican cartel members sanctioned by U.S. Treasury for fentanyl trafficking
- Lahaina family finds heirloom in rubble of their home on first visit after deadly wildfire
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- The movement to end hunger is underway. We support families battling food insecurity.
- In a landmark court case, 6 young climate activists take on 32 European nations
- The Czech government has approved a defense ministry plan to acquire two dozen US F-35 fighter jets
- 'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
- How to see the harvest supermoon
Ranking
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- Can you draw well enough for a bot? Pictionary uses AI in new twist on classic game
- North Korea says it will expel the US soldier who crossed into the country in July
- Save $210 on the Perricone MD Skincare Product Reviewers Call Liquid Gold
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion Trailer Welcomes Back C.T. Tamburello and Other Legends
- Plans for Poland’s first nuclear power plant move ahead as US and Polish officials sign an agreement
- Prosecutors say cheek swab from Gilgo Beach murder suspect adds to evidence of guilt
Recommendation
Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
CBS News poll: Trump leads in Iowa and New Hampshire, where retail campaigning hasn't closed the gap
'Leave the dog': Police engage in slow-speed chase with man in golf cart to return stolen pet
France’s sexual equality watchdog says violent porn is sowing seeds for real-world sexual violence
Moving abroad can be expensive: These 5 countries will 'pay' you to move there
In 'Cassandro,' a gay luchador finds himself, and international fame
Makeup Spatulas, Bottle Scrapers & More Tools to Help You Get Every Last Drop of Beauty Products
Pregnant Jana Kramer Shares Bonding Moment Between Fiancé Allan Russell and Ex Mike Caussin