Current:Home > Contact-usThe enduring appeal of the 'Sex and the City' tutu-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
The enduring appeal of the 'Sex and the City' tutu
View Date:2024-12-23 23:06:44
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! (9)
Related
- Investigation into Chinese hacking reveals ‘broad and significant’ spying effort, FBI says
- Euphoria Star Angus Cloud's Mom Shares His Heartbreaking Last Words
- Flesh-eating bacteria infections are on the rise in the U.S. − here's how one expert says you can protect yourself
- Amazon invests $4 billion in Anthropic startup known for ChatGPT rival Claude
- Federal judge blocks Louisiana law that requires classrooms to display Ten Commandments
- Bachelor Nation's Gabby Windey and Girlfriend Robby Hoffman Share Insight Into Their Rosy Romance
- Canada House speaker apologizes for praising veteran who fought for Nazis
- The U.S. needs minerals for green tech. Will Western mines have enough water?
- A crowd of strangers brought 613 cakes and then set out to eat them
- Keeping it 100: As Braves again surpass wins milestone, Atlanta's team cohesion unmatched
Ranking
- Bull doge! Dogecoin soars as Trump announces a government efficiency group nicknamed DOGE
- A government shutdown isn't inevitable – it's a choice. And a dumb one.
- Amazon opening 2 operations facilities in Virginia Beach, creating over 1,000 jobs, Youngkin says
- How a DNA test inspired actress-activist Kerry Washington's journey of self-discovery
- How many dog breeds are there? A guide to groups recognized in the US
- 'Murder in Apt. 12': About Dateline's new podcast unpacking the killing of Arkansas beauty queen
- Joe Burrow starts for Bengals vs. Rams after being questionable with calf injury
- Opponents of a controversial Tokyo park redevelopment file a petition urging government to step in
Recommendation
-
Taylor Swift gifts 7-year-old '22' hat after promising to meet her when she was a baby
-
Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas Reach Temporary Agreement Over 2 Kids Amid Lawsuit
-
Coast Guard searching for woman swept into ocean from popular Washington coast beach
-
A deputy police chief in Thailand cries foul after his home is raided for a gambling investigation
-
Digital Finance Research Institute Introduce
-
An overdose drug is finally over-the-counter. Is that enough to stop the death toll?
-
Bruce Willis health update: Wife Emma says it's 'hard to know' if actor understands his dementia
-
Sparkling water is popular, but is it healthy?