After spending twenty years in the shadow of television’s preeminent It girl, Miranda Hobbes has finally reached style-icon status. The fashion pendulum has swung, and puffer jackets, boxy suits, and Harvard hoodies are decidedly “in.” When Sex and the City first aired, though, Ms. Hobbes’s hypercorporate style went largely unnoticed. But just because she didn’t have the wherewithal to wear a man’s shirt as a dress doesn’t mean that she lacked style. Although conservative, Miranda’s wardrobe was distinctly androgynous, setting her apart from other archetypal “working women” on television. That (and her flame-red hair) gave her an instantly recognizable look that has stood the test of time.

Her penchant for oversize, nondescript clothing has also aged well, anticipating trends in both high fashion and streetwear. But despite her chicer moments, Miranda’s wardrobe was designed to position her as the show’s everywoman, not the ingenue. Sweatshirts, tote bags, and flat sandals were all off-duty staples. Unglamorous loungewear was abundant, while Samantha-esque lingerie was scant.

Unlike her cohorts, Miranda was subjected to a host of horrors including (but not limited to) a neck brace, adult braces, and an entire season of lackluster postpartum looks. Throughout the series, Ms. Hobbes’s mere presence was a reminder that the show was based in reality. Even after she reemerged as a couture-clad glamazon in the first Sex and the City film, audiences knew that the real Miranda was the makeup-free woman in gym clothes.

In recent years, the fashion world has finally caught up with Miranda’s comfort-based, office-focused aesthetic. She has unwittingly become the patron saint of normcore, a youth-driven stylistic movement that recalls the unpretentious, mass-market clothing of the Y2K era. Several luxury brands have embraced this ethos, most notably Balenciaga, whose runway shows feature bare-faced, puffer jacket–clad models who could easily be mistaken for Ms. Hobbes. Her early-series staples like dad hats, sweatpants, and oversize blazers can now be purchased at Barneys. Echoes of her gender-bending business attire can be seen in recent collections from female-focused designers like Phoebe Philo and Victoria Beckham.

But just because you personally identify with Miranda does not mean that you have to adopt her signature look, however fabulous. No one is forcing you to wear turtlenecks and Tevas.

Dressing like a Miranda means sharing her attitude and outlook, not necessarily her penchant for track pants. Not all Mirandas are fashionistas, but that doesn’t mean that we lack style. Some of us live for clothes, while others give fewer fucks than Steve’s mom. But no matter where you fall on the clotheshorse spectrum, every Miranda has a basic understanding of what kind of clothes suit her.

Source link