There’s no show quite like Sex and the City. There are plenty of shows set in New York City and about female friendships, but the combination of both in this iconic early ‘00s show will never be topped. With the series now on Netflix and gaining a resurgence online, a new generation of women are watching SATC for the first time. There are also some fans like me who have grown up watching the show (perhaps earlier than they should have) and are rewatching it older and wiser.
Even though I’ve seen every episode of the series more times than I can count, I had a true revelation during my most recent rewatch: I’m not a Carrie girl. Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, made me want to move to NYC and live my fashion-forward journalist fantasy. She encouraged me to become a writer, take up retail therapy, and get a good group of girlfriends to depend on. Though I still love her, Carrie wasn’t always a great friend. Now, at 24, I can see that I relate to Charlotte York, played by Kristen Davis, so much more, and that’s a good thing. Here’s why you, too, should be a Charlotte York girl.
Charlotte’s the unspoken fashion icon.
The queen of New York City, Charlotte York, was a true fashionista. Of course, Carrie is known for being a shopaholic with a closet to die for. However, Charlotte served looks all of us preppy and pink girls can pull inspo from. Her style was sexy, classic, and sophisticated and perfectly matched her personality.
She rocked things like slip dresses, pearls, and polo sweaters. Her timeless look made her the unspoken fashion icon of SATC.
She gave the best advice.
Even though Charlotte was the sweetest of the group, she always stood her ground. One of my favorite Charlotte moments is in the episode “Ring a Ding Ding” from Season 4 when she stands up to Carrie, who’s having money problems. All the other girls offer to give Carrie financial help, but after Carrie’s irresponsibility leads her down a hole, Charlotte tells her she needs to fix it herself.
In the end, Charlotte shows her extreme generosity and gifts Carrie her engagement ring to help herself let go of her past marriage and Carrie pay her bills.
She was supportive and kind but gave the girls tough love when needed.
She never settled.
Charlotte knew what she wanted, and she got it. She had her friend group, a great job at the art gallery, and her perfect man. Even when the other girls on the show battled with the idea that they could have it all, Charlotte always chose what was best for her and what she truly wanted.
Cecilia Regina, a Tiktoker who often discusses SATC, stated in a video that Charlotte “could be a lover girl because she had standards and boundaries.”
She didn’t let anyone waste her time, and she left if her standards weren’t met. “I’m nice. I’m pretty, and I’m smart. I’m a catch!” She knew she was that girl and didn’t settle for anything less than she deserved. After all, she’s worth a million.
Charlotte never gave up on love.
Even when faced with dating hardships and teasing from the other girls, Charlotte never gave up on love. She supported and loved her friends, even while going through tough times of her own. My favorite Charlotte quote is, “Don’t laugh at me, but maybe we could be each other’s soulmates?” It sums up who she’s a lover overall.
She went through the whole series as a hopeless romantic and never settled. Her determination and passion paid off, and she ended up with her prince charming and a happy family.
I think that every woman in her 20s could learn from the sweetest SATC character. Charlotte loved big, stayed true to herself, and was a great friend. We should all strive to be Charlotte girls.