Sex and the City is an iconic ’90s television show set in New York City. It features four best friends: Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbes, Samantha Jones, and Charlotte York.
What makes this show so lovable is the distinct personalities of each character. At the same time, they also have qualities that make you scream at your television. But hey, nobody is perfect, and that is realistically portrayed through the show.
Because I have been binging the series religiously, I am going to dissect the personalities of each of the girls. If I could adopt a few traits from them, these are the ones I would choose.
- CARRIE BRADSHAW
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Carrie can be controversial at times. She is caught up in the world’s longest situationship with Mr. Big, letting him walk all over her. As a girl who has high standards, it is a frustrating watch.
There are a plethora of negative traits that people pick her apart for. Personally, I think she gets a little too much hate. But of course she does! She is a lead female character in a romance TV series, and people want perfection. Not to mention, she has the best outfits, coolest job, and lives the NYC party-girl lifestyle; there has to be something wrong with her!
You can’t deny that she has a lot of passion for expressing herself. She finds depth in everyday occurrences and is always thinking about what to write next. As a journalism major, I admire this in Carrie. She gives her all to her work, loved ones, and outfits.
Moving on to her closet, if I could adopt one thing from Carrie, it would be how she always dresses to impress. Even if she is just in her apartment writing, she has the cutest fit on. Carrie never fears wearing clothing that makes her stand out in any room.
She is also relentlessly authentic. Carrie can be found striking up a conversation with a stranger, being brutally honest about her feelings, or jumping headfirst into a new experience. Everyone wishes they were fearlessly themselves, like her.
HBO Max - MIRANDA HOBBES
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Miranda (in Steve’s voice) is similar to Carrie, except she is much more cynical, something I argue that every group needs.
Her stubbornness can be annoying, especially when it comes to expressing emotion. She struggles with pushing down her true feelings, which causes her to burst at the worst moments. Despite this, Miranda is amazing. Why? Because she is incredibly loyal. She may add sarcasm and hints of negativity to the situation, but through it all, she will be there. No matter what is going on in her life, she shows up for the ones she loves, and that’s a trait every friend should embody.
Speaking of her life, Miranda is painfully hardworking. She uses her intelligence to build a successful law career. Throughout the series, she says that she’s never taken a personal day off from work. Breaks are foreign to her, and she doesn’t stop until the task is done.
Yet, Miranda rarely asks for help with anything. She is incredibly independent — a blessing and a curse. Nonetheless, she does well like this, proving that she does not need a man. She is a role model for women across the globe.
- SAMANTHA JONES
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Another independent character is my queen, Samantha Jones. Yes, she has trouble expressing her emotions, is sometimes rude, and many call her confident personality “a lot.” But Samantha’s ignorance of haters makes her more lovable.
No matter the situation, she will strut into a room with her shoulders high. She works in public relations and does not back down from anything. As a communications girl myself, she is my idol in this regard.
We also see her persistence shine throughout the show. The thing about Samantha is that she gets what she wants. She uses her confident and persistent nature to finesse her way into any situation. She always finds a way to get her friends what they want, or didn’t even know they needed.
“TMI” doesn’t exist for Samantha. She is simply real. Her openness about her sexual life breaks down the stigma around talking about sex. There are no elephants in the room with her. Samantha embraces the fact that we are all humans, dealing with the same problems. Why not just talk about them?
- CHARLOTTE YORK
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Last but not least, Charlotte York. Painted to be very traditional and innocent, she definitely stands out in the group. You’ve got to love Charlotte.
Her optimism is crucial to balance out the show. Even though her friends are not the most positive, Charlotte finds a way to twist things into a better light. She sees the good in everyone, and people mistake that for innocence. But really, she just has a hopeful heart.
Along with that, she is incredibly genuine. She always tries to do the right thing to please the people she loves. Charlotte is kind, but it isn’t fake kindness. It is real, and when she loves, she loves hard.
If she is going to love you, though, you’d better treat her right. Out of the four, Charlotte’s standards are certainly the highest. Her optimism leaks into romance, causing her to expect the best from every man who crosses her path. And if you aren’t good enough for her, she will tell you. I think every girl should have the standards and genuine optimism of Charlotte.
HBO Entertainment After looking at the length of this article, you can assume that I love the show for its realistic characters. Each of them has admirable qualities, along with negative ones. That is simply being human, and it’s why I, as a college girl, relate to this show so deeply.
People say Sex and the City comes to you when you most need it, and I believe that.
We can all learn a little from Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte.
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