So there I was, sitting at my dorm room desk reading an article by my wonderful friend and fellow HerCampus member, Emily Kelley. A few weeks ago her article highlighted a debate she and I have been having for the past few months. I figured I had to jump in and share my two cents on the subject.Â
When I sat down to write this article I found myself wondering— Carrie Bradshaw: iconic or irritating? She has great fashion, a great apartment, and seemed to have the ideal life of a New York City socialite in the 90s and early 2000s. So why has she become a controversial character in recent years?Â
It’s no secret that Carrie made her share of mistakes. When it comes to her love life, not only is she indecisive, but also unfair to many of her boyfriends throughout the series. People have also said that she was not the ideal friend at many points, putting her own needs before others.
Despite all of this, I am always the first to say that I love Carrie Bradshaw. I think that she is a character that women not only wanted to see, but needed to see. When the series starts Carrie is 32 years old. A 32 year old single, childless woman who is building a great career; and not letting the people around her change what makes her happy about her lifestyle. As women, we are made to feel as though we are not complete unless we are wives and moms. On top of this, we are expected to have it all figured out by the age of 30. Carrie shows us that it is okay to go against the strange societal pressures that women often face (and that we can do so while wearing some fabulous Manolos). Â
Through her often messy plot line, Carrie also shows young women that it is okay to be unsure. It is okay to mess up. It is okay to not have the picture perfect life that some women (cough cough, Charlotte) strive for and obsess over. I mean, wouldn’t you want to have a career and life that you love while making some mistakes; instead of needing to be married and get that perfect life so badly, you end up settling? So, while Carrie may be controversial, I am here to defend her. Sure, you might not want to make all the same choices she does (you probably don’t need to go through a whirlwind romance with a millionaire who’s also, like, super emotionally unavailable), but there’s something undeniably empowering about how confidently she embraces her messy, wonderful life.
Read the other side here: https://www.hercampus.com/school/holy-cross/carrie-bradshaw-a-character-critique/