SEX AND THE CITY: All About the Chic

Twenty years back if you even proposed getting married in this gown it would have been considered indecent. Times have changed. Carrie Bradshaw may be fictional but we've gone through too much with her--men, career, relationships--not to deem her real in her own way to each of us. For me she's what 2008 bridal fashion is all about: brides who are willing to take a chance with their look, (her ready-for-take-off headpiece is a good case in point). What would have once been considered too theatrical or gauche for a proper wedding is not only becoming fashion norm, it's changing the bridal scene entirely.

Here's Carrie's Ivory silk taffeta confection again. It's actually one of the finale pieces from Vivienne Westwood's 2007 "Wake Up Cave Girl" Collection. Hand picked by Sex in the City stylist, Patricia Field, personally, I was surprised Sara Jessica didn't rate a custom designed gown for her role in the film. I mean heck! Didn't Audrey Hepburn have a one-of-a-kind-designed-to-fit-her-character Givenchy tulle wedding dress in Funny Face?

This flick is more eye candy for fashionistas, especially those in love with bridal design. And Westwood's uber-pouf isn't the only Big White Dress you get to see. Carrie gets to model for a big bridal spread in Vogue all decked out in Wang, Lacroix and Dior to name a few.

Admit it, the Westwood gown is brilliant in its own bizarre way; you can never go wrong with taffeta, speaking of which, twenty years down the road, might we look at Westwood's creation with the same amusement we do The Diana Dress today? Already the chat rooms and leave- your-comment sections on news sites are overloaded with mixed reactions--from the raves and praises to some hard core trolling over this dress.

I'm not going to say much more about the film. Giving the story away, even subliminally is bad form. I will say some of the fashion montage sequences remind me of fashion shoot and runway shows in past chick movies like, Funny Face, and, going even further back, Cover Girl and Vogues of 1938, Deco extravaganzas where plot was incidental, a showcase really for some wowzer Adrian and Sharaff gowns.

For Sex in the City fans used to following Carrie and her girlfriends lives in half-hour bites, unlike the series, the movie does have some static moments. Overall for a rom-com its a pretty good flick; for measuring out now chic, magnificent. And, yes, its all about the chic . . . . .

Amy-Jo Tatum

Bride Chic