Is Sex and the City Socially Responsible?
Thanks to my membership with the ever-glamorous Independent Fashion Bloggers [if you are an IFB Member, you should totally add me. All the kewl kids are doing it.], I got to read a fantastic blog post this week called Finance & the Fashion Blogger: Ignore-ance in Dramatis Personae. Although you should totally check the original post out, it basically acknowledges the oft-overlooked question of: “how do these fashion bloggers afford all of these clothes?”
Exhibit A: Jane from Sea of Shoes. Not only is she unfairly beautiful, she always seems to have something new (and frequently very high-end) complementing her ginger locks. Where does it all come from? Heaven? Does she grow money in her lovely backyard?
The Dramatis Personae post ponders the effects of financial responsibility on fashion blogging, and vice versa. After all, if we’re spending ourselves into the ground for new content, is it all worth it? Likewise, if we refuse to pry open our wallets for a new pair of shoes once in a while, are we really practicing what we preach?
If we’re being honest, I’m not the kind of blogger like Jane is, who posts about her wardrobe simply because I don’t have a but a NYC apartment, and money trees need a lot of space to grow. Not that there is anything bad at all about bloggers like Jane; I personally love to see people with fantastic style (and a nice camera) show it off. It just so happens I can’t be one of them.
Later that day, I read another article picked up by the Cut (originally from WWD) about the wardrobe budget of the upcoming Sex and the City 2 movie. 10. million. dollars.
“10 million dollars” is one of those grand figures that, unless you have access to it, is pretty detached from anything real. But think about it – what designer wouldn’t be dying to throw free clothes at this movie for the amazing exposure (except perhaps Manolo Blahnik)? So you have that, PLUS $10 million.
Why the hell do they need $10 million dollars, you ask?
Well, apparently, in ONE scene, Carrie wears $4,000 embellished jeans by the Blonds under a $47,190 silver-and-gold Chanel lamé dress and overskirt. To put this into context, that outfit would pay my New York City rent for three years. If any of you are outside of NYC, I imagine it could pay your rent for about six.
After learning about the SATC wardrobe budget and reading the Dramatis Personae post, I couldn’t help but wonder, is the aggressive consumerism displayed in Sex and the City during a time of economic hardship socially responsible? When people are still losing their jobs, stomaching pay cuts and suffering the effects of the recession, should we be really celebrating frivolous spending? Just like with the fashion bloggers, when you are depleting your bank account to fill your wardrobe, how does it all add up?
I decided to take my questions to the (online) streets by gathering the thoughts of some of my fellow fashion bloggers, who had a myriad of opinions on this topic.
My feeling is that Sex and the City, which has its New York premiere tonight at Radio City Music Hall, is based on illusion. In any time of crisis, we seek escape. In times of economic crisis, we seek an escape from the depressing Dow and shrinking savings accounts. The flash, the glamor – it’s all part of the escape.
Fortunately for me, many of my blogger friends agreed. First of all, we need to remember how important fashion is to this franchise:
“The clothes worn by Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte speak to me just as much as their characters do, utterly mesmerizing in all their designer glory from the minute those clothes appear on screen.” – RedPoppy, RedPoppy Fashion
“I know I’ll be sitting in the theatre pinching myself back to real-life after being swept up by the fantasy. As fabulous as the fashion is, it’s all conceptual. It’s the “if only” and “what if” of SATC fans’ worlds and is meant to inspire and impress; if real women were expected to spend BIG for wardrobes like that, we’d be in perpetual trouble with collection agencies! With the exception of heirs and celebrities, this kind of spending is just unrealistic… which is why I think it’s totally acceptable for us fashionistas to indulge ourselves in the fashion feast SATC serves up.” – Lindsay, Cubicle Chic
“This has become an important element of the movie: portraying a rich, glitzy, designer label, perfectly manicured lifestyle that is out of reach for 99.9% of its audience. For everyone watching the film, it has become a form of escapism, especially in these difficult economic times, where they can forget about today’s challenges and just bath in the glamorous fantasy of SATC. Like the NYTimes wrote, the movie is like a kind of “porn” for women (mostly) where their “dirty” fantasies of wealth, men, vacations and beautiful clothing, shoes and jewelry can be fulfilled. SATC is not at all about reality, so their unrealistic wardrobe budget is an understandable (although possibly difficult to swallow) expense for the film.” – Meredith, Cubicle Chic
I love this next blogger’s idea on the movie’s wardrobe and its ties into social responsibility and the economy -
“I love the movie’s outrageous clothing budget and everyone else should too! Films are supposed to have that fantastical element, and when it comes to SATC, the fashion is as important as the dialogue. Maybe more. If we can’t see some $50,000 skirt action in SATC, then where can we see it? With the economic crisis some people might feel it necessary to criticize, but let’s not forget that spending will help lead us back towards an economic upturn. So, if the film spent some money and inspires others to spend some as well, then I say: ‘thanks, SATC, for doing your part in helping the economy.’” – Kristy Eléna, Vogue Gone Rogue
Some thought a compromise of quality (but less expensive) clothing could achieve a fantastic effect:
“I believe in order to create a believable illusion there’s a definite need for high end clothes. I don’t think putting them in knock-offs or cheap clothes would fit the image that the show has created. I do, however, think that $10 million is a lot for a clothing budget and maybe they could have selected less pricey clothes that still have a high end look!” – Ta’Keisha, Violet Meets Fashion
While we all appreciate the glamor of Sex and the City, the incredible wardrobe budget gives others pause:
“People always look for escapes in they regular readings so the movie can be viewed as some inspiration or as a fantasy. On the other hand, people can get obsessed with labels and accept nothing else, leading to depression or bankruptcy. The bottom line it is sending a wrong message. We all need to stop with the excessive spending on fashion and start looking into the financial situation that America is facing. However, we created this monster. The alternative? View the outfits only as inspiration and try to find similar looks at more budget friendly stores.” – Island Gal, NYC Island Girl
But what do you think? Should we take it for what it’s worth, at face value, or does SATC send a dangerous message to vulnerable consumers?
Photo Credit: NY Magazine
You know, I was just talking on Twitter about the SatC franchise, and how in all honesty, I feel like the fashion has gone away from the heart of the stories and the heart of the characters. I HATE what Patricia Field has done with Carrie’s style–because while her style may not have changed, how she attains it does. How often did Carrie shop in thrift stores or low end stores, because she realized that fashion could be found everywhere? Now the movies, especially this upcoming movie, seem to be all about the Brands, and now about just really great clothes (which can be found anywhere).
It’s really disappointing and disheartening, because in this weaker economic state, I think people would appreciate MORE Carrie going back to her fashion roots, scenes of her in crowded thrift stores with the ladies, realizing that not EVERYTHING they wear NEEDS to be designer.
Island Gal has some great points– and while Vogue Gone Rogue has a valid point that spending will help stimulate the economy, a lot of times movies go in to great debt, hoping that their box office sales will balance out that deficit. So while SatC may be spending, it doesn’t even mean that the costume budget was spent in a healthy & secure manner– it could have all be done through debt.
When I read this post, all I could think of was the social aftermath following Avatar… people and their unrealistic/idealistic emotional attachments to the film and its utopian setting. I feel like these two movies are similar in that sense… The majority of people are going to be able to watch the movie, be in awe of the glamour and wealth, understand that it’s a fictional world, and then move on. But you’re also likely to have those few hangers-on who are disillusioned by grandeur and long for this unattainable lifestyle/world.
I’m no fashion blogger, but that’s my take
@Anne – It’ll be interesting to see how the movie contributes to the psychosis of (many) New York women that feel the need to spend every penny on 4-inch heels, pink drinks and getting their hair done. That “I’m broke but fabulous” lifestyle is a slippery slope!
love the article tyler! this is a great topic and i think you handled it really well. thanks also for the quote and link love, very cool of you. =)
Well written! I for one think SATC is fine. I’m not a huge fan but I know I’ll eventually rent it and curl up on the couch with wine and popcorn and thoroughly enjoy it. But anyway, the show is fantasy and I don’t think movie-makers have any obligation to use or create a wardrobe that is more reachable by the audience. I mean, Iron Man was a great movie and we all KNOW we’ll never have super hero suits like that. And if they HAD created an Iron Man movie or comic book that was simplified to the point where it was in the realm of possibility for my life, that would be a pretty boring super hero machine/costume. That isn’t the point of movies. They aren’t supposed to be advertising a life that we can easily or realistically attain. If I *only* want to see women in clothes I can afford, I’d be limiting myself to a steady diet of Ann Taylor Loft ads.
Not only that, but I promise you that most of the women watching SATC will not be able to identify the designer or guess the price of most of the pieces. Most of the audience will be able to recognize that they’re looking at a gorgeous dress, or to-die-for heels, but most (myself included) certainly won’t know if the clothes I’m looking at cost $200 or $2,000 unless I’m somehow familiar with it beforehand.
@Kristy – Thank YOU for lending your opinion! I loved hearing everybody’s thoughts on this topic.
great piece of writing, but, until i’ve actually seen the movie, i’ll try to not say anything at all, because my opinion about the image this SATC2 portrays is something i can never relate to or identify with. i bet carrie doesn’t even smoke anymore
Great article (I agree with Gabrielle). I guess I could go either way on this one, but at the end of the day I have to agree with most other fashion bloggers… it is a MOVIE! its rooted in fantasy. That’s kind of the point. Furthermore its SATC, and we’d expect nothing less. Fashion (at all costs) was an important running theme of the show. We all watched Carrie almost lose her apartment because she had at least a million dollars in designer shoes in her closet but no savings. Is it the best message…no, but it is representative of the character. Financial responsibility was never her strength. She just happens to have more money to spend now as a result of her marriage to big. I will say that I miss Carrie’s thrift store finds (Why am I talking about her like a real person. LOL)…
Either way, I think we all know what our personal budgets are and being the fabulous fashionistas that we are, I’m willing to bet we can come up with equally fabulous looks for much less money. I use what I see in the movie as style inspiration, but by no means do I feel inclined to spend my rent money to buy clothes that I can’t afford. What I will do is scour the web to try and find similar pieces in my budget.
My god, you are a genius. Posting what all fairly new bloggers are thinking! I, being of them. Its always easier, when you have money and connections to make it as an up and coming blogger! As for that 10 million budget, I love sex and the city but never knew about this…and now I feel like its a dirty secret of the fashion world for the movie. Great article once again Tyler. Your posting what is on my mind as well as other fashion bloggers worldwide!
Thanks so much for your comments, Precilla! I’m so glad you liked the article & found it interesting! Yeah, the $10 million wardrobe budget is pretty interesting, huh? And that’s in addition to all the clothes they get for free, simply because designers hope they’ll end up using their work! Unlike Carrie, the rest of us fashion lovers have to go more than 10 years before we repeat an outfit!