Sex and the City famous Sarah Jessica Parker skirt auctioned: History and symbolism explored

An iconic tutu worn by Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City recently fetched an impressive $52,000 at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills held on January 18, 2024.

It was described as an "oyster white tulle three-tier tutu skirt with a matching satin waistband, lined with white spandex. The anticipated price was set at $20,000, but to everyone's astonishment, it sold for a staggering amount that was 10,000 times higher than its initial value.

It was announced earlier this month that Julien's Auctions would be hosting an auction of Sarah Jessica Parker's cherished white tutu from the opening credits of the show. It was the skirt she wore when she got splashed by the bus featuring her photo.

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What is the story behind the famous Sarah Jessica Parker skirt from Sex and the City?

Jessica Parker skirt from Sex and the City (Image via IMDb)

The tutu was originally purchased by Patricia Field, the show's costume designer, for $5 in the garment district of New York City, according to the auction house's website. She had purchased five tutus so that they could have extras on hand as Carrie gets splashed by a bus in the credits.

Sarah Jessica Parker was originally scheduled to appear in the credits wearing a Marc Jacobs runway outfit, but Field wanted to dress Sarah in an outfit that would be timeless (via auction house). And she decided that the tutu was a good choice for the show's opening credits.

In her interview with PEOPLE, Field said that choosing the tutu was a good decision. She said:

"We talked a lot about what this should be — thrilled that was the decision we made. I would never wear it myself personally. But it's spot on."

The famous three-tier tutu skirt from Sex and the City (Image via IMDb)

The skirt made a reappearance in the 2008 Sex and the City film when Bradshaw took it out of her closet and chose not to discard it, and in the 2021 TV series revival, And Just Like That, but in a longer, billowier version.

Parker's 2016 LBD (Little Black Dress) fashion collection featured a reimagining of the look in black. At a New York City Ballet performance last year, she wore a tutu outfit by Carolina Herrera that cost over $4,000.

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Sarah Jessica Parker's tutu became the most iconic outfit of Sex and the City

Samantha Holender in her article for Us about Sex and the City fashions, drew a comparison between all the iconic dresses worn by Parker. She stated:

"While Sarah Jessica Parker had her handful of iconic outfits while playing Carrie Bradshaw during Sex and the City, her number one, unforgettable, quintessential look was undoubtably her tiered white tulle skirt."

Carrie Bradshaw's iconic tutu (Image via sexandthecitytv@Instagram)

The author of Dressing the Part: Television's Most Stylish Shows, Hal Rubinstein, explained in an NPR interview that the reason the show's most iconic fashion item has lasted so long is because of its affordability and association with dance. He said:

"Dance has always had a close relationship with fashion, simply because it's the art that's closest to the celebration of the body. And for generations, young girls dreamed of being ballerinas. Both contributed to the tutu symbolizing both innocence and elegance."

He added:

"However, another reason for the tutu's surge is a simply pragmatic economics. Regardless of how many ready-to-wear runways it comes down, a tutu is cheap to acquire. It's not out of anyone's grasp."

He continued:

"So to see the actress who, during Sex and the City's run, was regarded as the most stylish woman on television, wearing something so accessible every week guaranteed its success."

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HBO aired Sex and the City for a total of six seasons. Max rebooted it in the series And Just Like That in 2021. According to the latest updates, the highly anticipated third season of the show is set to debut in 2025.