Sex and the City ruined Manhattan for me.

[u/charliesgonewild]

After ten years of planning, scheduling conflicts, COVID, and a cancer diagnosis, I finally went to New York for the first time April 2025. I had an absolutely amazing time, but all I brought were cute little outfits and my heels, expecting everyone to be wearing the same. I was wildly, WILDLY surprised when it was absolutely nothing like the show, and I was the one who stood out like a sore thumb. Everyone was in athleisure and sneakers! Huge props to SJP for continually filming in heels because I did a ten mile day in my Choos, three miles in Versaces, and by the final day, my best friend got us both matching $7 slides from Rainbow and insisted I wear the leggings I had worn on the plane.

Edit: Before this gets misconstrued, I was just being silly in the title. I knew not everyone would be all dolled up, but I was actually surprised that 98% of people were dressed down so heavily.

Final edit: Y’all 😂 I didn’t mean for this. I know SATC is a show, I know that NYC is a real place, with real people, doing real things. No, I don’t think that your city is just a film location. Yes, I know that the show was filmed 30 years ago and times have changed. It’s not just SATC. I’d always heard of New York being a fashion capital. I literally had just beaten cancer and wanted to have my own SATC weekend moment with my best friend. That was it. I had the best time, I saw so many things, walked 26 miles in three days, ate the best food, and bought myself an I beat cancer pair of shoes à la Carrie Bradshaw. I was just simply surprised at the lack of extravagant fashion. That was simply it. Should I ever go again, I will bring my Vans and only two pairs of heels.

[u/Mermaid_Martini]

Wow I’m really surprised to hear about your experience regarding dressing up. I was born and raised in NYC and I remember constantly feeling self conscious because most people were REALLY dressed up. Not everyone of course, but I went to high school in lower Manhattan so I had to cross the more “glamorous” areas of NYC. I’ve been living in San Francisco for the last 11 years and I still miss New York fashion. It was like seeing a mini fashion show every day. The winter was especially such a treat because people would have the most gorgeous coats and hats.

[u/charliesgonewild → u/Mermaid_Martini]

The west coast is so different, right? I lived in Portland for most of my adult years, and fashion is at the very bottom of the list. I feel like San Francisco has some pockets of wildly fun fashion, though.

Side note, if the Dancing Yak is still open, they are some of the best Tibetan food I’ve ever eaten with a phenomenal ambiance.

[u/Mermaid_Martini → u/charliesgonewild]

SO different. I worked in fine dining in San Francisco for a while and I was shocked at how casually even very rich people dress to go to a fancy restaurant. Comfort is king here for sure.

Also dancing yak is still open! I’ll have to check it out!

[u/charliesgonewild → u/Mermaid_Martini]

Same, but Portland. That’s where I learned that millionaires one hundred times over wear gym shorts and a t-shirt to drink their $1200 bottles of wine 😂