How can I look like (OG) Miranda Hobbes?
Get the Look: As we admittedly warm to And Just Like That, The Kimbino’s first column for THE FACE traces Sex and the City-era Miranda’s biggest style hits and finds vintage Prada, ’90s Jean Paul Gaultier, Givenchy and roll-necks – lots of ’em.
Style
Words: The Kimbino
In this brand spanking new column, Instagram’s favourite fashion historian Kim Russell, AKA The Kimbino, will be taking characters as seen on screens and turning them into super cool looks for you. She’ll be scouring the deep depths of Depop, plucking out the hottest of new finds and saluting the Big Names week after week, while dissecting the sartorial styles of TV and film’s most-loved characters like a lab frog. Better start saving those pennies…
After last month’s debut of the Sex and the City TV sequel And Just Like That, many die-hard SATC fans have also opted to rewatch the original series from start to finish – myself included. But as I watched and compared it the modern-day takes on sex, relationships, PC blunders, fallouts, makeups and Carrie’s tumultuous past roll by, I couldn’t help but wonder… or think back to the OG iteration when the looks were looks.
Carrie may have had the style creds, but look closely and pay attention to steely, sexy lawyer and mother-of-one Miranda Hobbes. Throughout the show’s six original seasons, she performs an impressive balancing act with arguably the most NYC of styles compared to her three co-stars: tough, practical and chic. Just before falling pregnant in the fourth season, Old Miranda was in her Jean Paul Gaultier era, wearing archive pieces to lunch with the ladies, as well as when going to a gay club to reclaim her youth.
But those weren’t the only noteworthy Miranda moments. How could we forget the black Fendi jacket with a red turtleneck at the New York Knicks baseball game? And, during a wave of newly-single depression, the swampy denim dungarees layered with a navy blue puffer, a cap and adidas Superstars – hands firmly kept in pockets for the ultimate in OG sad girl.
When she wasn’t doing hypebeast, though, she was deftly paving the way for the working woman in her power suits. A favourite of mine would be her slicked-back flaming red hair worn with a sharp suit and tie that felt one part Miuccia Prada, one part YSL. Shaken, stirred, *insert blunt Miranda line*.
AJLT Miranda seems to follow on from SATC’s last season, where the Brooklynite (soft subject) chose serious comfort over the earlier season’s more daring get-ups: loose blouses with the occasional heavy, colourful print, boho accessories and casual blazers.
We commend the consistency, but Old Miranda was cool. A cocktail of (just enough) edginess, power and sex appeal – not to mention serious power lesbian energy, and she was never afraid of people making that assumption. It’s fair to say she had her moments and it’s time we tap into that.
With these looks built by me, The Kimbino, you’ll find a place in the world to be a Miranda.
Miranda at a poncy art gallery
When I think of Miranda at an art gallery, I imagine her in a fitted black turtleneck, a vintage leather bag and a simple but effective pump.
To find the perfect turtleneck dress that can also last a lifetime, I suggest brands like Wolford, Max Mara and Remain Birger Christensen. These brands also have fairly decent price points, especially if you’re looking on SSENSE. Now let’s move onto the shoe, for which I only really have one suggestion: Datt Official’s “witches sandal”. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. It’s the perfect touch to take a plain old dress to the next level – the shoe becomes the star of the show. To finish off your look, you’re going to find this late-90s to early-00s Prada bag on Depop and fight for it ’til the death. All is fair in being a Miranda.
Miranda as a Gaultier Gal
If you’re willing to splash out and become that Gaultier girl, you’re in the right place. On our JPG journey, my first mission is to find you a gorgeous top to really serve in. And I’ve got just the ticket: this sheer, long-sleeve top from the acclaimed SS94 Les Tatouages collection. Let’s pair it with some three-quarter cargo pants from R13. They won’t break the bank and they’ll probably be in your closet for a while to come. Old Miranda would’ve picked comfort over cuteness when it comes to footwear. I can respect that, but the perfect shoe matters. I’ve found a Givenchy wedge that is the ultimate in cool-girl armour and super comfortable (I’d know – I own a pair).
Miranda at the club
To end the day as Old Miranda, let’s recreate the lawyer’s gay club expedition where, pregnant, she wore a sexy, floaty halter number before bumping into her closeted colleague in the toilet. I love the brand Miaou and if you didn’t know all the IT girls are wearing it, well, you do now. I’ve picked out a super-loud printed two-piece that fits in all the right places. Find the top and bottom here. Now onto my favourite part: the shoes – D’accori’s criss-cross emerald green mules. Hot.
Now you’re armoured as Old Miranda, go out and burst someone’s bubble. Say something hyper-intelligent and mean it. Wear a power suit with pride. Be a Miranda. It’s what she would have wanted.
Until next time!
