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Sarah Jessica Parker's Red Carpet Retrospective

A true fashion icon, the real-life Carrie Bradshaw has been creating style milestones for years. Here, our favorites.

By Maura Brannigan

Aug 5, 2011

Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

A true fashion icon, the real-life Carrie Bradshaw has been creating style milestones for years. Here, our favorites.

Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

September 1988

By 1988, the then-22-year-old had already had numerous roles in both TV and film, including Footloose four years prior. Here, at the Amnesty International Presents "Human Rights Now!" Concert, Parker seemed to swim in this baggy overall-blazer combination, complete with a flower-embellished sunhat. Thankfully, this budding starlet had nowhere to go from here but up!

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January 1991

Early in her career, Parker revealed one of her signature looks: her insane, washboard abs! Always one to show off her stomach, she followed suit at the For the Boys premiere. How she's been able to keep up her sleek physique since then, however, is beyond us.

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June 1993

If any woman can make a slim, white jumpsuit look good, it has to be Parker. She rocked the one-piece at the MTV Movie Awards, an awards show in which stars often favor more casual outfits over floor-grazing gowns. Did the market for jumpsuits surge after this event, thanks to this trendsetter? Well, most likely.

Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images

June 1995

At the 49th Annual Tony Awards, Parker appeared on the runway in this lavender, mesh-overlay number. Parker, who is no stranger to theater — she rose to fame playing Annie in the 1977 Broadway musical — looks young and fresh-faced, with her signature blonde ringlets as voluminous as ever.

Ke.Mazur/Getty Images

November 1997

Around this time, Parker had begun filming a little show called Sex and the City, which propelled her to megastardom. This glittering, formfitting cocktail dress is accented by gold accessories along with killer heels that would've made even Carrie Bradshaw proud.

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April 1998

This gown is one of the earliest examples that highlights the style icon's fashion-forward and oftentimes inventive style. The ensemble, worn for a VH1 Diva Live concert, was both elegant and creatively striking.

Ke.Mazur/Getty Images

January 1999

Parker is one of those red carpet regulars whose outfits everyone anxiously awaits. Here at the Golden Globe Awards, she received a best actress nomination for her role in Sex and the City. The only flaw with this Cinderella-inspired outfit, however, were her slipper-like flats.

Robin Platzer/Twin Images/Getty Images

November 1999

That's right, Sarah Jessica Parker loves Marie Claire! At a "What Women Want" event, we saw Parker donning a midnight blue silk gown. Complete with straightened hair and black pumps, Parker's look was simple, clean, and, as always, put together.

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June 2000

As host of the MTV Movie Awards, Parker appeared in 14 different outfits throughout the show. With this beyond-floor-length, camouflage gown, Parker put military influence back on the map — and it hasn't left since.

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September 2000

Here, we see Parker in one of her signature outfits at HBO's Emmy party. The look is timeless (who is able to resist delicate, ballerina pink?), but, of course, maintains an edge. It even reminds us of her famous tutu from the Sex and the City opening credits.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

March 2001

At the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Parker is shown baring much more than her enviable abs — her first of three Screen Actors Guild awards for Outstanding Performance in none other than Sex and the City. This wasn't the first time we got to see that six-pack, and certainly wasn't the last, either!

KMazur/Getty Images

October 2001

There's something so undeniably chic about menswear that Parker, obviously, has down to a science. Her oversized white blazer and red heels were only made better by the fact that she didn't seem to need pants to complete the look.

Jim Spellman/Getty Images

July 2002

At HBO's premiere of the fifth season of Sex and the City, Parker strutted down the carpet while pregnant with son James Wilkie Broderick. Pregnancy, like most things, suits her! With her new, shortened locks and flowing dress, Parker clearly looks, and feels, fabulous.

KMazur/Getty Images

January 2003

At the Golden Globe Awards, Parker, once again, favored the pantsuit. This time, however, she chose one less heavy on the pinstripes. Again with the body-hugging bodice, the outfit also includes lace detailing and … a scrunchie? Regardless, we applaud her creativity.

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

June 2003

Parker, alongside longtime husband Matthew Broderick at the Tony Awards, once again displayed a body-bearing ensemble with this sexy, see-through frock. Complete with crisscrossing straps and a zipper bodice, Parker made this look appear compellingly chic.

Jeffrey Mayer

September 2003

For the Emmy Awards, we see another of Parker's most loved looks to date. She chose this absolutely gorgeous white, ruched gown because, she said, it reminded her of cotton candy. Delicious!

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January 2004

Winning her second consecutive best actress trophy during the Golden Globe Awards, Parker looked ravishing in this tea-length gown, complemented by her playful hairstyle, teal heels and, of course, those arms!

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May 2004

Wearing another of her signature ensembles, Parker stepped onto the red carpet for the New York City Ballet Spring Gala in this standout dress. Once again, in kelly green, she completes the look with a dazzling brooch, simple black heels and a ballet-inspired updo.

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

June 2004

Parker chose this intriguing number for the CFDA Fashion Awards. The gown is one part ballerina, one part up-in-da-club. It's a look that, at first glance, is quite interesting, but upon further inspection is actually quite stunning.

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September 2004

At the Emmy Awards, Parker walked away with her second Emmy. During a ceremony in which most women favor elegant, floor-length gowns, Parker threw this quirky dress into the mix to liven things up.

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November 2004

Parker, a UNICEF celebrity ambassador, did her best snowman impression with this ankle-grazing coat for the 2004 UNICEF Crystal Snowflake event. It's seasonal, festive, and, most importantly, charitable, so we'll let this ensemble slide!

Gregory Pace/Getty Images

November 2004

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February 2005

At the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Parker was once again nominated for Outstanding Performance for her starring role in Sex and the City, having won the Ensemble award a year earlier. Here, she chose to hail the evergreen trend, polka dots. Although it made many a worst-dressed lists, we thought she looked adorable.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

November 2005

Celebrating Parker's film, The Family Stone, at the Cinema Society's prevention of the movie, Parker opted for this sophisticated navy Oscar de la Renta dress, which fit her like a designer glove.

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April 2006

Parker chose to wear this versatile, soft green dress for the FIFI Fragrance Awards. Having launched her first perfume, "Lovely," in 2005, Parker was a definite staple at the event. With this dress, she also demonstrated her adoration for wearing shades of green, an oft-neglected color on the red carpet.

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May 2006

Parker showed off her fondness for Alexander McQueen and Scottish tartan during the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The plaid look popped against Parker's equally striking champagne colored gown, only made better by the fact that McQueen himself wore a matching tartan alongside her.

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July 2007

At an event celebrating designer Valentino, Parker paid her respects, wearing this intricate, glowing dress and jacket — with some seriously commanding sleeves — by none other than Valentino.

Jim Spellman/Getty Images

August 2007

Debuting her second fragrance, "Covet," at a Macy's event, Parker — in a deep drown patterned dress — demonstrated her love for accessories with this belted ensemble.

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October 2007

This gown may have been technically worn by Carrie Bradshaw, Parker's Sex and the City character, but it still deserves recognition. In the full-length feature, this stunningly beautiful Vivienne Westwood wedding gown was gifted to Bradshaw by the designer herself, making women in movie theaters everywhere insanely jealous. Not to mention, who could forget that bird headpiece?

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May 2008

Giving a nod to her favorite British designer, Alexander McQueen, Parker dressed in a fabulous sea green, tea-length gown with an unforgettable Philip Treacy headpiece for the Sex and the City movie's London premiere. Only Parker can pull a look like this off, though being in the hat capital of the world certainly doesn't hurt, either.

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