Fashion on screen: When style nostalgia works (and when It doesn't)
Its sequel, And Just Like That, however, has stirred debate over whether the franchise still delivers the same impact.
In the first episode of the third season, which aired in May this year, the main character wore an oversized floppy hat paired with sandals.
Fans did not go easy on the look, with many taking to social media to question whether the show's once-iconic sense of style has become more caricature than chic.
Notably, Patricia Field – the iconic costume designer behind Sex & The City – is not involved in And Just Like That. However, she did style one returning character for a brief cameo appearance.
'The Devil Wears' Prada is an iconic film remembered for its designer costumes. Photo: Collection ChristopheL via AFPField has cited scheduling clashes for her absence, as she was working on another fashion-focused series, Emily In Paris.
This other show started out strong, but has since fallen somewhat out of favour with the fashion crowd. Field stepped down from her role as consultant after two seasons.
It also faced criticism for having an unrealistic portrayal of Parisian fashion – seen as overly trend-driven and flashy.
Read more: 'It's about celebrity clickbait': Beyonce steals the show at Paris Fashion Week
Field's other big project was 2006's The Devil Wears Prada.
It is now getting a second film, and fans are eager to see how the fashion will evolve nearly two decades later. Social media users have already started posting behind-the-scenes photos of the returning cast on set.
It has sparked renewed excitement over the film's style legacy, though, whether it will fully meet expectations remains to be seen.
Perhaps, nostalgia is just too big of a fashion force to ignore.
Last year's Mean Girls remake received lukewarm response over the costumes.
The original from 2004 was taken to be a defining moment for Y2K aesthetic.
The former's outfits were instantly recognisable – think fetch mini-skirts, pink everything, none of which translated strongly in the new, more Gen Z-friendly version.
Gossip Girl, which defined preppy dressing back in the late 2000s, also got a reboot.
The 2021 release, which introduced a new generation of characters, embraced a more street style-inspired aesthetic.
Original costume designer Eric Daman returned to reimagine the wardrobe, this time leaning into edgier, more youthful looks that reflected contemporary trends.
The updated fashion direction was largely well received, praised for its fresh take while still nodding to the original show's style legacy.
The Gossip Girl reboot shows off a younger style, with street-style aesthetic being the focus. Photo: Handout
Read more: 30 years on, 'Clueless' is still defining fashion trends – here's how
Clueless from 1995 is rumoured to be getting a follow-up series as well.
The cult classic film is so adored for its fashion that the plaid yellow suit, mini backpacks and knee-high socks have become enduring style references – regularly revived on runways, in editorials and across TikTok.
And finally, you have 2006's Legally Blonde, remembered for its unapologetically pink wardrobe.
The film that made hyper- feminine fashion a symbol of confidence and empowerment is set to return in the form of a prequel series.
All eyes are on whether the show's wardrobe can live up to the original's iconic legacy of pink-powered style.
Not every revival has nailed the fashion brief, but their very existence proves one thing – when it comes to pop culture, style nostalgia still holds serious sway.
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The Star
20 hours ago
- The Star
Carrie Bradshaw's closet: A style archive spanning decades of television
Love her or hate her, there is at least one admirable thing about Carrie Bradshaw, the journalist-protagonist of the famed series Sex And The City and its revival, for HBO Max, And Just Like That . No matter the situation, her fashion was undeniable. Kooky, whimsical and often experimental, her wardrobe declared itself in every episode since the pilot of the original series aired on HBO in June 1998, all the way through to the finale of the streaming reboot, which was released on Thursday (Aug 14). Carrie (all of the show's characters are referred to on a first-name basis by fans), played by Sarah Jessica Parker, is known for her off-kilter, singular look that became an integral part of the cultural vernacular. And as a result, her closet of curiosities, both figuratively and literally – whether it was the walk-through hallway of her Upper East Side studio apartment or the museum of a wardrobe in her current Gramercy Park town house – became its own character. The styling of the other core characters – Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) – changed over time, but Carrie's exaggerated skirts and hats and heels and dresses remained one of the show's few constants. In a nod to that, sprinkled throughout the entire three-season run of And Just Like That were Easter egg references to outfits and accessories from Carrie's past life, whether you noticed them or not. Read more: Fashion on screen: When style nostalgia works (and when it doesn't) The clearest example arrived in the first episode of the second season of the reboot, in which the characters headed to the Met Gala and Carrie whipped out her history-laden Vivienne Westwood wedding gown, with the addition of a teal cape. 'Her closet has so much lore,' said Chelsea Fairless, a founder of the Every Outfit On SATC Instagram page and a host of the Every Outfit podcast. 'The wardrobe is certainly supposed to be a sort of outward expression of Carrie's inner world' and does more 'storytelling' than the outfits of other characters, she said. At the start of Sex And The City , the show had a small budget for costumes – about US$10,000 (approximately RM42,230) for each episode, Parker said on an episode of Alex Cooper's podcast, Call Her Daddy . And, she added, 'Nobody loaned us anything – we couldn't get our hands on anything.' Carrie's character was also fairly undefined. While Darren Star, the show's executive producer, had envisioned clear-cut personalities for Charlotte (girl next door), Miranda (serious lawyer lady) and Samantha (sex-crazed), Carrie had no 'precise identity', the show's original stylist and costume designer, Patricia Field, wrote in her autobiography, Pat In The City: My Life Of Fashion, Style, And Breaking All the Rules . The constrained budget, and a character waiting to be developed, gave Field ample room to experiment. In the book, she recalls going on long shopping trips to the discount department store Century 21 and vintage stores around the city, hoping to find a 'Versace gown or Pucci skirt' hidden among the racks. She would hunt for ways to bring an edge to the show and to Parker's character, by mixing high and low fashion in a way that hadn't been done on television before. Take, for example, the instantly recognisable look from the opening credits of the original series that features a white tulle skirt that Field spotted in 'the five-dollar bin at a midtown fashion showroom,' peeking out 'like the frothy crest of a wave in a sea of throwaways', she wrote. Field found a full-length raccoon coat at a consignment store for US$200 (RM845), she wrote in her book. It smelled terrible when they found it, but it went on to become a constant staple for Carrie, reappearing many times throughout Sex And The City over 'everything from a silk shirt and crinoline to pajamas'. Before signing on to work on the show, Parker negotiated into her contract that she would own almost all of Carrie's outfits, allowing her to curate an archive that now lives in her storage closet. So when it came time to reboot the show, the producers had a treasure trove to work with that helped bring Carrie and her fashion idiosyncrasies back to life in a way that felt believable, said Molly Rogers, the show's current costume designer and Field's apprentice from the Sex And The City days. 'We had so much to pull from in the past because she saved everything,' Rogers said in an interview. 'People don't really, all of a sudden, go, 'I'm going to rid my closet of crinolines, and I'm going to be in something age appropriate.' You kind of know what you like, and you stick with it because it makes you feel good." Read more: 'I have my taste': 'Sex And The City' designer Patricia Field talks fashion There is a black, studded belt that first appeared in the first of two Sex And The City films that Parker affectionately named Roger. It then reappeared in the first season of And Just Like That. Rogers said that on occasion they would pull looks out of the archive, not for Carrie to wear, but to be hung as props in her closet. In the background of one scene, peeking through her rack of clothes, is the mint tulle skirt Carrie wore to see Mr Big in Paris in the final season of Sex And The City , along with the pink feathered heels she wore in the first season of that series. Recycling looks is also integral to Carrie as a character, who is 'deeply sentimental', Fairless said. 'I mean, they're not giving Charlotte and Miranda these sort of fashion throwbacks.' Another example Fairless pointed to was the pair of shoes that Carrie wore in the pilot of And Just Like That. 'That's like, the ultimate sentimental costuming choice with her, because those are, of course, from her wedding to Mr Big,' she said. In the finale of And Just Like That , Rogers found a way to give Carrie yet another opportunity to nod back at her single, mid-30s personality from Sex And The City . 'I knew what I would want to see Carrie in for the last time, the last gasp,' she said – a tulle skirt that she dances in as she walks off screen. – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
The Star
3 days ago
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Sorry, not sorry! Fashion's new it-girl is messy, edgy and boldly herself
Prada models strut on the runway with tousled bedhead that looked anything but style. Photo: Prada Out with the clean and curated, in with the chaotic and carefree. As summer at last begins turning to fall, fashion's latest it-girl isn't polished or pristine – she's unapologetically dishevelled. The emerging trend, dubbed 'messy girl', has taken over social media and runways alike, signaling a cultural pivot away from perfectionism toward raw self-expression. Earlier this year, fashion was still immersed in the world of quiet luxury and demure silhouettes – a natural evolution of the 'clean girl' aesthetic. With her crisp pleated skirts, white button-downs, loafers and slicked-back buns, the clean girl represented control and order. But by mid-2025, fashion's pendulum swung sharply in the opposite direction. Read more: The claw grip is trending, and it says a lot about women's fashion woes Now leading the charge is the messy girl: a rebellious, punk-inspired persona that embraces lace, latex, one-shoulder tops and the barely brushed hair of a woman who might have just left last night's party. The look, which draws heavily from early 2000s indie sleaze, pays homage to cultural icons like Kate Moss, Agyness Deyn, Amy Winehouse and Mary-Kate Olsen – women known for their gritty, cool and seemingly careless style. 'Lace is one of those fabrics that makes a statement no matter how small the detail,' according to fashion editor Jang Seong-sil. 'A lace top is one of the easiest ways to tap into the trend without diving in too deep.' The messy girl doesn't strive for social media perfection. Instead, she wears scuffed ballet flats, carries a handbag full of tangled keyrings and wears smudged black eyeliner like armour. Her look may appear spontaneous, but often it's the result of curated chaos – a 'carefully calibrated burnout', as some stylists call it. On TikTok, the trend has been accelerated by British singer Lola Young's viral I'm Too Messy , as the 'Clean Girl or Messy Girl' quiz continues to gain traction, drawing millions of views. The hashtag #messygirl has accumulated thousands of posts, further fuelling the trend's popularity. Beyond style, the movement holds deeper meaning. The messy girl is not just a fashion trend – it's a rebellion. It's a rejection of social media perfectionism, beauty filters and the pressure to always look put-together. It's also gaining attention for sustainable overtones, as many in the trend shop vintage, reject consumerism and embrace self-acceptance. Read more: Fashion on screen: When style nostalgia works (and when it doesn't) Runway designers are taking note. At Kenzo's Autumn/Winter 2025 show, spaghetti strap tops dangled effortlessly over slouchy pants, while at Prada, models strutted with tousled bedhead that looked anything but styled. Celebrities like Gabbriette, Amelia Gray and Charli XCX are now fashion's unofficial representatives for the aesthetic, often seen wearing smudged makeup, clingy minidresses and combat boots like they're still shaking off last night's glitter. In an age where digital filters and endless curation dominate personal style, the messy girl look serves as a raw, punk-fueled antidote. – The Korea Herald/ANN
The Star
12-08-2025
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What are acupuncture facials and do they really work for glowing skin?
Amy Abrams, who owns and operates New York City's Manhattan Vintage Show, has been getting regular cosmetic acupuncture facials for five years. 'I've been going every four to six weeks,' she said, a routine she sees as part of a 'self-care commitment' to looking and feeling her best. Lanshin, a beauty spa in the Brooklyn borough of New York City that draws from traditional Chinese medicine practices, is her go-to, but recently, Abrams, 52, found appointments with her acupuncturist difficult to come by. 'She didn't have anything for six weeks,' Abrams said. 'I mean, that's great for her, but wow.' When it comes to achieving youthful-looking, rejuvenated skin, do all roads eventually lead to needles? It seems so, given the multitude of ways to poke one's face, from Botox injections and plumping fillers to microneedling facials and even PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and salmon sperm DNA injections, all sought out for the promise of a glowier, more supple visage. Pity the needle-phobic! Cosmetic acupuncture (aka facial acupuncture), the injection-free outlier of the bunch, uses needles approximately one-fifth the diameter of typical hypodermic needles and is said to increase circulation and collagen production, and improve skin tone. Long favoured by wellness moguls such as Jessica Alba, Kim Kardashian and Gwyneth Paltrow, it has grown in popularity as more people turn to holistic skin care methods. In an interview in May, Sarita Choudhury, who stars in And Just Like That , said she indulged in weekly sessions with her acupuncturist. As one of the Western Hemisphere's more widely known forms of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture's stateside popularity reaches back to the 1970s when a US journalist trailing president Richard Nixon's 1971 delegation to Beijing reported on having received the treatment there. In the ensuing decades, acupuncture coursed through the channels of medicine from alternative to the mainstream, seemingly effective for all manner of ills and conditions including migraines, digestive issues, infertility and insomnia, as well as general pain management. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and NBA star LeBron James incorporated acupuncture into their injury recovery protocols. Wellness and lifestyle website Goop has referred to the treatment in more than 60 articles. Read more: Are eyelash extensions a beauty must or a risky trend? Experts weigh in Little wonder that as popular interest and curiosity has spread, some people would look to acupuncture for facial rejuvenation. Interest in cosmetic acupuncture also aligns with the nascent #notox movement, which rejects Botox in favour of natural alternatives promising similar results – especially among Gen Z consumers. Online, Google searches for 'cosmetic acupuncture' have increased by 248% in the past two years. As of January, the average number of views for notox-related content on TikTok had increased 223% in the past year, according to the trend forecasting agency Trendalytics. Part of cosmetic acupuncture's outlier status lies in its holistic nature. Typically, treatments target points on the body, as well as on the face, to address issues such as poor sleep and digestion, stress, PMS – culprits that can factor into the skin's appearance. 'Its greatest benefit is that it's not just skin deep,' said Stefanie DiLibero of Gotham Wellness in the Manhattan borough of New York City. There, clients undergo a full health intake before their multistep treatments, which include full-body acupuncture, microcurrent stimulation and manual lymphatic drainage. DeLibero said 90% of her patients came for cosmetic acupuncture but welcomed the all-in-one perks. Still, there's a strong emphasis on 'cosmetic', as many salons build in treatments one would see on an aesthetician's menu: lymphatic drainage massages, hydrating face masks and red light therapy to stimulate collagen production. At Ora, a wellness spa with two locations in Manhattan, founder Kim Ross said that even teenagers with complexion concerns such as acne came in for its acupuncture facial, which also includes body acupuncture, gua sha and LED therapy. Since Ora's opening in 2021, the facial has become one of the its most popular offerings. Regardless of age or generation, nearly everyone is chasing that elusive 'glow', Ross said. Claudia Baettig, an acupuncturist who works at Prosper LA in Los Angeles, is seeing women come in as early as their 20s for facial treatments. 'A lot of their peers are already doing Botox and injectables, and they want something preventative,' she said. Or they want to avoid Botox altogether. 'I'm just so scared of getting filler and then regretting it,' said Michelle Desouza, who lives in Brooklyn and is the founder of Same Skin, a culture and wellness community for women. She scheduled her first cosmetic acupuncture session with DiLibero at Gotham Wellness when she was just entering her 30s. She wanted to look rejuvenated but 'not look like everyone else', she said, referring to the ubiquitous 'Instagram face', the neutered look (sometimes facilitated by face-tuning filters and actual aesthetic treatments) that, often as not, looks artificial-intelligence generated. Read more: Layering fragrances is now a popular way to personalise your scent, here's how Desouza, now 36, said she was an exception among her friends, many of whom had gone the way of Botox. While someone who has gotten Botox can still receive cosmetic acupuncture, Baettig noted that it was like buying into 'two opposing schools of thought'. Botox prevents muscle contraction, while acupuncture performs the opposite. 'We're stimulating,' she said. 'We want to increase circulation to the muscles.' Does cosmetic acupuncture actually work? Success can be hard to measure because the objective is often subjective and varying. Baettig said clients tended to have an instant glow after one session, but she warned them not to expect the same results as one would with injectables. 'But you do see a subtle reduction of fine lines and wrinkles,' she said. 'You do see a brighter complexion, typically after anywhere from six to 10 treatments.' At Prosper LA, where a single cosmetic acupuncture session costs US$195 to US$225 (approximately RM825 to RM952), and at other skin care salons, including Ora, where the signature facial is US$475 (RM2,010), a series of treatments could easily put one in the same beauty budget range as injectables. But potential holistic benefits like serenity and a relaxed mood are foreign to most serums, peels and Botox sessions. 'It's a way for me to centre and calm myself,' said Abrams, whose acupuncturist did manage to see her for a treatment without the six-week wait. – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
