carrie makes me a shopaholic

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I love Sex and the City. But what do I love even more–the clothes.That may be an obvious answer to anyone who is a fan of the show, but it’s the truth. Though some outfits are questionable to say the least, Carrie(and the other girls) know how to rock a fit. However, I have seen how clothes can become a ruling factor in Carrie’s life. This poses a question for me: if clothes are a gateway to the personality, when does it become overbearing? And when does the overconsumption start affecting us, the viewers and what we take away from it? 

Carrie’s clothes are a big part of the show. Her NYC glamour is tied into her sense of style and is an important part of her character. But it is also a token of overconsumption. 

I think we can all relate to this as well. I can’t count on my hand how many times I have bought a new shirt because I thought it was cute, evne if I had ones that were similar. Even though I have too many anyway a my closet is literally bursting. But it didn’t stop me from buying things. When I am relaying this story, I think many people can relate and find no problem with it, but that is where we go wrong. If we take a deeper look at this behavior it’s almost toxic. Buying becomes a need to us. 

This is where SATC comes in. Shows like this, which glamorize buying things even when your bank account can’t handle it, even if it’s not the right thing to do, even if you have too much, are reinforcing our behavior. When I see Carrie, a grown adult, spend her earnings on another pair of shoes, I don’t see anything wrong with what I’m doing. I use her behavior to rationalize my own. This, I’m guessing, is not just a me problem.

I think we can see in our society today how much purchasing has become a part of life. All the ads around us are begging us to give in to their newest product which will save us. And the trend of maximalism, where everyone is exploding with clothing and jewlery, is only on the rise. 

Overconsumption is all around us. Everyone needs the new waterbottle, the new phone, blah blah. It’s in the advertisements we consume, the TikToks we watch, and the shows we binge. And we give in. How can we not? It’s right in front of us, and we have been conditioned into it without even knowing it. And it puts us in a lack mindset, where we always think we don’t have enough.  

I say, we need to adopt a new trend. I don’t think we can give up maximalism, because realistically, that is not likely to happen when the rest of the world is heading towards spending until their heads drop. What we need to do is spend with purpose. Before buying, stop and think. Do I really want this? Can I see myself wearing it or using it? I am not claiming this philosophy as my own,I have heard many other people approach their lifestyle in this manner. But, they do have a point.

Don’t get me wrong–Sex and the City is one of my favorite shows. It’s fun and always an easy watch-well, excluding some Carrie and Big moments.

I am not trying to use this as a diss toward the show, by all means, keep watching ( I am currently rewatching it with friends). But remember this: What we see on TV can influence our behaviors in real life in a negative way. Even the ones we least expect. Don’t forget to separate yourself from the screen, I know I need to.