During her time as Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker managed to serve some of television’s most iconic looks, becoming a symbol of glam and glitz for women worldwide.

Women considered her a trendsetter, using style as an extension of herself to depict her moods and her obsession with high fashion.

Not So Fashionable in Real Life

Although her character’s trendsetting style on the show coerced many women to consider fashion an everyday lifestyle, Parker has never been so keen on fashion in real life. Speaking to People in 2012, the actress shared that Carrie Bradshaw’s fashion identity was not something she connected to in real life. She shared:

Her fashion choices have not gone unnoticed over time, and as she would tell Vogue during the “Life In Looks” segment, people have often criticized her looks, which she considers funny.

And while it is their right, she does not understand the criticism. She reasons that one wears a particular outfit because they like it. “So, what’s the point of the criticism?” She clapped back at her haters.

Over the years, she has learned to dismiss the critics, and for her everyday outfits, she prefers something that she likes and chooses to shy away from worrying too much about whether it matches.

“Unsexiest Woman Alive”

Besides her highly criticized looks, Parker had a challenging time dealing with the news that the Maxim poll had voted her “Unsexiest Woman Alive” for not conforming to current beauty ideals and standards, including Botox injections and big lips.

As if that was not enough, things turned nasty when the paparazzi released photos of Parker having lunch with “Bravo” bigwig Andy Cohen. Parker had a make-up-free face with her graying hair in full display, which attracted mean comments.

Parker did not take the criticism lying down. Following the mean remarks, she jumped to defend herself from the haters during her sitdown with Vogue Magazine.

In late June 2023, Parker engaged in a one-on-one conversation with Howard Stern, during which the discussion revolved around the prevalent trend of cosmetic surgery and the public’s fixation on aging in Hollywood. Recounting the experience of securing the role alongside Steve Martin in the satirical romantic comedy film “L.A. Story,” Stern inquired if she saw a “good-looking human being” when she gazed into the mirror.

Following up on whether she had ever contemplated undergoing plastic surgery, the 58-year-old star disclosed, “No,” while conceding to engaging in dermatological treatments, including a skin peel. “I’ll do any of that stuff,” she confessed openly.

Parker reflected on possibly missing out on “the old-fashioned good [facelift]” at 44, a notion Stern disputed. When asked if she believed she should have undergone the procedure, Parker sounded uncertain about her decision. Stern expressed relief, saying, “I’m glad you didn’t do it.”

As a woman in her late 50s, Parker seems unbothered by her critics and holds clear views on aging, which she expressed in another exclusive interview in August 2023. She expressed:

Although she has faced backlash over her fashion choices in the past years, the “Honeymoon in Vegas” actress has stood her ground, focusing on what matters most—her family.

During the 2006 New York annual fashion week, while everyone else was rushing to secure their best gowns and statements for the event, Parker chose to stay home and be with her family. Her son James, then three, had just started school, and she had to drop him there every day.

Today, attending events has become quite the task as Parker is a mother of three. She and her husband welcomed their first son, James Wilkie Broderick, on October 28, 2002, and he is currently a student at Brown University in Rhode Island.

They tied the knot in a surprise wedding ceremony on May 19, 1997, and have been going strong since. Surprisingly, Parker disclosed that the secret to such a long and happy union is their ability to spend time apart. She said on Sophia Amoruso’s Girlboss Radio podcast, as Oprah Daily reports:

Their relationship has been everything they dreamed it would be, and Broderick could not stop gushing over how much of an impression Parker made the first time he saw her.

He recalled their first date, saying he clearly remembers her walking down the street towards the movie theatre. “It’s very unique because I wouldn’t remember most people the first time I saw them come down the street. [But] I remember it as clear as day.”