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There were plenty of major fashion moments to digest in the premiere episodes of “And Just Like That” season 2, including a Met Ball and the return of Carrie’s wedding dress.
But for true-blue shoe fans, episode 3 is the one to watch. That’s because it includes the major shoe shopping spree that was teased in the trailer — at Bergdorf Goodman no less, the kind of heel haul that only Carrie Bradshaw could pull off, running the gamut from classic to quirky and even a very specific viral heel.
Carrie gets to the spree after an emotional voice session narrating her latest book (specifically, reading the chapter where Big dies in her arms) and a chance encounter with Bitsy von Muffling. Bitsy (also a widow) tells Carrie she needs to do whatever she needs to feel good while she is still mourning the loss of Big. The obvious answer is to shop for shoes, and the scene cuts to Carrie kicking open her apartment door with an armful of lavender Bergdorf bags that can barely make it through the threshold.
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Among the haul: A pair of René Caovilla’s classic crystal-encrusted Cleo heel, Loewe’s famed rose-heeled strappy sandal, two pairs of Jimmy Choos (the Anise high-heeled mule in metallic turquoise and the Flaca pink velvet mule), two pairs of two pairs of Gucci heels (ankle-strap pumps in two-tone pink and then a pair of bright yellow satin mules with bar hardware on the heel), Giuseppe Zanotti crystal mules. And at least four or five other sparkly options.
Later on, Carrie can be seen wearing Loewe’s infamous Balloon heels — a choice that the show’s costume designer Molly Rogers revealed to be a controversial one. “We were all fighting about that shoe because it’s not a Carrie classic, it’s a little Art Basel-y for her,” she told FN ahead of the series premiere. “But we thought fans would like it and say ‘What is that!?’ So we took a chance on that.”
Rogers also revealed how the Bergdorf spree came together.
“We called everyone and asked if they were working on a new shoe. [We asked] is it going to be in the store when we air? Then we do this kind of show and tell for Sarah Jessica and Michael Patrick King.”
Below, a rundown of the rest of the episode’s big fashion moments.
A swiped Birkin
If Seema is the stand in for Samantha, it makes sense that she would pick up the Birkin narrative (the latter had a memorable moment in a “Sex and the City” when Lucy Liu fires her as her publicist after she discovers Samantha bought an Hermès Birkin bag using her name to jump the brand’s infamous waiting lists).
While returning home, Seema is mugged by a man who swipes her Birkin bag and everything in it. She laments that if it was the old New York, the thief would have just taken the wallet and ditched the bag. She reveals that the light brown Birkin was a gift to herself after her first big real estate sale. Later, she scrolls through 1stdibs and finds what she thinks is her bag, listed for nearly $29,000.
The story has a happy ending, though, as she eventually finds that the thief had ditched the bag after all, dumping it in bushes near her apartment building.
More wacky handbags
Carrie may be the only one carrying a pigeon, but the rest of the gang is keeping up on the quirky handbag thread that seems to now be running through season 2. Every lunchtime scene with the gals reveals new morsels, including Lisa’s money face bag this time around.
The Fendi baguette makes its cameo
Speaking of handbags, the Fendi baguette makes a conspicuous return on Carrie, the raspberry paillette version, which is color blocked with a pair of matching silk trousers and contrasted with a vintage teal blazer jacket situation that only Carrie could pull off (and a pair of matching teal pumps).
Charlotte’s unyielding Burberry obsession
There aren’t photo stills to support it, but episode 3 reminds us of Charlotte’s undying and unabashed love of the Burberry check. During a phone call to check on Carrie and her (fake) Covid case, Charlotte is seen in her pantry, wearing not only a checked Burberry shirt but a Burberry check apron to match.
Later, Charlotte is seen walking her dog, her trusty Burberry poop bag caddy attached to her waist (an accessory she has sported in season 1).
We can only hope she’ll sport a “ludicrously capacious” Burberry bag in a later episode for what would be the ultimate Max inter-series fashion reference.
Carrie’s “Oy Vey” mask, sweatshirt and Barbie heels
The new Carrie clearly loves sweatshirts, and an at-home scene in episode 3 (when she’s hiding from her friends and work with a fake Covid case) reveals she will pair them with hot pink heels even if just to eat greasy takeout by herself. This new sweatshirt is also white and depicts a Monopoly board but done with New York references. Add an “oy vey” mask and it’s one very-Carrie look for 2023.
Lisa’s jewelry game
With all the big shoe and bag references, episode 3 could be seen as a major accessories episode. But that’s not even counting all of the jewelry moments that are simultaneously happening. If Carrie loves shoes, and Seema loves her Birkin, then Lisa Todd-Wexley is the jewelry gal of the bunch. Sculptural bangles and bracelets are her specialty, and we can only hope costume designers Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago reveal more of where they’re sourcing the character’s major baubles.
Seema’s save-the-day accessory
Jewelry also plays a key role in the episode’s plot. Carrie’s downstairs neighbor Lisette invites her to a big jewelry presentation in Bryant Park, where she reveals buyers from Neiman Marcus and Saks will be looking at her line to possibly sign her to their retail rosters. During the presentation, a thief subtly swipes pocketfuls of Lisette’s designs, running away with nearly half of her collection — and almost getting a grab at Carrie’s nameplate necklace until Seema pulls out what appears to be a gun, but is actually a lighter.
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