No doubt millions of women my age are already counting down to the next Sex and the City movie: the AARP edition (not the REAL title, obviously) which comes out in two weeks. The Vogue interview with Sarah Jessica Parker gives us a few clues to plot developments (Carrie and Mr. Big’s domesticity, Samantha’s menopause). The movie was shot in Morocco, meant to be a stand-in for a generic Middle Eastern country, and deals with women’s continuing struggle with traditional roles, says director Michael Patrick King.
What does that struggle look like in a Middle Eastern context? Well, that’s obvious. A country where women are forced to be veiled and cover every part of their body leads to some serious wardrobe limitations. But not to worry. Even Carrie can make her peace with what it means to, day after day, have to put on a gown.
She wanted all the characters to be interesting, sexy, all the stories that Pat likes to tell with clothing, but we had religious and environmental and cultural standards to respect,” says Parker. “You have to look at clothing and women and women’s bodies completely differently. And you start to see how you can still see so much with someone covered. And how exciting that is and how beautiful it is and how draping can be incredibly sexy.” They ended up wearing a lot of long dresses, she says (which we’ll all have to do soon because that’s what famously happens in downturns). “I don’t think Carrie’s worn a long dress in years; she doesn’t really do that. Unless it’s whimsy. Or over-the-top couture.”
