Natasha Naginsky first made her appearance on Sex and the City season 2 when and is a driving force of season 3. She is a pivotal character despite her minimal screentime because she is designed to be the style section of Carrie’s column aka a contrasting mirror to Carrie, highlighting not only her appearance and taste in fashion but also her traits and personality.
We are viewers connect to and see ourselves in not only the bonds, but the Feminine Archetypes of the four main characters but Natasha always had a more conceptual presence. She is presented as the visual opposition of Carrie and she held such a presence even when off-screen because Costume designer Patricia Fields intended for Natasha’s style to narrate the story visually.
This allows us as viewers to see Natasha on a deeper level and not just through Carrie’s eyes to shows us how diminishing a woman to a box because of her image is a flawed way of thinking. Until the iconic lunch scene, she is viewed as more of a notion of a disgustingly perfect yet boring woman than an actual person.
Sex and the City is a show that celebrates womanhood and individuality, shaping poetry and images of women in media and culture alike to this day including Natasha and it’s not a mistake she was presented in this manner as she is the character foil to Carrie. Meaning she is a secondary character who serves to mirror or contrast the main character in a story. Interestingly enough, we see Carrie and Natasha’s style mirror one another through codes of dress, whether it be ruffles or pink dresses, the two women are both beautiful and stylish, yet human and multifaceted in their own ways. By letting us see Natasha through design, the storyline illustrates the fallacy of reducing a woman to a cliché based on her appearance and holding yourself to a standard of how a woman should quote-unquote be.
We as viewers can see that Natasha too is a unique individual with aspirations and a distinct personality, but since she is the character foil to Carrie. Meaning she is a a secondary character who serves to mirror or contrast the main character in a story. So this begs the question of, what does Natasha symbolize and what is her styling communicating to the Audience? When we first meet her white sheer tank top layered over a white cami projects a dual and deeper meaning to her straight away visually in contrast to Carrie’s elaborate party look. When most think of dressing up for a party in the Hamptons, they would imagine a look like Natasha’s, but for Carrie, she is dressed up in a cowboy hat, python print tube top, striped sarong, and of course her signature Carrie necklace. Their contrast is clear as day, Natasha is mature well beyond her years, while Carrie holds a native and holds onto the past. Carrie has an exaggerated eclectic style, a true fashionista who lives and breathes designer with a ENFP personality.
If you are interested in an analysis of Carrie’s style, I have previously done a video on the style of the four main characters of Sex & The City in relation to the feminine archetypes show the meaning of their styles, but in short
Natasha has an ISTJ personality type, which is characterized by introversion, pragmatism, and a calm quiet confidence. She is one to value structure and routine in all aspects of life whether it be private, professional, interpersonal, or creative. Loyalty is important to ISTJs, and so is upholding established traditions. In terms of stylistic image, as style is not just simply found in clothes, but also demeanor, mannerisms, and traits that form the visual the actress stated in an interview that Carolyn Bessette Kenedy served as her point of reference quote
“Because originally it was one line, I think at the time I really created a backstory for myself. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr.’s wife, was kind of my image of who Natasha was. I went in with that energy in my mind.” She actually worked at Calvin Klein and interestingly enough, Natasha works for Ralph Lauren which is a fashion house is know for the quintessential preppy aesthetic. It embraces tradition with open arms and holds the American Dream at heart, Natasha carries this with her. She has a very elegant, classic, and traditional style. For a deep dive into preppy fashion and feminine fashion, I have previously done fashion guides if you’re interested on YouTube. This is actually very similar to Charlotte who is seen in a positive light, but Natasha is reduced to being simple, plain, and boring due to her love for the classics.
It’s very interesting how Carrie uses clothing as this coping mechanism in accordance with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, fashion is a unique variable that spans all levels. At the base of the lowest, the most important is the physiological basis need of coverage, but the more expensive, branded, designer, prestigious clothing can be utilized for esteem. The same way one need’s a coat for warmth or another sports jewelry passed down by their mother is the way Carrie shops for shoes to soothe her esteem. To meet a need.
Speaking of, With his classic American good looks, Aiden served as a foil to Carrie as well. He’s country, she’s town with vivacious and daring style, and he was written off as well. There are numerous similarities between the two Natasha and Aiden. Both are genuine and gentle but hold a steadfast and deep love for their partner.
It is her way of making Natasha small physically and mentally, but she is constantly wearing heels to create a visual dominance and reflect her self-assurance, a conscious choice of designer Fields. I previously have touched on this topic in my video wear I explain how to always look and feel good in every outfit through the use of fashion psychology and styling techniques. Prior to contrary belief, dressing confidently doesn’t always mean being the boldest in the room like Carrie. A simple appearance may convey more than you think. Natasha is intended to be an intimidating, overarching character who towers above Carrie both on and off screen that Carrie visually tries to dominate.
Have you ever noticed how Natasha is always wearing white which in color psychology translates to innocence, simplicity, and blankness? Whether at a party, shopping, or looking at furniture she is a girl who just loves her light color palette. She knows what works for her and stays true to it. Natasha was also noted to love beige, which falls into an off-white category so it carries the same qualities as white but is also trustworthy, conservative, and adaptable because of its deepened shade. It is a neutral, calm, and relaxing color.
Much like her nature. She has an affinity for order and cleanliness which we can see through Natasha’s taste in home decor, clothes, and color schemes. We see a lot of stark, crisp, and modular lines. It all seems very straightforward, but if we look at the meanings of this art and application, it carries the connotation of how one should exist in their own reality and not only emulate other forms of expression, the way that Carrie feels she has to be this perfect version of a woman in order to be with Big.
Those who like this color, personality-wise tend to focus on the things that really matter while holding the fortitude to overcome adversity through internal strength. Natasha is dressed in beige and white when she comes home alone from the Hamptons early also when Carrie calls and hangs up on her when trying to speak to big. Despite how Natasha’s imagery makes her muted, she isn’t blending in. She’s warm with a kind disposition and very welcoming as we see her in an understated white dress getting ready to host an event. She isn’t seeking validation from external sources, she isn’t interested in dressing a certain way to make a visual appeal, like Carrie who shops for a new outfit to wear to a benefit she believes Natasha is hosting.
Those with this personality time love to dress more minimally, they’re demure when they dress up too. We can see through this, she is not consciously trying to be this stuck-up, brash, and domineering individual Carrie makes her out to be. Often those who feel inferior will bully, psycholically they use their words as a mirror to deflect and hide away how they feel about themselves. Natasha is the living breathing mirror to Carrie, and the more awareness Carrie gains of Natasha, the more dissatisfied with her reflection she becomes. Carrie constantly admires her and it’s evident that she feels less than Natasha, but also picks away at Natasha looking for flaws. Even when Natasha makes a simple typo, Carrie takes every opportunity to uplift herself.
Carrie keeps diminishing her to the mold of what a woman should be, comforting herself with how she is a real woman and not quote-unquote perfect. Image doesn’t directly correlate to intelligence. It’s a low blow and what most people don’t think about when it comes to a woman or girl who enjoys styles like these is that it takes intelligence and skill to create this look or curate a wardrobe on to of everything else in life. Every style needs attention and thought, this one is perceived as an easy option and boring, but it takes roughly the same amount of maintenance or even less as other styles that are perceived as laid back and effortless are.
After she finds Carrie in her apartment, we see a shift in the visual narration as Carrie is seeing the situation in a new light. The costume designer styles Natasha accordingly when she and her friend arrive at the restaurant. When she runs into Natasha again, she is sporting a gorgeous light pink dress with a modular structure and complex cutouts. It’s very Halston carrying that high-end tone of American minimalism. At lunch, the use of a richer color symbolizes a breakthrough in Carrie’s narration as Natasha is wearing a pink dress for the first time and it is anything but simple. Of course, she has her signature white present in the form of a purse, but it doesn’t give a simple and boring impression anymore. Rather classic and everlasting. Intricate cuts and dynamic lines give her more dimension as Carrie begins to think of her less as a concept and more as a person.
It is a mirror as well to the dress Carrie sports to meet with Big, but when Carrie goes to Natasha’s lunch she wears the John Galliano autumn/winter 2000 Christian Dior daily newspaper dress and Natasha is also in a backless dress when she finally speaks up, but it is pink paired with pearls in direct juxtaposition. This shade symbolizes femininity, burning passion, love, and kindness. Natasha’s poise is her strength, the way by which she sees the world is what sets her apart. Hence her choice in fashion reflects this view. ISTJs are Level-headed yet straightforward, even though she is a woman of few words her looks speak volumes and she always carries herself with grace.
The change in color diminishes the white veil and the rare use of color was symbolic to not only contrast Natasha’s traditional style to Carrie’s eclectic style but to convey how perfection is an illusion and we can have flaws in our own imaginings. The color psychology and designs of Natasha’s looks convey Carrie’s unreliable narration and how whether it be white, beige, or pink there is much more to a person than meets the eye. It was crucial to establish that Natasha was a unique individual with aspirations and a distinct personality. Natasha’s image symbolizes how women are not to be belittled or reduced to a concept, but that no matter how one may appear there is so much more than what meets the eye and the superficial level that their style is viewed in.
SOURCES: ‘Sex and the City’: Bridget Moynahan Based Natasha on This Real Person: https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainm… Carrie, the Perfectly Imperfect Woman of Her Times: • Sex and the City:… Mr. Big’s Ex Natasha Is Back on ‘And Just Like That’ — And She’s Wearing Flats: https://footwearnews.com/2021/fashion…
