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‘Sex and the City’: Carrie and Aidan’s 2 Break up Scenes Had a Wardrobe Choice in Common

Sex and the City fans might get to see Carrie Bradshaw and Aidan Shaw together again. Still, the original series made it pretty clear that the couple was never supposed to be endgame. Both of their breakups used wardrobe choices to subtly reveal that they were never supposed to get married.
by Andrea Francese
Published on
2 min read

Aidan Shaw will show up in And Just Like That. John Corbett, the actor who portrayed Carrie Bradshaw’s other big love in Sex and the City, recently confirmed his involvement. Still, whether or not he and Carrie will have yet another romance storyline remains to be seen. If they do, it seems unlikely that their love will last. The original series made it clear that Carrie and Aidan were good on paper but didn’t mesh in reality. Their wardrobe during both of their breakup scenes proves that.

Aidan and Carrie broke up at Charlotte York’s wedding

Carrie and Aidan first got together in season 3 of Sex and the City. Carrie was initially happy with the tall furniture designer. She was so into the relationship that she willingly quit smoking for him. Mr. Big showed back up and ruined everything. After a lengthy affair, Carrie decided to come clean with Aidan. He promptly ended their relationship.

John Corbett as Aidan Shaw and Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw sit on the steps of her New York City brownstone during the filming of 'Sex and the City'
Carrie Bradshaw and Aidan Shaw in ‘Sex and the City’ | Paramount Pictures/Newsmakers

The end of their romance occurred outside of the church where Charlotte York had just wed Trey MacDougal. The scene, with Carrie in a white gown and Aidan in a suit, seemed purposeful. It was obvious that the writers and stylist wanted fans to know that marriage wouldn’t be happening for Carrie and Aidan.

Aidan and Carrie’s second relationship ended when she refused to set a wedding date

Aidan wasn’t gone for good after season 3, though. Carrie eventually won her love back and seemed, once again, happy. They hit plenty of relationship milestones, and fans believed Carrie found her real big love. As their relationship got serious, Carrie got cold feet. While she initially accepted his proposal, she never got around to setting a wedding date. Aidan ended his relationship with Carrie for good when she refused to elope with him.

Sex and the City fans might notice that Aidan’s ultimatum and their first breakup looked strikingly similar. Just like in the season before, Patricia Field, the show’s stylist, dressed Carrie in a white gown and Aidan in a suit. The couple had just come from a charity event, but the wardrobe clarifies that marriage was on everyone’s mind.

Both Sex and the City breakup scenes had Carrie and Aidan wearing formalwear

Carrie was no stranger to formal attire, but Aidan was a casual guy. As a furniture designer, he spent most of his time in jeans and t-shirts. The fact that he was wearing a suit both times that his relationship with Carrie imploded has not escaped fans. Neither has Carrie’s wardrobe choices. Each time the couple decided to call it quits, Carrie was wearing a white gown.

Sarah Jessica Parker on location for Annie Leibowitz's Vogue "Sex and the city" photo shoot in Central Park on March 7, 2008 in New York City
Sarah Jessica Parker | James Devaney/WireImage
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According to Secret NYC, the wardrobe choice wasn’t an accident. Carrie’s white gowns and Aidan’s suits were meant to signify that Carrie and Aidan weren’t meant for marriage. The wardrobe choice wasn’t the only commonality between the two scenes, either. Both breakups occurred during formal events, further signify that marriage was not in the cards for the couple.

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