‘Sex and the City’: Did Carrie Bradshaw Ever Wear Sneakers?

Carrie Bradshaw’s shoe game was epic. The narrator for Sex and the City was known for her signature, wild style, and addiction to high-end heels. She wore designer shoes so often that most fans think of the character’s Manolo Blahniks as her ultimate, timeless accessory. There were moments, however, where a comfy pair of kicks would have done her some serious favors. So, the question remains, did Carrie ever don a pair of sneakers during Sex and the City’s six-season run? 

The show’s stylist, Patricia Field, seemed dedicated to keeping Carrie in heels

Patricia Field is celebrated for her unique style vision. She was the mastermind behind most of Carrie’s clothing choices, and she has spoken openly about how much she enjoyed dressing Sarah Jessica Parker and her character. Field seemed to have a vision for Carrie, and it absolutely didn’t include sneakers. In fact, the series appeared to go out of its way never to show Carrie in a fresh pair of kicks. 

Think about it; Sex and the City’s main characters did not shy away from the gym. Miranda Hobbes was shown going to the gym and running regularly. Charlotte York was a runner, too, and Charlotte dragged Carrie to exercise classes on more than one occasion. Every time Carrie was seen in workout mode, she was barefoot, though. In season 1, episode 6, Carrie joined Charlotte for a yoga class. The duo was barefoot for the class. Next to Carrie were a pair of heeled clogs; presumably, the shoes she wore to the class. Later, she’s barefoot at an African dance class. 

So, did Carrie ever wear sneakers? 

There is only a couple of moments where Carrie is seen wearing sneakers on Sex and the City. At least there is only a couple of episode where sneakers are featured prominently on Carrie’s feet. The first instance of a casual Carrie came in the season 1 finale. In the episode, Carrie is wearing kicks when she runs into Mr. Big and his mother coming out of church. The second time Carrie is featured wearing sneakers was in The episode, “They Shoot Single People, Don’t They?”, came in the second season. 

In the episode, Carrie was seen power walking with Miranda and Charlotte. In the scene, the three walk along a trail in workout gear. All three appear to be wearing Nike sneakers. True to their personality traits, their sneakers match their personas. Carrie seemed to wear the classic Nike Tailwind, the company’s first running sneaker. Charlotte donned a pair of Air Max 95 sneakers, while Miranda wore a more nondescript pair of Nike running sneakers.  

How many pairs of shoes did Carrie Bradshaw own?

Carrie’s shoe collection was a topic of debate more than one time on the series, although she never specifically stated how many pairs she owned. Fans can ascertain that she owned more than 100 pairs of heels, though. In season 4, when Aidan Shaw served Carrie a notice to buy her apartment or vacate the premises after their breakup, she didn’t have any money for her down payment. Miranda remarked that she had more than 100 pairs of shoes, which cost a total of at least $40,000. 

Miranda’s assumption that Carrie owned 100 pairs of shoes was just an estimate, though. Based on Carrie’s face, it is likely that she owned a fair bit more than Miranda’s guestimate. She wore her heels for just about every occasion, though. She wore them to work events, BBQs, and even to walk Aidan’s dog.