SJP...the Most Influential Trendsetter I Can Think Of

Sarah Jessica Parker is a fabulous Hollywood actress, designer, wife, and mother. I wanna call her the trifecta, but she has four things going on and I don't know the word for that. Regardless, SJP is an Ohio native, and she often talks about the hardships her family face as she was growing up. She comes from a big family with a not-so-big income. I specifically remember her mentioning the fact that she shopped at thrift stores and qualified for free school lunches. This trying past is what makes her success that much sweeter.

Not only is she an icon for the ages, but she still works like there's no tomorrow. I guess that's one good thing about growing up with little money. You grow up to have an admirable work ethic. Parker has an acting career that spans decades.

She began in theater (like just about everyone else), and developed into a TV actress. In 1982, Parker co-starred in the sitcom Square Pegs for a season. I've only seen one episode of this show and I really liked it. It reminded me of The Wonder Years and The Facts of Life put together. After Square Pegs, she began to make a name for herself in film. In my opinion, her two best roles were in Girls Just Want to Have Fun and the classic Footloose. Why these two? Obviously, it's because they're funtastic and make me wanna get up and dance. Yeah, I'm a dork.

Although SJP has a movie career to die for, she's probably most famous for her portrayal of Carrie Bradshaw in HBO's Sex and the City. I've seen every single episode of this show and it reeks of glamour, style, and awesomeness. This show is the definition of revolutionary because I can literally watch any given episode and note at least a couple of trends that started as a result. I'm all about the clothes, so I pay attention to style trends the closest.

The first huuge trend can be summed up in one word...Manolo. Without this show, I probably would't even know how to pronounce, spell, or spot a Manolo Blahnik. Now, these swank shoes have become a staple for everyone and anyone in the fashion world.

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Another notable trend is easily the flower on the shoulder. Whether it's a big blooming rose or just a something small, Carrie Bradshaw made it cool to attach a single flower to the shoulder of your blouse.

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Another Sex and the City craze is the personalized name necklace. Bradshaw famously wore a necklace that had a "Carrie" pendant attached. Man, those things were everywhere. These necklaces then went from saying your name, to some other vanity statement such as "DIVA" or "BRAT." I still prefer the names.

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One more fad was started by Sarah Jessica Parker herself...the babydoll dress. I can't begin to count how many red carpet events I have seen Parker attend wearing one of these beauties. I wouldn't say that babydoll dresses necessarily went out of style, but SJP bought back the frilly fairytale dress with a bang. Here she is at the 2004 Golden Globes in Chanel couture dress with Bulgari jewelry. With this dress on, they HAD to give her the trophy (and they did).