Boston Gal's Open Wallet

I didn't see the movie, but that aspect of the show always bothered me. She's a writer (most other writers are starving) but lives in a nice place (in Manhattan!), has never ridden the subway (takes cabs everywhere) and has dozens of shoes at $400 a pop, not to mention the purses. How much of that is compensating for the emptiness in her life and relationships? She needed therapy, not more shoes.

 

I thought the movie also took another HUGE leap in the lifestyles of all 4 of these women. How real is it to see 4 great friends, all in different careers hit on the kind of success that these women are displaying - we're not talking just living well or comfortably. We're talking about living a ridiculously wealthy lifestyle filled with thousand dollar outfits, purses, shoes and dinner and drinks out at the best restaurants ALL the time. But this is my general problem with how everything is portrayed by movies and tv today. No wonder Americans aren't saving and living in massive debt. We're bombarded daily with images that suggest it is completely normal for everyone to wear designer clothes, drive Mercedes, dine out, and travel luxuriously. We never see those daily decisions that most people should be making - would I rather buy a new pair of shoes or go out to dinner once this week? If I splurge on a gift for my friend, then I need to cut my grocery bill this week. Should I spend more on a comfortable place to live or make some sacrifices so that I can save more money?

 

It's a MOVIE!!!!

 

$5400 for a really ugly bag? YIKES

The 'rent a bag' for a week concept hit me - what a waste.

But it looked like Carrie does hold onto her clothes for years and years (the Take or Toss) scene so maybe there is something to be said for buying quality.

But even in the end Carrie admits that the fabulous designer wedding dress did her and Big in and she ends up getting married in the labeless white suit (and the $525 shoes!).

Having attended a wedding this weekend I continue to be amazed at the time and money that goes into such a affair and still ask why do it? I'd sooner take the money and use it as a down payment on a house.

 

Honestly I am PF blogger yet I didn't even bother thinking of finances. I laughed and cried because the movie is about friendships with other women.

How often are you there to help pick up the pieces? And I think it's more prevalent the longer you are single! You depend more on you girlfriends as constants in your life.

The apartment thing, is Carrie was planning on buying the place herself with her apartment money. Then Big comes in and just buys the penthouse. I would have been miranda and warned what are you thinking???

But otherwise I would have been happy for my friend. That she gets a nice place to live and a guy she loves.

Then giving someone a bag that expensive? Yep, hadn't any idea what it costs. But I think it had to do more with finding herself. Yep Carrie hadn't learned any more financial lessons than she did before.

But the truth is that we just wanted to see her back. When I saw her face in the mirror on her honeymoon, it felt like looking in a mirror. That's how every woman looks after a breakup.

My only disappointment was the ending. But it wasn't horrific.

 

I say this as a big fan of the TV show: I suppose the movie just reflects the fantasy of not having to worry about money--of being filthy rich while working at a job you love or raising a family. It's the same old Easy Street fantasy. Who doesn't have this fantasy?!

Maybe there's nothing wrong with a little fantasizing...but people believe it's real. So who's problem is it really? Dumb people or some writer's problem that has Hollywood's lash tickling over his shoulder?

If we really thought women being filthy rich was so hot you'd see these women in a movie like "Wall Street" or something. But, then again, a more realistic view (say clipping coupons in your robe on a Sunday morning to save cash, or hyper-shopping internet sales complete with crazed promo code hunting) isn't exactly designer fare dahhling!

 

Im sure like the movie, like the tv shows are purely entertaining.

The Carrie's (in the real world) that live like that has about $20K in cc debt

That's the American culture LOOK GOOD and BROKE!

 

I agree some of those scenes that glorified labels and spending made me uneasy (and by uneasy I mean they made me want to gag, in some cases), but at least the writers went out of their way to imply repeatedly that Carrie had struck it successful in her career with 3 bestsellers since the series had ended.

I hated the way that in the series she still does all that spending PLUS has a job that is surely inadequate to fund such a lifestyle.

 

I just liked the movie, knowing it was just a movie. Although I thought it was interesting that in the end, she wore the vintage suit... and not the Vivienne Westwood couture! (Despite the $550 shoes...)

 

I thought that the core of Carrie's story was a bit of a cautionary tale when it comes to finance. Of course, it had all of the label trapping of the Sex and the City of HBO, but ultimately, Carrie nearly lost the love of her life because of her fixation on having an uber-wedding.

 

Ha, ha! It definitely bothered me that Carrie let Big buy the place with just HIS money--yikes!--but the purse? That was sweet. A bit extravagant, but an IRA contribution wouldn't have been as touching. I'd like to think gifts can be fun and not necessarily practical.

 

Hi, I'm de-lurking to say I completely agree with you. Wrote about the same thing on my personal (not financial) blog after I saw the movie a couple weeks ago:

http://thatrudegirl.blogspot.com/2008/06/good-timing-bad-timing.html

I'm glad to know other people feel the same way! :)

 

I enjoyed the movie on a superficial level. Although I do remember being very irked during the apartment scene when he said, "I got this". I saw it opening night and the whole audience ooed and awwed about it. That made me feel really uncomfortable, like there are more people waiting to be taken care of by someone than I realized.

 

I loved the movie while hating myself for loving it. :)

I have always thought about "how" it can be humanly possible for a newspaper columnist to make the kind of money Carrie made. Of course, her apartment was rent-controlled, but I remember her maxing her credit cards on one show and thinking, gosh, what's the limit on those?

I would stop at saying she should have given her assistant an investment; the bag had a lot of sentimental value. What is also surprising is that a lot of those clothes are actually a decent investment -- some things appreciate in value.

I have never been much of one for fashion -- I honestly buy most of my clothing at Ross or Target, and I invest heavily in khaki slacks and t-shirts -- but I understand the desire. I told a friend of mine who worked with children who had been sold as slaves and with refugees in northern Thailand that I always felt guilty for wanting nice leather shoes and handbags, and her response was, "You know what? My mother-in-law bought me a $750 (300 British pound) Louis Vuitton handbag on Bond Street for Christmas, and I love it. I don't feel a shred of guilt. Wanting pretty things -- particularly things others can't have -- is human nature."

I wish I could say that comment absolved me of guilt (it didn't) but it made me think about it. And it made me feel better about enjoying Sex and the City -- watching it is much better than buying into it.

*I think I just wrote myself a new post for my blog :-)