Becoming SJP

In a world where time never seems to be enough and finding balance is a conundrum that we're often trying to solve, the multifaceted and multitalented Sarah Jessica Parker sets an example of how to do it well, and with style

-  MEGAN PAULSE

Some may remember Sarah Jessica Parker from her role as Rusty Rodriguez in the 1984 film Footloose opposite Kevin Bacon, Lori Sing and the late Chris Penn, which was her first in a major film. Others' first memory of her on their screens may be as the youngest Sanderson sister in Hocus Pocus alongside Bette Midler and Kathy Najimi. Neither of these roles, however, is where her career began...

A talented performer from an early age, Sarah, who was born in Nelsonville, Ohio, took singing and ballet lessons as a young girl and made her Broadway debut in 1976, at the age of 11, in the revival of The Innocents before returning to the stage as the lead character in the musical Annie three years later. Following a move to Cincinnati she, along with her family, moved to New York in order to nurture her acting career. Coincidentally, the city became the backdrop of the show that made her a household name, pop icon and fashion royalty- Sex and the City.

First airing in 1998, Sex and the City ran for six seasons and resulted in two full-length films as well as spin-off series And Just Like That, which first aired just two years ago. In it, as many know, she plays Carrie Bradshaw, a writer who, along with her three closest friends, looks to find love and success in the Big Apple. The show, like Sarah, was a resounding hit, and arguably helped shape an entire generation of women. Cosmos became the drink of choice, quizzes flooded the internet and magazines, and still do, to find out which character you were most like and many a wardrobe choice was made with the thought of 'Would Carrie wear this?' in mind. This question in particular is one that made not only the character but Sarah herself a style icon who continues to turn heads to this day.