How to Be Ladylike the Sex and the City Way

The romantic situation comedy Sex and the City offers inspiration for any woman who wants to be ladylike in a contemporary way. The four main characters, Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Sam (Samantha) are all ladies and whilst not always conventionally ladylike, their behaviour can illustrate what one should, or should not do, to be perceived as a lady. Pick one to inspire you, emulate their conduct, style and idiosyncrasies or pick elements you like about more than one of them to be ladylike the Sex and the City Way.

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Carrie

Carrie is romantic and led by her emotions. To follow your heart in a ladylike way, you must be gracious in defeat, courageous in a struggle and be prepared to laugh at yourself. In the episode The Real Me, (Season 4, Episode 2), Carrie trips on the runway whilst modelling in a fashion show. Although mortified, she gets up and finishes strutting her stuff to great applause, like a real lady. Handle yourself similarly in humiliating situations to be ladylike.
Carrie doesn't intentionally, publicly, belch, break wind, flash, moon, throw tantrums, talk down to people, insult shop staff or wait staff or, 'flash the cash'. Avoid these behaviours and similar. Carrie has been known to drink to excess and get Carried Away. Avoid this to be ladylike. Carrie also is an on / of smoker - smoking is proven to be detrimental to health, but it's a matter of opinion whether it's ladylike or not.
Carrie loves Vogue, Christian Louboutin shoes, (amongst many others), Chanel, vintage telephones and romantic movies like, "The Way We Were". It's conceivably ladylike to prefer these sorts of things as opposed to OK!, Ugg Boots, Juicy Couture, iPhones and The Hunger Games.
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Charlotte

Charlotte, arguably the most ladylike of all four characters, is traditional, conservative, chaste and demure, mostly... Charlotte knows about etiquette and has impeccable manners. Learn which fork to eat your salad with, write thank you notes and leave the table when you feel the tone of the conversation has reached an unacceptably low level. (Season 3, Episode 9).
Sit with you ankles crossed, speak well and don't swear. Behave yourself, usually. Charlotte was a prom queen, a varsity cheerleader, and a teen model so know about deportment and posture.
Charlotte isn't afraid to exploit the chivalry of men to get what she feels she has a right to and what she wants. Expect men to pull your chair out for you, stand when you enter the room and get their hands dirty for you. Charlotte doesn't do DIY, she can arrange flowers, choose art to display, lay a table and select a colour scheme for a dining room but is happy to have a man fix her cable TV.
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Miranda

Public displays of affection, being overly emotional and losing your cool are things to avoid to be a lady like Miranda. She is a lawyer and takes her career very seriously. Ensure you act in a way that will earn the respect of your peers, male and female, and don't expect special treatment from others because you are a woman.
Miranda often diffuses tense situations with humour. She doesn't tell jokes, use physical humour or act like a clown, she uses her intelligence to be witty, which is very ladylike. A classic quote of Miranda's illustrates this beautifully: 'Sexy is the thing I try to get them to see me as after I win them over with my personality'.
Be organised, not scatty; be punctual, not tardy and know your facts. Don't hide your intelligence, very few men prefer (dumb) blondes and those that do, don't think of them as ladies.
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Samantha

Samantha sees what she wants a goes for it. Be passionate not emotional. Rage about things, lust after things, don't day dream about what might of been and wait for life to give you what you what, take it!
Samantha gets to the point when talking and doesn't believe in dropping hints to get what she wants. There's no need to be aggressive, but don't simper or pout to try to get your way if you want to be ladylike in Samantha's way.
Samantha is the type of lady who doesn't doubt herself. Don't be a wall flower at social gatherings, stride into rooms with your head held high. Make an entrance, don't just walk in, head down, trying to avoid drawing attention to yourself.
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General Points

All four characters are ladies, not girls. They all age throughout the seasons of the show, occasionally telling lies about their exact ages, but at almost all times, being mature.
To be lady like the Sex and the City Way, you absolutely must be loyal. Don't stand up your friends for a guy. Don't let your friends down when they need you and never take advantage of their misfortunes.
Don't be a bigot. Be friends with gay people, older people, younger people, people with mental health issues, rich, poor, everyone who respects you deserves your respect.
Wear what you feel comfortable in. Over dress, under dress, as long as you feel fabulous, wear it. When with friends, you can be as casual as you wish, but when in public, always dress appropriately and be well groomed.
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