A Sex and the City Summer

As I perused the farmers market in my vintage Valentino skirt, listening to my kitten heels clacking along and breaking through the local clamour, I realized something. To my right was a lovely woman in a green silk midi skirt, and to my left an adorable gal with a pixie cut and contagious laughter. Myself and the two girls I didn’t know, but couldn’t help but notice, were accompanied by our girlfriends, fresh produce, and personal style. Third spaces are so back, and so is the essence of Sex and the City this summer.

Third Spaces are so back

I think a lost art that was cherished in Sex and the City is prioritizing third spaces. They didn’t have the online forums back then that we’ve essentially replaced these spaces with. Instead of meeting the girls for coffee at 9, we send 9 reels back and forth on Instagram. Don’t even get me started on how TikTok is the new Balthazar, as if your favorite influencer can make the perfect cosmopolitan. Not too sour, not too sweet, but just a little too strong.

These spaces also influence us to embrace personal fashion and the rewearability of beloved items in our wardrobe. In today’s culture, we wouldn’t be caught dead posting in the same outfit twice. But when you’re living outside of the 4:5 Instagram frame, or 9:16 depending on your vice, it’s more common to accept being a (trigger warning) “outfit repeater”. I know, I swore, pardon my French. As I notice the fashion community aborting the “clean girl aesthetic” and jumping on the maximalist bandwagon, I have noted the increase in confidence when rewearing clothes. I find it admirable when you start to recognize what your girlfriend's favorite top is. It further proves the importance of personal style, because sometimes the message one is trying to give off is simply, “Yep, these are my favorite shoes!”, and there is just something so endearing about that. You’re establishing a sense of self with your garb, and rewearing your clothes further establishes your style. I know being a shopaholic isn’t sustainable, but when you truly wear your clothes (bonus points if you let friends borrow them), then you are doing your due diligence in the fashion community, IMO.

Immersing yourself in these third spaces surrounded by likeminded individuals is so important. Whether it helps you create a sense of identity by frequenting your favorite spots, or pushes you to be adventurous because you may have to make a new friend, it’s all a part of the story line. Because who wants to read an article about a girl on her phone?

Luckily, I’ve been fortunate enough to exit the first and second spaces of work and home to strut into the third spaces with my girls. We always have the time of our lives and wonder why the hell it took us so long to get here. We are living in a time where businesses creating these third space opportunities is a part of their marketing tactic, and honestly, I’m living for it. Like you’re telling me there’s a matcha pop-up at the vintage market? Talk about two birds with one stone. Me and the girls are THERE!

Carrie Bradshaw as an “It Girl” in 2026

If Carrie Bradshaw’s first season started in the summer of 2026 in OKC, she would be THE “it girl”. She’d love getting cosmos at Palo Santo with the girls, typing on her MacBook Pro, and her job as an influencer/writer. She’d collaborate with Madison Wild on Instagram and would religiously shop at Twinhaus for reasonably priced designer heels. 

Carrie would stay on the pulse with social media trends and would often encourage her friends to be in her videos, like “4 Friends, 4 Different Careers”.

Carrie would make the best voiceovers for her reels. She’d link her blog posts about the current dating crisis related to incels and red-pilled men, and the infamous "situationships” that she knows all too well.

Unfortunately, time traveling wouldn’t change the fact that she’d probably meet her “Mr. Big”, AKA lifelong situationship, whilst leaving The Flea (after realizing they don’t make martinis).

The Concept of Modern Day Miranda

If Miranda stepped foot in 2026, she would DESPISE the “Kinda Chic” trend, as well as the current beauty standards. Miranda would retaliate against modern day masculinity with a pixie cut and micro bang combo, and would start her own law firm downtown.

With Clarity Coffee in hand and determination in spirit, she’d swing open her Dell laptop to meet with her telehealth therapist to vent about how her girlfriends wouldn’t choose her in a threesome. To which the therapist would remind her that it’s 2026 and “being who you are” is normalized now. Miranda would log off her appointment more confused than she was prior.

She’d treat herself to a night out at The Jones Assembly with her girlfriends, where she’d enjoy judging people for fun and drowning herself in Disco Naps. She’d later end up getting too drunk, and becoming the subject of speculation as she dances her heart out to live music on the patio. She’d still be up early enough in the morning to prep her brief, of course.

Miranda would be surprisingly into the trend of pinning a brooch on her tie, and would even post an outfit pic on her story, (because Carrie convinced her to).

Samantha’s Owns SS26

Samantha would make Spring/Summer 2026 her runway, and her b****. She would love taking photos in the cheetah print room at Yours Truly, and more importantly, would get the best photos of her friends. Samantha would always share her girlfriends posts on her story, and her comments would be pinned. She’d match with guys on Bumble, and would leverage off of the “situationship” epidemic, making these “men” meet their match. 

Samantha would have celebrity ambassadors for her public relations campaign, and would be deeply inspired by Tom Ford’s marketing strategy. Her office would be at the top of Devon tower where she’d implement a mini-bar that specializes in cosmopolitans and dirty martinis. Samantha’s #1 artist on Spotify would be Miley Cyrus.

She’d eventually meet the love of her life on Bumble, a stable Virgo man who perfectly balances out her Leo rising and moon. They’d both work, travel the world, and live a child-free lavish lifestyle.

Charlotte’s So Chic ‘26

If Charlotte entered the chat in 2026, she would be mortified by the men in the dating pool, but obsessed with the “are we dating the same guy?” Facebook page. She’d love to meet up with her girls at the farmers market, and she’d search for eligible bachelors at Tellers. Charlotte would frequent Nichols Hills and Classen Curve, where she’d often shop and take Pilates classes with Samantha.

She’d eventually hit the jackpot in her search for a man, and will become the cutest mommy influencer ever. 

Charlotte would also become a successful art seller with an international e-commerce website that she’d coin “Charlotte’s Web”, and Carrie would help manage her social media pages.

Her gallery would be featured in the Paseo Arts District, where she’d also collaborate with local artists to uplift the community.

Charlotte would have a major matcha phase after attending a pop-up at an art event, but would later swear off matcha upon learning it could cause infertility. Miranda would assure her that it’s okay, and that she was practically drinking blended grass. Samantha would ask where she can purchase this tasty “birth control” in bulk, and Carrie would be documenting the whole thing, wondering how she can make this about her.

Girlhood: “We’re Soulmates”

The real reason it has been a Sex and the City summer is because Girlhood has regained priority. Despite how it may feel for us sometimes, girls rule 2026.

According to Fortune Magazine, women currently have more payroll jobs than men in the United States. There are many reasons for this, one of which being that women have been dominating in careers like healthcare, caregiving, and in-person services that are more protected from AI replacement. What may have lead to this is the fact that women continue to surpass men in college enrollment and graduation. I’ve also noticed an incline in pink-collar careers within the last few years. You go, girls!

Because girls statistically rule, it creates less of a need and desire to centralize men in our lives, which gives us more time with the girls! I’ve noticed that women are in less of a hurry to settle down and start a family, and are more concerned about their own careers and mental health. Even celebrities have been waiting till their 40’s to start their families. IKTR! 

When you surround yourself with likeminded individuals that have a positive impact on your life, you feel encouraged and loved. Something as simple as setting a goal to see your girlfriends once a month will make all the difference. It’s healing to be in the presence of fellow feminine energy. I think women have an ancestral understanding of one another and a deep longing for matriarchy that we sometimes feel closest to reaching when our cosmos clank and our laughter is shared.

Since the beginning of time women have been pit against each other. In many ways we were conditioned to compete for male validation and compared ourselves to one another. The rise of social media certainly did not help, but it’s recently put a spotlight on “pick-me” behavior (which again, was learned behavior, but whatever). I think the poet Rupi Kaur put it best when she wrote, “we all move forward when we recognize how resilient and striking the women around us are.” - Rupi Kaur. 

So, how would Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte celebrate girlhood if they lived in modern day Oklahoma City?

First, they’d get ready for an evening out at Carrie’s loft apartment “The Garage”. They’d smoke out the window and pregame with home-made martinis. Once they‘ve helped each other with their hair, makeup, and outfits, they’d make it just in time for their late night reservation at Elisabetta. Samantha would suggest sharing a bottle of wine, and Charlotte would surprise everyone by insisting on two. They’d share chilled oysters and warm laughter before heading off into the night. Carrie would beg to go to Palo (she thinks Big might be there), and the girls would oblige, solely based on the atmosphere and delicious cosmopolitans. Samantha would suggest going to 51st Speakeasy next, because they are having a 90’s Night theme, which according to her is “so sexy”. They’d find themselves on the secret dance floor of 51st, taking shots and confessing their love for one another. Miranda would call a Lyft and the girls would stay the night at Carrie’s, where they’d hydrate, do face masks, and watch bad reality TV. The next morning they’d complain about their hangovers and get brunch at Sunnyside Diner, where they’d reminisce on the fun memories made the night before, beat a dead horse or two, and declare that they’re all soulmates.

To all my girlfriends reading this, thank you for being my soulmates and my people. I love you! 

Who’s ready for F•R•I•EN•D•S Fall?