Stylist Extraordinaire Patricia Field Pens Her Own Rebellious Story in Pat in the City

There’s a certain generation who knows Patricia Field from her former eponymous Eighth Street boutique in New York City’s Manhattan, which provided a safe haven to a legion of fashion followers — ranging from the transgender community, to rap and hip hop stars, to 90s club kids; from Lenny Kravitz to socialites like Paris Hilton to downtown legends like Patti Smith and Amanda Lepore. 

And then there’s a generation who knows her as one of the most famous stylists walking the Earth today: the one who made a sonic boom when the HBO series, Sex and the City landed on cable television in 1998. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) strolled the streets—all smiles and in awe of the inspiring metropolis during the opening credits—in one of the most character-revealing outfits: the harmonic coupling of a fitted tank top and a white, fluffy tutu (purchased in Midtown for $5 and buried in a bin of other discounted garments) and Field’s genius was recognised on a global scale. 

Field continued to make waves in other wardrobe projects: she elevated the looks of the 2006 fashion behemoth, The Devil Wears Prada, and the powerhouse costume curation in Netflix’s Emily in Paris. After decades in the fashion world, Field finally decided to gift her devoted fans with an autobiography: Pat in the City: My Life of Fashion, Style, and Breaking All the Rules. 

A rule breaker is right: She has gone against the grain of conventional dressing while embracing a combination of high designer fashion with vintage and affordable pieces. “I love to make everything beautiful, be it a $3.99 blouse, a Payless shoe or a Chanel tweed jacket,” she admits on page 26.

And in her personal life — from her humble beginnings mostly in the borough of Queens as a child of immigrant parents — she learned from her mother how to become a successful businessperson with a seemingly endless supply of energy and drive (her father passed away from tuberculosis when Field was only six years old). In the first chapter, she writes, “I grew up in a world of women… My universe revolved around my mother, my grandmother, and my aunts, strong women all of them. It wasn’t that I didn’t like men; I just didn’t have very much experience with them. They were simply something strange.” 

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Field also picked up lessons along the way from New York University where she studied philosophy and government. Upon graduation and after a few retail positions where she moved up in the ranks, she saved enough money to open her own fashion boutique downtown near NYU with her life and business partner, Jo Ann. It was “the birth of my first child” which is the name of her third chapter: Pants Pub at 14 Washington Place in Greenwich Village. These years as a boutique owner were formative and instrumental in her later-life endeavours on the small and silver screens.

Field is still active as a consulting costume designer for Emily in Paris and her stylist team of Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago who worked with her on Sex and The City continues to dress the cast on And Just Like That. Field also runs Patricia Field ArtFashion Gallery in Manhattan’s Lower East Side (onsite and online). At 81 years old, she continues to thrive and shows her straight-talking, no-nonsense side on the pages in her book. Take for instance this exchange with one of her team on deciding whether to use a floral frock for Sarah Jessica Parker on the first SATC film: “Amid the sea of clothing, there was a green strapless vintage Betsey Johnson dress with a large rose print that caught my eye. ‘What do you think of this?’ I asked Paolo, who looked nervous. ‘Too cocktail cunty?’ ‘I love it,’ he said.”

We were blessed with a moment to interview one of the GOAT stylists, Ms. Patricia Field, which you can read below:

Wellness check: How are you doing today? 

Exhausted from all the positive publicity and support that I have been receiving based on the release of my new book, Pat in the City.

How did you know there was a writer inside of you, waiting to be born?

I never saw myself as a writer, but the idea came to me after seeing a book about Betty Halbreich written by Rebecca Paley. I thought : Let me give Rebecca a call! It worked out.  We worked very well together, and I’m happy for it all.

What did you realise about yourself after you wrote this book that you didn’t know about yourself before?

I am sitting here telling you that I never thought of myself as so ‘famous.’ Always did the work that I enjoyed and that was basically the crux of it.

Why do you believe you have universal appeal when it comes to putting a look together and curating your boutiques? In other words, why does the queer community love your work? Why do hip hop stars adore you? Why do Manhattan socialites, Saudi princesses, and celebrities covet your style?

I believe that happy clothes have a lot to do with it as people want to be happy.  Of course, originality is part of the recipe. People want to see something they haven’t seen before that looks good.

How does it feel knowing you can influence the fashion industry without constantly posting on Instagram/TikTok—or doing a show at one of the major fashion weeks?

Knowing of my influence on the fashion industry is a very complimentary expression of my ability. 

What do you predict will be the next biggest accessory or trend in the coming months?

I love Fendi’s backpack jackets.  They’re genius and amusing!

As you’ve been a lifelong New Yorker, what aspects of the city keep you energized and thriving? 

I love New York. It never ceases to inspire me. The multitude of diverse people is one of the most attractive attributes. A New York Gift. 

If you could pick one of your all time favourite outfits styled by you (on TV or film), what would it be?

Picking one of my favourite outfits is like asking a mother who their favourite child is. 

What have been some of your favourite accessories you’ve used on actors that have graced the small and silver screens?

Of course one of my favourite accessories is a Fendi baguette, however the list is too long to enumerate. Maybe a book should be written about accessories. I personally love them. I love hats, gloves, belts: Accessories finish the story of clothing.

Could you name something you always do personally that can elevate an outfit from better to fantastic?

I love to mix prints and colours. For example, many people feel that orange and red clash. I see them as a bowl of fruit with apples and oranges and maybe a banana or two!

How do you stay grounded amidst the glamour in your life?

I ignore it as there are more important things to pay attention to, like friends!

How does it feel knowing that you’ve been a good father, an otherworldly stylist, a fashion icon, a fiery-red haired rebel, a safe space maker, and a successful business person with an incredible eye for design?

My life in fashion has been a rewarding experience, however, as much as I love to make pretty fashion pictures, I also love history, philosophy and the people who surround me.

P.S. One of my favourite lines in the book: “The little shorts with high heels might have been less HarperCollins and more Hooters!”

Glad you enjoyed my comedic side!

Words: Sabrina Cooper