Meet the Woman Behind the ‘Sex and the City’ Reboot Fashion Instagram Account
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And just like that, the “Sex and the City” reboot already has a popular Instagram account dedicated to the characters’ outfits.
Though Instagram closet accounts are nothing new, @JustLikeThatCloset is known for its attention to detail and specificity, especially for the vintage or more obscure pieces snapped on the actresses as they film in New York City. Run by Victoria Bazalinchuk, a 23-year-old teacher and aspiring stylist originally from Ukraine, the account started a day after the first photos of the reboot, named “And Just Like That,” were uploaded on Instagram.
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Less than a month after the account was created, it has a following of more than 70,000 that’s quickly growing. Included in the followers are actresses Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon themselves, who will reprise their roles as Carrie Bradshaw and Miranda Hobbes in the HBO Max revival.
Despite the account’s quick popularity, Bazalinchuk recently caught unwarranted fire for a post identifying Parker dressed as Carrie in what appeared to be a maxidress from Forever 21. After carefully examining a picture of the dress sent in by a fan, she posted it. It was after fans commented, appalled that Carrie would wear anything from the fast-fashion retailer at all, that the reboot’s costume designer reached out to Bazalinchuk to inform her the dress was not Forever 21, but an unnamed vintage find.
The discussion became such a hot topic online that even the @everyoutfitonsatc Instagram account — which was created years ago to document the original show’s fashion — chimed in to help, claiming there is a possibility it was a dress by Raga, sold through Anthropologie years ago. There has not been any confirmation so far. Bazalinchuk has reached out to representatives from Raga and Forever 21, but neither have been able to confirm the dress style.
Bazalinchuk recently chatted with WWD about her experience so far with the Instagram account, what “Sex and the City” means to her and more about that Forever 21 dress.
WWD: What inspired you to start this account in the first place?
Victoria Bazalinchuk: Before Just Like That Closet, I’d been running a few other fashion accounts, so when I saw that “Sex and the City” is making a reboot I knew immediately that we all needed this account.…This time I didn’t want to make people wait because by the time the show airs, most of the clothes will be sold out and I know how upsetting it might be.
WWD: How do you find and identify all the outfit details so quickly?
V.B.: I must admit, finding clothes might be time-consuming, but I’ve been doing it for a few years now and got used to it. Knowing brands’ DNA and having basic knowledge in fashion really helps a lot. Some brands also reach out to me with the products they sent to the costume design team. Also, the followers themselves are willing to help me out when I can’t find a particular item.
WWD: Do you mind walking us through the process of how you’d go about identifying an outfit?
V.B.: Let us leave it a secret! [It] should be a bit of a fascinating mystery, shouldn’t it?
WWD: Was there an item or two that took you a little longer to identify?
V.B.: Of course there are tricky items that can take hours of searching. For instance, [Kristin Davis’ character Charlotte York’s] Emilia Wickstead long-sleeved dress. It actually took me around a day or even [longer] to identify.
WWD: Did you expect the account to become as popular and viral as it did?
V.B.: Never! I never had intentions for this account to become so big so fast, so I’m still shocked it got, as you said, popular and viral.
WWD: Have you always had an affinity for fashion?
V.B.: As long as I can remember, to be honest. But it got quite serious when I was around 20 and went to Paris to create my very own fashion collection.
WWD: I notice your posts sometimes get deleted. Why is that?
V.B.: Some of my posts get deleted due to copyright issues, so now I only use photos from certain photographers who allow me to use them.
WWD: How do you find the time to keep this account as active as it is?
V.B.: That’s actually quite difficult. It’s all about work-life balance, though the account isn’t quite work for me. I just check on it a few times a day and try to post as soon as new pictures appear.
WWD: Are you a big fan of the original series?
V.B.: I’ve watched the original series, but I must admit I grew more of a fan of the ladies’ outfits as I was quite young when the show aired. But of course, I have my special moments connected with the show.
WWD: What does the show mean to you?
V.B.: I guess “SATC” means a lot for a variety of women. I was brought up in a quite conservative society; there were lots of preconceptions. You either find your lifelong partner at 18 and marry them, or there’s something wrong with you. Whenever I broke up with a guy, I’d feel guilty because I felt the pressure from people around me. But then I discovered “SATC” and I learned that it’s totally OK to be unmarried and meet different people, and that I’m not alone. So after that, I’d come back to the series every time something went downhill in my love life.
WWD: I noticed Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker follow your account. How do you feel about the attention you’re getting from the cast?
V.B.: I’m grateful and appreciate it a lot. I guess it means I’m actually doing something good if even the cast likes it.
WWD: Why do you think the show remains as popular as it is today?
V.B.: I guess it’s because of the community it’s created. Lots of people can relate to the stories of those ladies in New York City and that’s what makes it special and still accurate even nowadays.
WWD: Looking at the outfits now and from the original series, how do you think the fashion has evolved at all since?
V.B.: I suppose we’ll be able to answer this once the show airs. Of course it’s changed, but what is more important, will the characters’ styles evolve or will it stay the same? This question is asked a lot now.
WWD: What are your thoughts on the Forever 21 discussion? It looks like people have some serious opinions.
V.B.: The post was up for four days, but only after a girl commented she has the same Raga dress — which isn’t the same if you look closer — did the costume designers come to me to tell me the dress isn’t exact. The costume designer also told me the dress has no tag and was purchased from a secondhand store five years ago. So how can anybody know for sure what brand is behind the dress? The girl who has the Raga dress herself isn’t sure if it’s the same and we talked about this issue with @everyoutfitonsatc, and they, too, aren’t sure if it’s Raga.
I really don’t want any more drama around this dress because at the end of the day, it’s just a dress and I’m quite tired of this situation, to be honest. What was meant to be fun turned into a nightmare with this dress being absolutely everywhere.
READ MORE HERE:
‘Sex and the City’ Reboot: A Closer Look at the Fashion Moments So Far
Everything to Know About the ‘Sex and the City’ Reboot
Sarah Jessica Parker Gives First ‘Sex and the City’ Reboot Details
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