And Just Like That... Season Three, Episode Ten Fashion Recap: Hijinks and Thigh-Highs
It’s officially autumn in the And Just Like That... universe, which means Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte are trading in their breezy summer digs for some fabulous cold-weather pieces. The coats are envy-inducing, the sweaters are looking cozy, and the boots are reaching new heights. Everyone is rocking thigh-high footwear in “Better Than Sex,” specifically Seema, who looks like she grabbed her pair off Alexander Skarsgård.
But it’s not only the boots that are hitting a peak, so too are the shenanigans. Miranda continues her bumbling out-of-character ways (though, at this point, we may just have to admit that this is who she is now). She attempts to spy on her son’s baby mama, Mia, but it—surprise!—doesn’t go well. More productive conversations occur between Carrie and Duncan, Seema and Adam, and Charlotte and her virtual energy healer. Maybe Miranda should hop on the phone with Susie Essman’s Rhonda and figure out how to handle this new familial problem a bit better.
One thing she does not need help with, though, is her wardrobe. Miranda has been looking especially good recently, and she’s not alone. Shop the styles (and everything else worn in the episode) below.
Now that Aidan is finally out of the picture, Carrie is pouring her heart into her work, which also means she’s pouring her heart into Duncan. The Brit seems extremely impressed by what Carrie is producing, which, no offense, does have me questioning his taste. I don’t know, maybe I’m a hater, but there is such an extreme disconnect between the very contrived bits we hear of Carrie’s book in the voice-overs and Duncan’s reaction to the writing.
I will say, though, I’m loving this banter between Carrie and Duncan. There is something present in this relationship that has been missing with Carrie’s other partners. I think Carrie hits the nail on the head later in the episode when she’s talking to Seema. There’s an intellectual connection here that Carrie has never experienced before, and it’s producing a new kind of chemistry.
I honestly forgot Steve existed, but he’s back, and he’s visiting Miranda’s new place to have dinner and celebrate the good news: Brady is going back to school! He wants to be a chef, and it seems like everything is going his way, except for one little thing. The 20-year-old has gotten a girl pregnant. And though Steve was in a very familiar situation just about 21 years ago, he does not handle the information well. Miranda—dressed in a cashmere Akris turtleneck and knit Cara Cara maxi skirt—manages to remain fairly calm.
It isn’t until Miranda calls up Charlotte and Carrie that she’s able to let loose a little, and I can’t help but get some flashbacks to Sex and the City season four, when Miranda dropped the news of her own unexpected pregnancy to the group.
Over at Anthony’s Versace-laden apartment, Giuseppe is not worried about the threats his mother made last episode. He is still clearly very into his older boyfriend, and when a punctured gas line forces the two to evacuate the building, Giuseppe has no problem welcoming Anthony into his own apartment.
Ever the dramatic one, Anthony freaks out about Giuseppe’s roommate, an older man with a curious hobby. But it turns out, this time, Anthony is right to be concerned. After initially turning down Anthony’s offer to move in together, Giuseppe walks in on his roommate jacking off to a homemade marionette doll that perfectly resembles the Italian writer. It’s very X-rated Pinocchio, and the scene is enough to get Giuseppe running back into Anthony’s arms and agreeing to take this next big step together. Gia is not going to be happy.
Lisa Todd Wexley is stressed. She has her interview in DC, her husband’s campaign press breakfast, and her mother-in-law is coming into town. Plus, her daughter dumped her hamster on Lisa’s desk. “Gabby says her hamster misses me, that I’m not spending enough quality time with Shirley,” LTW says, joking about transference (something she should likely take seriously).
Instead, she focuses on her wardrobe and gets dressed in A.W.A.K.E. Mode cargo pants, a purple jacket, and what seems to be a custom André Leon Talley bag. Despite the chaos of the morning, Herbert proposes a quickie before breakfast, but since LTW hasn’t been dreaming about her hot coworker, Marion, lately, she’s not in the mood.
The worst storyline of the week goes to Charlotte, who is looking shockingly casual in a gray Lululemon zip-up. She sits down to Zoom with Rhonda for an energy cleanse she won at a silent auction. Rhonda refuses to turn on her camera for the low bid of $40, but the voice undoubtedly belongs to the icon Susie Essman. And just a bit of Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Susie Greene comes out when Rhonda expresses her displeasure over this undervalued session that keeps getting interrupted by a tap-dancing, Alice & Olivia cargo pants-wearing Rock.
Apparently, the theme of this episode is visiting your boyfriend’s apartment for the first time, because now it’s Seema’s turn. The real estate agent puts on her best monochrome outfit, grabs her Valentino Viva Superstar bag, and heads to Adam’s gorgeous loft. The sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows as Adam informs her he pays just $900 a month for this place. This means he likely has enough money to buy a new wardrobe, and he doesn’t need to keep wearing that Starsky & Hutch–ass sweater.
Carrie and Seema meet up to poke holes in their respective healthy relationships. Seema (dressed for the disco in an Emilio Pucci jumpsuit, gold DellaLuna clutch, and crystal Giuseppe Zanotti heels) believes Adam’s mother—who has reached saint status following her death—will be the ruin of her relationship. Carrie, meanwhile, (in a red velvet top with matching over-the-knee Chloé boots and a crystal-covered mini Jackie bag) admits she has never met a man interested in her intellect—a harrowing revelation that likely deserves a trip to the therapist. Instead, though, Carrie just has Seema, who, for some reason, doesn’t slap Carrie and tell her to date this man already.
The mischief continues as Miranda drags Charlotte along to meet Brady’s baby mama, Mia. They arrive unannounced at the poor girl’s work, and Miranda doesn’t reveal her true identity until she is at the whim of a water hose-wielding Mia. Unsurprisingly, it does not end well.
Not to be dramatic, but this scene is kind of the epitome of what is wrong with AJLT right now. These are sitcom-level storylines, not HBO-worthy. Plus, the character of Mia, a clear Gen Z caricature, is painfully one-dimensional and predictable. And what is up with the gas? We cannot really be stooping down to fart jokes?
Well, at least the outfits are good in this scene. Charlotte’s gingham Ami fall/winter coat, Moschino top, and matching Ami bag make for Upper East Side preppy perfection, while Miranda encapsulates downtown style in wide-leg corduroy pants, a Victoria Beckham bomber, and a tie-dyed fedora.
Not only does Duncan like Carrie’s mind, but he also likes her closet. Seriously, Carrie needs to lock this down already. Carrie—wearing a Vivienne Westwood top and Issey Miyake floral skirt from the ’70s—shows Duncan her shoes, aka her “girls.” The moment feels akin to introducing a partner to your children, and Duncan passes the test with flying colors. “You are just a fairytale, aren’t you?” he says, before fittingly picking up the Jimmy Choo crystal slippers. SATC historians, let me know. Has a man ever appreciated Carrie’s closet this much? Or at all?
Gabby, who is obviously struggling with her mom’s recent absences, lets her hamster, Shirley, out for a walk and loses her in Lisa’s room. LTW, who is at her wits’ end, does not handle it well and snaps at her daughter. Yes, the purpose of this scene is likely to show Lisa reach her breaking point, but I was much more focused on Gaby’s fabulous Burberry look. Clearly, style is hereditary.
Charlotte grabs her Valextra bag and heads over to Carrie’s to do her energy cleanse in peace. While there, she gets an update on the Duncan situation. Carrie is finally admitting to herself that she might like him. But now, she realizes that everyone in her life saw the connection before she did, a fact she can’t seem to get past. Luckily, Charlotte is there to talk some sense into her. Maybe she should leave the gallery world and become an energy cleanser.
Artold is back with his ridiculously large Birkin, and am I going crazy, or is this one different? How many enormous Hermès bags can one assistant own?
But clearly, Seema’s real estate company endorses the idea that bigger is better, as made evident by her large leather belt and over-the-knee boots. Not on theme is Adam, who has stopped by to talk to Seema. She has been ignoring him since she killed his mother (figuratively). But Adam assures her that everything will be OK, and Seema’s self-sabotage plans fail.
It’s election night, a big event for the Wexleys, considering Herbert is running for city comptroller. LTW and GTW look adorable in their matching white outfits—Lisa’s courtesy of Victor De Souza spring 2024—ready to take their victory lap. It’s all for nought, however, as Herbert loses because the working class wasn’t on his side. To be fair, I can’t blame them. The Wexleys aren’t exactly relatable, as made evident by their consolation prize of pizza with goat cheese. Whatever happened to a dollar slice?
After considering her outfit options, Carrie decides to dive all in with Duncan, and she pulls out a very special Vivienne Westwood spring 2011 dress for his event. She pairs the piece with a Taller Marmo coat, Venetia Studium bag, and crystal-covered Aquazzura heels, all of which catch the eye of Duncan’s publisher and ex-wife. But Carrie seems surprisingly unbothered by the presence of Duncan’s ex. She’s more focused on the man himself, and the pair finally seals the deal. Unfortunately, it seems the chapter is closing on Duncan and Carrie as he is heading back to the UK, but hey, maybe this encounter will beget some healthier, intellect-focused relationships in the future.
