Patricia Field: An Icon on Her Own Terms

Devil Wears Prada, Sex and the City, Run The World and Emily in Paris have one thing in common – Patricia Field. I became familiar with this fiery redhead when she styled costumes for a Kathy Najimy directed show in which I was lucky enough to be cast in called Back To Bacharach (later retitled Back to Bacharach and David) in the early 90’s.

Directed by Michael Selditch, audiences will be taken on a journey of a woman who has always lived on her own terms, professionally and personally. Growing up as a tomboy, completely outfitted as a cowgirl with a holster, Field has always been one who started trends and thought out of the box.

Whether it’s the man suit with a white button down whose sleeves run slightly past the fingertips or the leather gloves with no fingers, this 80 year-old icon shows no signs of slowing down. What makes her unique is her sense of understanding sex and how so much of that melts with clothing identity.

A self-proclaimed exaggeration queen, her style comes from mixing different colors and patterns as long as they are ‘happy together.’ It goes without saying a good portion of this diva’s design combos are not only happy together, but eye catching enough for the camera to fill those on the other side of the lens with glee and a sense of flirty fantasy not seen anywhere else.

We even get a sneak peek into her shopping process and fun interview snapshots from current and former collaborators, like “Sex and the City” stars Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker, to Lily Collins (“Emily in Paris”), show-runner and creator Darren Star, Michael Urie and Vanessa Williams (“Ugly Betty”), as well as, House of Field collaborators David Dalrymple and Steven “Perfidia” Kirkham, who owned their own wig department for over a decade at Field’s iconic (now closed) Manhattan store of 50 years.

In addition to Kirkham, other former employees of Field’s store, now big stars in their own right, Daphne Rubin-Vega and Laverne Cox, look back during their time with Field recollecting how Madonna was once asked to wait outside the store until they finished vacuuming. Pure Comedy!!!

The daughter of a dry cleaner, who was surrounded by love, Field is growing weary of working on the such large projects and on the heels of retirement. But, not before writing her memoir “Pat in the City: My Life of Fashion, Style, and Breaking All the Rules.” Not sure if this fashion rebel will ever really retire, but if you are up for it she will take you on a fantastic ride through hundreds of iconic looks we have come to know and love on the small and big screen.