BY SANDRA BERRARA >STAFF WRITER

When we see Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw in the opening montage of "Sex and the City," she's bouncing down Fifth Avenue in white.

Her ruched cocktail dress has a ridiculously oversized flower at the shoulder, and she's paired the vintage ensemble with black gladiator-style platform sandals by Christian Dior.

As Parker explains in the production notes, "Carrie is definitely a person that's older and ... whose tastes have changed, whose palette has changed."

The same can be said of all the leading ladies, returning four years after the HBO series to dress up the big screen in fresh new looks.

Think lavish print dresses in vibrant colors, belted silhouettes and outrageous accessories - from a feathered bridal headpiece and giant diamond-mounted flower ring to statement shoes.

"It's inspiration," says Dannielle Kyrillos, editor-at-large at DailyCandy.com - a free e-newsletter and Web site touted as "the insider's guide to what's hot, new and undiscovered" in fashion, food and entertainment in 25 editions, including Los Angeles.

"The idea is not to go out and buy this, or wear this, or you're nothing because you can't afford this," Kyrillos says. "It's try this, be inspired by this, don't be afraid to take risks."

In all, there are more than 300 costume changes for the four main characters, including Samantha Jones, Miranda Hobbes and Charlotte York - each with her own distinct style, thanks to costume designer Patricia Field.

Field has been dressing these women since the show went on the air and became a cultural phenomenon known for setting trends, including nameplate necklaces and big, floppy flower corsages.

"They're not necessarily inventing looks, but Patricia Field knows how to give glamour and edge and edginess a certain elegance," Kyrillos says.

In the production notes, Field describes how she envisioned Carrie as "a little more sexy, a little more evolved, a little more calm with herself as a woman."

This is reflected in her wardrobe, including one of her many standout looks: a pretty green floral-print dress that she pairs with an opposing-print kimono in the same color.

But this is Carrie we're talking about. And because the character is also known for her edge, Field cinches the dress at the waist in a black rockstar studded belt, slips her back into the Dior sandals and gives her a Swarvoski-encrusted Eiffel Tower bag by Timmy Woods to carry.

Kyrillos likens it to "fashion pornography," which brings her back to the point of allowing the characters to inspire one's own personal style and not dictate it.

"You don't want to look like a reject from the `Sex and the City' casting call," she says. "So, think of it as Cliff's Notes to a year of fashion in New York."

Sandra Barrera, (818) 713-3728

sandra.barrera@dailynews.com

EAST MEETS WEST

Japanese kimonos in brightly colored florals make pretty, flowing overcoats and robes. Take the short-sleeve kimono, right, that Carrie wears over her green floral dress, which has been hemmed to the same length for a clean, polished look.

BLING-BLING

Take a cue from the fashion-savvy girls of "Sex and the City" and add a bit of sparkle to your wardrobe, and not just with an iconic Eiffel Tower bag, right. Among the movie's most sparkling accessories are Carrie's Swarovski crystal covered cell-phone face plate and the cupcake clutch used by Charlotte's adopted daughter, as well as Samantha's giant floral diamond ring, below.

IT'S A CINCH

Belts are a great way to instantly transform your look. In the movie, all of the characters at one point or another wear one just under their ribs for a waist-cinching silhouette over a shapeless dress, power suit or fur coat.