Candace Bushnell Quotes

Powerful Candace Bushnell for Daily Growth

About Candace Bushnell

Candace Bushnell, born on September 16, 1958, in Monroe County, New York, is an influential American author, columnist, and television producer, best known for her work "Sex and the City." Bushnell's early life was spent in the suburbs of Buffalo, where she developed a love for reading and writing. She graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in magazine journalism. Post-graduation, she moved to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Her career took off when she started working as a freelance journalist, contributing to various publications like The New York Observer and The New York Times Magazine. Her column, "Sex and the City," published by The New York Observer from 1994 to 1996, was later transformed into a wildly successful book series and a critically acclaimed television show that became cultural phenomena. In addition to her work on Sex and the City, Bushnell has written numerous other books including "Trading Up: And Other Reasons to Quit Your Day Job," "Killing Monica: An American Obsession," and "Is There Still Sex in the City?" Each of these works reflects Bushnell's witty, insightful, and often provocative take on modern relationships, career, and female identity. Throughout her career, Bushnell has been recognized for her contributions to literature and pop culture. She was inducted into the Writers Hall of Fame in 2019. Her work continues to inspire generations of readers and writers alike, exploring the complexities and comedies of urban life and modern love.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Sex and the City is not a guidebook; it's fiction."

This quote indicates that "Sex and the City," while providing entertainment, should not be taken as a prescriptive or realistic representation of modern female experiences in relationships or city life. The series is fictional, intended for enjoyment rather than serving as a guide on how to live one's life.


"The more you see of life, the more life you see."

This quote by Candace Bushnell suggests that as one experiences more of life, their perspective broadens and they gain a deeper understanding of its complexities and nuances. It implies that life is not static or simple but dynamic and multifaceted, revealing new layers with each encounter. In essence, it underscores the importance of living fully to appreciate the richness and depth of existence.


"Every new city requires a new wardrobe."

The quote suggests that transitioning to a new environment, be it a city or even a new phase in life, may necessitate an adjustment to one's style or appearance. It implies that adapting to the culture, norms, and trends of a new place can involve changing one's wardrobe as a reflection of personal growth and integration into the community.


"Love can be blind but friendship is clairvoyant."

This quote emphasizes the unique depth and understanding that exists in genuine friendships. While love, particularly romantic love, can sometimes cloud judgment or overlook flaws, true friendship possesses a clarity of vision. Friends can see through each other's masks, understand intentions, and predict actions because they have built trust and mutual respect over time. This clairvoyance is what makes friendships invaluable and essential in navigating life's complexities.


"It's really hard to design your life to make other people happy. No one ever thanked me for having the best job or the most beautiful house. They thanked me for being a good listener, for loving them with no strings attached, and for making them laugh."

This quote by Candace Bushnell suggests that true happiness doesn't come from material possessions, professional achievements, or meeting societal expectations, but rather from fulfilling human connections and relationships. The act of being a good listener, showing love without conditions, and bringing laughter to others are valued more than having the best job or the most beautiful house because they nurture emotional well-being and foster genuine bonds with others. It encourages individuals to prioritize their own emotional wellness as well as that of others in shaping their lives, thereby creating a more meaningful and fulfilling existence.


If I'm with a man, is that going to prevent me from achieving my goal? What sacrifices will I have to make in terms of being myself, if I'm with a man? Something that young women find out really quickly is that when you start dating, all of a sudden you're supposed to have a role. You're not allowed to just be yourself.

- Candace Bushnell

Dating, Young, Role, Just Be Yourself

I started working for the 'NY Observer' when I was 33. After I had been writing for them for about a year and a half the editor said, 'Your stories are the most talked about stories in the 'Observer'; you should have your own column.'

- Candace Bushnell

Year, Been, Half, NY

My decorating and renovation skills are nil - indeed, I once used a shower curtain from Pottery Barn as 'window dressing.'

- Candace Bushnell

Shower, Used, Indeed, Decorating

You don't have to do everything by the time you're 30. Or 40. All you need is a work ethic. It's what allows you to push through moments of disappointment and self-doubt and fear.

- Candace Bushnell

Through, Need, By The Time, Ethic

The joke that I make is that there are instances on the TV series that happen to me, - except on Sex and the City they always make it better or worse than real life and I am actually saying that in a joking way.

- Candace Bushnell

Life, City, TV, Sex And The City

The '90s are really the 'Sex and the City' woman, and I think, right now, the new contemporary woman is the 'Lipstick Jungle' woman.

- Candace Bushnell

Think, New, I Think, Sex And The City

I was a freelancer all through my twenties. I did about one story a month and I wanted to write fiction, so the stories that I would do were precursors to 'Sex and the City.'

- Candace Bushnell

Through, Stories, Twenties, Sex And The City

I actually don't shop very much. I have a tendency to rotate a few pairs of ripped jeans and an old cashmere sweater.

- Candace Bushnell

Very, Rotate, Shop, Ripped

Well I actually do have a country house in Connecticut with a population of 3,000. Like, how small is that? I spend a lot of time there - I write up there. So I kind of have the best of both worlds and I love going up there.

- Candace Bushnell

Love, Small, Country, Connecticut

I have a house in the Connecticut countryside where you'll always find me, summer or winter.

- Candace Bushnell

Find, Always, Countryside, Connecticut

'Lipstick Jungle' was on the air for 20 episodes - I loved 'Lipstick Jungle.'

- Candace Bushnell

Loved, Jungle, Lipstick, Episodes

I've always been fascinated by young women who come to New York. The characters in 'Lipstick Jungle' were once young women who came to New York and we see their early experiences through flashbacks.

- Candace Bushnell

Through, Always, Young Women, Jungle

I always thought that there was a really good chance that I wasn't going to get married.

- Candace Bushnell

Chance, Always, Good Chance, Get Married

I know I'm not a wordsmith. And I don't write poetry. Sometimes I think I should, because it's really helpful. But I always wanted to write novels.

- Candace Bushnell

Think, Always, I Think, Novels

I'm looking forward to writing more novels for young adults.

- Candace Bushnell

Young, Forward, Young Adults, Novels

I was incredibly determined - I wrote short stories, I wrote the beginnings of novels. I wrote a little children's book and sent it to the editor-in-chief of the children's division of Simon and Schuster and she asked me to write a little children's book for a series she was doing.

- Candace Bushnell

Doing, Stories, Wrote, Novels

I love Chicago. I lived there briefly for three months and kept a boat under one of those space-age buildings. It was very Jetsons.

- Candace Bushnell

Love, Very, Months, Boat

I first arrived in New York in 1979. I was 19 and I was going to University in Houston, Texas, and I decided that I knew what I wanted to do and it was time to go and do it. I literally ran away from college.

- Candace Bushnell

College, New, Away, Ran

I'm the kind of person who would have liked to have lived at the Plaza. I love crystal chandeliers and gold leaf, velvets and mirrors, Oriental rugs and marble.

- Candace Bushnell

Love, Kind, Mirrors, Plaza

It's a job. When I'm writing I'm going to do it five to six days a week and I'm going to work for four to six hours a day. There's no magic writing fairy. It's just hard work.

- Candace Bushnell

Magic, Hours, Six, Six Days

I think when I was 12, I started reading Evelyn Waugh, and I loved Evelyn Waugh so much, and I thought: 'This is how the world really is. If I could be Evelyn Waugh, then I would be happy.'

- Candace Bushnell

Happy, Thought, I Think, Started Reading

Well in the book Carrie was my alter ego. In real life, Sarah Jessica and I don't look anything alike. But people do say that we sound alike. Sarah Jessica is an adorable girl and she is very funny.

- Candace Bushnell

Book, Very, Carrie, Jessica

The reality about being economically dependent on someone else usually doesn't work out for women in the end. It's about being an adult and being responsible for your life. Most women have to work, so let's just get on with it.

- Candace Bushnell

Life, About, Your, Dependent

I started writing about New York as soon as I arrived. I was 19. I used to write short stories and send them out.

- Candace Bushnell

New, Stories, About, Send

The key to life is your attitude. Whether you're single or married or have kids or don't have kids, it's how you look at your life, what you make of it. It's about making the best of your life wherever you are in life.

- Candace Bushnell

Attitude, Making, About, Wherever

Ever since I can remember I was telling stories and had a huge interest in other people and what made them tick.

- Candace Bushnell

Other, Stories, Telling, Tick

Like it or not, in the end, it's one's body. It's literally what carries you through life. There's a reason for the saying, 'If you have your health, you have everything,' and it's true. Old age, disease - these are the great equalizers.

- Candace Bushnell

Reason, Through, Your, In The End

I wish I was one of those persnickety types who buys guidebooks and studies them, but I don't have the inclination or time. I'm more of a 'get on the plane, arrive at the destination and see what happens' kind of traveler.

- Candace Bushnell

Traveler, Plane, Buys, Studies

I love things that are old and glittery, that come with layers of glamour and past lives.

- Candace Bushnell

Love, I Love, Lives, Glamour

I've been writing fiction probably since I was about 6 years old, so it's something that is second nature to me now. I just sit down and start writing. I don't sit down and start writing and it comes out perfectly - it's a process.

- Candace Bushnell

Fiction, Been, Perfectly, Second Nature

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.