Everything I Need to Know, I Learned From Miranda Hobbes

In honor of the lovely Cynthia Nixon’s birthday this Wednesday, let’s talk Miranda!

EINTKILF Miranda Hobbes

1. Suits and ties are for the ladies. 
Though I am much more of a Carrie than a Miranda in all ways, especially fashion, I appreciate Miranda’s style. There are few female characters on television that could ever rock a suit and tie better than Miranda.

In fact, Carrie and Miranda both look adorable in their pantsuits. You go girls. (Do people still say that.) 

2. Tell your friends the truth. 
I know Miranda has the worst reputation of the foursome for being too pessimistic, and too practical, and too…whatever else people don’t like about Miranda, but I have always very much appreciated her for being the kind of awesome and direct woman that we should all crave in our real lives. I have always been drawn to the kind of women that tell me what’s up, you know what I mean? I love blunt women who judge me for making bad choices, and who are ultimately pushing me to be a better person. I am like that for my friends (though I think I balance a good chunk of understanding as well), but I love ladies like Miranda–who is the only one who will really call Carrie out for being totally ridiculous sometimes.

(I said I was a Carrie, didn’t I?)

3. Not every girl has to be girly. 
I think it goes without saying that Miranda isn’t the girliest girl of all time, which is fantastic. I have certainly loved the rebirth of feminism lately, don’t get me wrong. I love ladies like our Zooey that stand out about being strong and secure and confident and super feminist while also rocking lipstick and Peter Pan collars (like myself), but I would also love to remind you that there are all kinds of ladies out there, and Miranda represents the alternative to the kind of bad-ass feminist that I consider myself to be. Miranda is opinionated, strong, pessimistic, and just not girly. And that is okay. You do not have to wear tutus and blush to be a girl. The best thing about being a woman? We have so many options. I know that seems counter-intuitive, but I promise you–it is true. You can wear jeans every day, or you can wear jeans never. Makeup? It can be your whole life, or you may have never touched a stick of eyeliner. Women have the ability to present themselves however they choose and still be considered women. Be yourself–genuinely yourself. Nothing really matters.

4. “Guys are such liars.”
I don’t even feel the need to add anything else to this, you know what I mean?

5. Accidents happen. 
What a horrible title for a lesson that I actually intended to be a sweet one. But!

Brady is conceived as the result of a one-night stand between Miranda and Steve (ohhhh Steve, we love Steve!) after she sleeps with him because she feels bad that he now only has one testicle. But in one of my favorite episodes, Miranda decides that she does not want to have an abortion, which eventually ends with her having Brady. I love this story line because Miranda is one of the least likely ladies on Sex and the City to become a mother, yet she is the first one to do so. I love it because Miranda is, of course she is, a great mother. She loves Brady, and she loves Steve, and ultimately, I love life obstacles. Planning is for chumps. Accidents happen, and they are certainly not always negative. Expect the unexpected.

6. There is more to life than boyfriends.
Of all of the criticism that Sex and the City has ever received, one of the strongest (and most valid, in my opinion) points is that the show revolves around four completely independent, hard-working women who insist on wasting their time talking about sex and men and boyfriends. Miranda, however, is the only one of the four ladies who ever calls them out on it. I love a show that can acknowledge its own ridiculousness.

And to totally counteract this lesson, I want to point out that independent, intelligent, hard-working women also care about things like boyfriends. Sometimes it is way easier to get a drink and talk about things that don’t matter all that much (like boy drama) rather than talking about real emotional problems like family or debt or something equally as frustrating. Regardless, Miranda has a point. (Like always.)

7. Never eat cake out of the garbage. 

I haven’t done it, but I bet I am not above it.

8. Relationships take work.
And compromise, and bickering, and break-ups sometimes, and lots and lots of love. In her relationship with Steve, Miranda proves that relationships do not just fall into your lap. Wouldn’t that be nice, though? I have always been a fan of working for it, so I have always loved the relationship between Miranda and Steve. It proves that obstacles happen, that not everything is champagne and roses (but champagne helps), and that ultimately, true love looks a lot more rough than we romanticize it to be.

You guys, it is okay to fall in love. 

9. Everyone is capable of joy.
I believe that I have been clear enough about Miranda’s pessimism, and even her un-likability, but I could never be clear enough about Miranda’s joy. When you hear the word “happy” or “joy,” I am sure Miranda is not the first television character that comes to mind, but if you leave this EINTKILF with only one lesson, I want it to be this one.

Everyone deserves joy. The pessimistic, the always-grouchy, the story toppers, the used-to-be-a-jerk-but-is-trying-to-be-nice-now…everyone. Watching Miranda grow into a loving, joyful person is one of my favorite things throughout the series (and movies).

10. Loyalty is key. 
Pretty sure this lesson has been on every EINTKILF liiiiiike ever, but I really mean it. Miranda is loyal to her friends, even when they are completely nuts. She is loyal to Carrie through her bad choices; to Samantha through her sexcapades; to Charlotte through her traditionalism.

But most of all, Miranda is loyal to herself. She sticks to her guns, she is smart and sassy and secure. Ultimately, she is her own damn woman, and that takes a lot of courage. Stay true to yourself, ladies. (THIS IS LIKE A HIGH SCHOOL PEP TALK, BUT I MEAN IT.) 

Featured image via , ladies image via dirtymartini.