Caroline Marie "Carrie" Bradshaw (later Carrie Bradshaw Preston) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the HBO media franchise Sex and the City, portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker. In the television series and subsequent films, Carrie is a New York City-based newspaper columnist and fashion enthusiast (particularly shoes). Her weekly column, titled Sex and the City, serves as the narrative framework for each episode, offering commentary on modern relationships, dating, and friendship.

Parker reprised the role in the films Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010), as well as in the HBO Max revival series And Just Like That.... The character was originally created by author Candace Bushnell and first appeared in her 1997 anthology Sex and the City, which was based on her newspaper column of the same name.

Bushnell later expanded on the character’s backstory through the young adult novels The Carrie Diaries and Summer and the City. These works were adapted into a CW prequel television series, The Carrie Diaries (2013–2014), in which a teenage version of Carrie was portrayed by Anna Sophia Robb.

Carrie Bradshaw was created by author Candace Bushnell as a semi-autobiographical character for her column Sex and the City, published in The New York Observer. Initially introduced without a last name, Carrie was portrayed as Bushnell’s friend—“a journalist in her mid-30s”—allowing the author to write candidly about her personal experiences while maintaining anonymity, particularly from her parents. The character embodied a lifestyle defined by the juxtaposition of modest earnings and access to New York’s elite social scene. Bushnell’s columns were later compiled into the 1997 book Sex and the City, which served as the basis for the television series. Bushnell collaborated with producer Darren Star to adapt the material for HBO.

In the Sex and the City franchise, Carrie Bradshaw writes a weekly column titled Sex and the City for a fictional newspaper called The New York Star. The column focuses on her personal experiences with dating and relationships, as well as those of her close friends. It also includes her reflections on gender dynamics in New York City. The column gains her a degree of recognition, and some readers view her as a public figure. In Season 3, her column is optioned for a film project, and by Season 5, a selection of her columns is published as a book. At the end of Season 4, she begins contributing freelance articles to Vogue.

Carrie is often portrayed as emotionally driven, seeking affirmation from romantic partners and others in her life. For example, she becomes preoccupied with a negative review of her book by The New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani. In Season 1, her primary conflict involves persuading Mr. Big, her romantic interest, to commit to a serious relationship. The character has drawn criticism for instances of self-centered behavior, which she rarely addresses unless confronted by her friends—Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte. Despite this, she is depicted as dealing with themes such as relationship commitment, infidelity, personal change for a partner, and emotional vulnerability.

Carrie is frequently shown smoking, often Marlboro Lights, and attempts to quit during Seasons 3 and 4 to please her then-boyfriend, Aidan. Her interest in fashion—particularly footwear—is a recurring element in the series. Her frequent spending on designer shoes, notably Manolo Blahniks, is depicted as causing financial strain.

She is also associated with drinking cosmopolitans, a cocktail that gained popularity during the show's run.