Sex and the City premiered in the late ’90s, igniting a cultural shift in redefining societal standards of what it truly means to be single, successful, and own your sexual power. From navigating the complexities of dating and relationships to friendship, and feminist views, women from around the world saw a glimpse of themselves in each of the four central characters, Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York, Samantha Jones, and Miranda Hobbes. 

So who is the woman behind one of the most popular shows in television history? Coining herself as the “OG, Carrie Bradshaw,” journalist and television producer Candace Bushnell is responsible for bringing this groundbreaking series to the forefront of mainstream media. Now in her 60s, the SATC creator is embarking on a new chapter, her one-woman show, which she wrote and stars in, called, Is There Still Sex in the City? 

With no sign of slowing down, at 63, she is still juggling a busy social calendar, lofty career goals, and, of course, making a fashion statement anywhere she steps foot. However, despite her ongoing day-to-day responsibilities, the international best-selling author is also very intentional about making her health and wellness a top priority. 

New You caught up with our latest cover star in the heart of New York City to learn more about her beauty inspirations, staying fit and fab, the key to taking care of her mental health, and much more. 

New You: You are the latest cover star for New You. How does that make you feel? 

Candace Bushnell: Being on the cover of New You is fantastic! I don’t really believe it, but I’m super excited. It’s such a privilege to be asked to do something like this. I didn’t necessarily imagine something like this would happen 20 or 30 years ago, so it’s a sign that you never know what the future will bring. 

NY: How would you define yourself at this phase in your life? 

CB: The word that comes to mind is courageous. I can try things I never really had the guts to try before. The strange thing is that it includes things like doing a photo shoot in my sixties, which I never imagined I would be doing back in my twenties. I have more guts now than I did when I was younger! 

NY: What do you credit your timeless aging to?

CB: The key to aging is really your attitude. It’s about feeling good, and this is something that I’ve noticed with a lot of women as they get older. So many women say they feel better in their bodies as they age. One of the reasons is that we exercise more and take better care of ourselves. Developing an exercise routine and eating healthy are simple things everyone can do.

NY: How can women be more confident as they age? 

CB: Well, the key to confidence is maturity. One of the keys to confidence is experience. You’ve had all these different experiences, and you’re confident you can handle yourself and know how to handle yourself to have a good outcome. That’s a big difference between being younger and honestly being this age.

NY: In your career, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

CB: The accomplishment I’m most proud of right now is doing my own one-woman show, Is There Still Sex in the City? I wrote it during the pandemic, and I also star in it. So, I’ve gone from being behind the screen to being in front of it, and I love it.

NY: What do you wake up looking forward to? 

CB: I would say one of the things I look forward to when I wake up is Instagram (laughs). I’m just kidding! When I wake up, I look forward to life, being back out, seeing all of my friends after the pandemic, and gathering together. Sometimes it’s going to parties and events and doing all the things we couldn’t do for a couple of years. 

NY: Who inspires you in terms of their approach to beauty?

CB: A lot of the housewives because they always look great, and there are quite a few of The Real Housewives of New York who are friends of mine that I’ve known for years, and they all look fantastic. But it’s really about making an effort. That’s one of the things one discovers as you get older is that a lot of it comes down to just making that effort doing that one thing that you think, ‘Oh, maybe I don’t want to do it,’ because ultimately, it makes the difference. 

NY: Sex and the City empowered women and made women feel differently about being single and having the “freedom to choose.” Was that your intention when initially creating the show?

CB: My intention when writing Sex and the City was always a feminist one. It’s been my intention since I was eight when I knew I wanted to be a writer. I always knew I wanted to write about women as we really were and to write about women differently than they were portrayed. That’s something that I’ve done with my books. Lucky for me, with Sex and the City, they got the memo, so they were able to emphasize a new woman, a single woman in her thirties who was independent and didn’t necessarily need a man to survive.

NY: How do you take care of your physical health?

CB: I try to do Pilates three times a week, and I do a lot of walking. I try to do eight to 10,000 steps a day, and then I’ll also do biking. Although I don’t like going to the gym, I occasionally lift weights. All in all, my secret is staying active. 

NY: What about your mental health? How do you stay on top of that?

CB: Staying on top of mental health is very important because I have suffered from depression in the past. For me, mental health is about interacting with other people and not spending too much time alone, which is obviously something I have the propensity to do as a writer. 

I really have to make an effort to make sure I get out enough, stay in touch with friends, and say yes to social gatherings instead of no. It’s so easy to say no these days because we’ve all gotten used to staying inside during the pandemic and watching TV, which is not the best thing for our mental health. 

NY: Lastly, what does wellness look like in your life?

CB: Wellness looks like balance. It’s about being even-keeled. I need things to be organized, and I need my calendar. I need to know what will happen next, have something to look forward to, and have time for my exercise routine. Now, it also looks like giving more time to self-care than I used to. Things change when you get older, so one truly has to make an effort at wellness.

Photos: Fadil Berisha Photography
Styling: Derek Warburton