'08
“Sex and the City” star Sarah Jessica Parker is determined to show her son, James Wilkie, how the other half lives. The quirky fashion icon says in a new interview that her son has more hand-me-down clothing than new duds, and that she and husband Matthew Broderick have tried to instill in him that just because mommy and daddy are rich and famous, that doesn’t mean he should ride the gravy train through life. Kathy Hilton, are you reading this?
Sarah Jessica Parker: fashionista. Her son? Not so much.
“[James Wilkie, 5,] only wears hand-me-downs because I’ve got all these older nephews,” Parker, 43, says in the newest issue of Parade magazine.
“That’s the God’s honest truth,” swears the Sex and the City star. “Plus, my mother saved all my brothers’ clothes. I am not kidding. I don’t think I’ve ever bought him any clothes. Maybe a new winter’s coat….”
But just like her footwear obsessed SATC character Carrie Bradshaw, James Wilkie gets new shoes!
“I do buy him shoes, because everybody’s feet are different,” says Parker.
Parker grew up as one of eight siblings in an impoverished family, and doesn’t want her son to be spoiled.
“I think that if I had been raised a child of privilege, I wouldn’t be the working person I am today,” she says. “I think it’s incumbent on my husband [Matthew Broderick] and me to really stress and to show James Wilkie by example what it means to owe your community something and that he is not entitled to the benefits of our hard work.
“That doesn’t mean that I’m withholding or keeping from him the joys of childhood — I’m not Joan Crawford,” she stresses. “But I also don’t want him to think the world he lives in is the real world. It’s not.”
Parker, who says she’s more comfortable in the role of James Wilkie’s mother than any other on-screen, insists on being a hands-on mother.
“I put him to bed every night. I get him dressed. I’m the one who gives him his toothbrush. I take him to school every morning,” Parker says. “He’s very small, but his personality is 6 foot 4.”
For all her faults, Sarah Jessica does seem like a devoted and down-to-earth mom. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a photo of James being handled by a nanny or bodyguard. I am pretty sure we will not see stories about James Wilkie in 10 or 12 years partying in night clubs or acting like a celebrity brat.
However, I have a confession- if I were rich, I would go absolutely nuts buying my two daughters new clothes. I love shopping for them, and have since they were babies! As for my two stepsons- they hate clothes shopping with a passion, and are perfectly happy in the hand-me-downs from their older cousins. If they never had to set foot in a clothing store again, they would be happy beyond belief. But I have to admit, I still can’t help picking them up a cool rugby shirt or a pair of hip jeans when I’m out shopping. Does that make me a bad mom?
Note by Celebitchy: Sarah Jessica Parker and son James Wilkie are shown on 3/7/08, thanks to Splash. My son has that exact same hat! It’s from Old Navy and is from last season because I got it in the states around October of 2007. So that’s new.
My son also wears a lot of hand me downs and second hand clothing, but I have fun buying him stuff too. I think it’s different when you only have a boy or boys, because they don’t get too fussy about their clothing and neither do you.
Written by MSat
Posted in Kids, Photos, Sarah Jessica Parker
- TV Shows that outstayed their welcome [Pajiba]
- Goopy and Cameron Diaz went to a Coldplay concert [Lainey Gossip]
- The bacon milkshake! [D-Listed]
- Ashanti looks... good? [Go Fug Yourself]
- 20 great songs under 2 minutes [Fark]
- Snooki and J-Woww on notice [IDLYITW]
- Jennifer Aniston through the years [Popsugar]
- Kirsten Dunst looks so pretty here [Evil Beet]
- Mila Kunis without makeup [Celebslam]
- The awful cover letter all of Wall St. is mocking [Gawker]
17 Responses to “Sarah Jessica Parker’s son wears hand-me-downs like regular kids”
Leave a Reply
By commenting you agree to our comment policy
Use the "Report this comment as spam or abuse" link to ask the moderators to delete a comment if it's offensive. If your comment disappears, it may have been eaten by the spam filter. Please e-mail cbcomments at gmail.com to get it retrieved.
Get an icon next to your name by signing up for a free Gravatar
I think it’s really important to not let your kids be roped into consumerism. They’re cute and of course you want to buy them stuff, but stuff is just stuff.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
sarah jessica’s next project should be to start a school for celebrity moms. teach them how NOT to raise little drunken, druggin’ flashin’ celebutante monsters. and she could write a book for all the regular moms out there who don’t want their little girls emulating paris and lindsay. give up the acting, girl, you have a duty to the children of the united states of america. step up to the plate and share the wisdom!
Report this comment as spam or abuse
I absolutely love Sarah Jessica Parker and her interviews always reveal an even more lovable side of her.
She seems very down to earth and protective regarding her family and herself.
Giving hand-me-downs to a child is a great thing to help them respect social and human values and understand that material things are not the essence of your life.
I’ve had many, many second hand clothing when I was little and it has definitely not been something “bad” for my girlish side. I nowadays work in the fashion business and am very proud to buy old and vintage garments (and books, furniture, accessories, etc.)
Report this comment as spam or abuse
I love hand-me-downs! And I think that is one of the cutest little boys ever.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
I’ve always thought that she was a really cool down to earth person & I knew she’d make a great mom.
Hell, I still wear hand-me-downs. I go through my friend’s bags of clothes to donate all the time. Hooray for free shopping!
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Agree. Having money is one thing, wasting it is another. Respect to SJP.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
James Wilkie looks adorable–who cares if his clothes are brand-new, and how can anyone really tell? Kids grow out of their clothes so fast that there’s plenty of wear left in them when they’re done, unless the items are irrevocably stained or torn. It’s nice to see someone so privileged not only use common sense, but express it so clearly. Good for SJP!
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Aw, that’s nice. Good for them!
He is a cutie, isn’t he? He has a very sweet face that would be hard not to spoil. : )
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Good on her. Its refreshing to hear that not every celeb is willing to spend $2000 on a jumper/pants for a child which they’ll grow out of in afew months. Im so glad this little boy wont grow into a self absorbed brat with a false sense of entitlement….how many other hollywood children will be able to say the same?
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Yay, good! I love SJP.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Yeah, but how many kids wear hand-me-downs that cost more than the total yearly income of the third world country they were made in ?
Report this comment as spam or abuse
He looks like an even pastier version of his father. And since I happen to heart his father, cute kid all the way.
Kudos to SJP for the hand-me-downs on her kid, spending actual time with her kid, and being an active participant in his life. But in all reality, why should we commend someone for doing what they are SUPPOSED to be doing for their children? (i.e. PARENTING)
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Does she share this same philosophy for herself?
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Msat: if ONLY Kathy Hilton would have read this 20 years ago…but I don’t think she can read.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
Hand-me-downs are environmentally friendlier than buying brand new eco-clothes. He’s just going to grow out of them anyway.
I think when he gets older he’ll still have some hand-me-downs (until he goes through the obnoxious rebellion phase), but he’ll also have some great-fitting suits and tailored pants probably.
Report this comment as spam or abuse
i know its stupid but i love her
Report this comment as spam or abuse
She seems like a really good mother and it’s nice that she uses hand-me-downs for her son but for heaven’s sake, why can’t she find pants that fit him!
Report this comment as spam or abuse