She’s the epitome of glamour and a fashion icon for women across the world but Sex And The City star Sarah Jessica Parker reveals her softer side as she plays her most important role – as a mother.

The actress was barely  recognisable yesterday as she collected her son James Wilkie, 5, from his school in Manhattan, New York dressed in sweat pants, sandals and dark sunglasses. 

Her low-key look was a million miles away from her immaculate appearance on a US TV show just hours earlier not to mention her headline grabbing red carpet outings at the London and New York premiere’s of the Sex And The City movie.

By day: A low-key Sarah Jessica Parker walks her five-year-old son James home from school

The 43-year-old recently admitted that James, her son with husband Matthew Broderick, hates seeing her dressed-up in designer gowns:

‘I don’t wear designer gear around the house, it’s not practical. I am a mother first and getting my son out of the house in the morning and to school, as any working mother will tell you, allows little time for vanity.

‘He associates a big dress with me having to leave the house, and he associates my hair being up with me being at work. And he is very verbal.

All smiles: Sarah tries to keep up with son James as they head to their home in Manhattan

‘Sometimes he will see me with a dress on and he will ask me to take it off because he thinks that will somehow keep me in the house.’

She also revealed that James never wears any new clothes, because he gets cast offs from his older relatives:

‘James only wears hand-me-downs because I've got all these older nephews. That's the God's honest truth, 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 that's it!’

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Sultry: The actress appears on US programme The Early Show to promote the movie. This time it was her shoes that cause a stir

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Sarah is currently enjoying the success of the movie – for which she both starred in and acted as executive producer.

The film was released in the UK on Wednesday amid scenes of hysteria and is expected to be a box office smash.

Although there are rumours of a sequel the actress says that the decision would depend on how it affected James and her husband Matthew.

By night: Glamorous Sarah hits the red carpet with husband Matthew in a Nina Ricci gown at the New York premier of Sex And The City

‘This last experience has been two years, and it's been the real last year of my life professionally.

'And I've had to figure out how to make certain that he is well and good.

‘But I've been absent in a lot of ways and it's time for me not to be for a while,’  She said.

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Carrie fever: With co-star Chris Noth, who plays Mr Big, in the eagerly anticipated movie

Huge fanbase: Screaming female fans at the world premiere of the film in London earlier this month