There are approximately 452 cop shows on American TV at any given moment of the day. My new roommate, I’ve discovered, loves cop dramas like I love reality competition shows on Bravo. And cheese.
GAWD I hate cop dramas, but sharing my space with someone else means compromising a bit. I demand the TV when Top Chef is on and I begrudgingly accept cop shows playing on my television sometimes.
The troubling aspects of cop dramas are worth a whole feminist blog series, a book even, but at the moment I’m caught up on clothes.
Female cops all wear the same outfit on every one of the 452 cop shows: A tight solid color t-shirt, most often a scoop or v-neck, tucked into belted, form-fitting dark slacks or blue jeans if they’re off-duty or a promiscuous alcoholic. They complete the outfit with a cute matching jacket; leather if they play the “sexy” cop. To wit:
No colorful patterns, no linen, no turtlenecks, no sweaters. Please feel free to submit your theories on this phenomenon.
5 comments
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March 10, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Emily WK
Don’t most of the guys on cop shows wear suits? I guess that’s the female equivalent (but of course it must be tighter and show more skin).
March 13, 2009 at 3:09 am
Mauzzie
Very interesting observation
I looked at one pic to another and was so amused that I just had to leave this comment
March 16, 2009 at 6:59 am
arresi
I don’t know if they’ll keep it up, but I just watched the premier of Nathan Fillion’s new show (“Castle”) and the female dead, Det. Kate Beckett, wore suits (as in suit pants, suit jacket and button-up shirt). And short hair! (I didn’t get a good look at the shoes, but I think they were low-heeled pumps or flats.)
March 23, 2009 at 5:32 am
Sita
OMG that was funny. I kept scrolling down and they kept being exactly the same. I think this phenomenon is the producers & costume designers wanting cover (she is wearing pants and a jacket not a tight skirt you whining feminists) while still getting to treat women like pieces of meat to be dangled in front of male viewers. More sad than funny after thinking about it
July 15, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Holly
that’s pretty funny.
I can think of one exception: Krya Sedgwick on “The Closer.” She wears cute, girly clothes, lots of prints and skirts and sweaters, and very cool trench coats. Of course, part of the whole shtick of the show is how southern and ultra-feminine she is–but super duper tough as a cop!