Pink of Perfection

Something horrible happened to me a couple weeks ago. I feel in love with the first few episodes of Cagney & Lacey (“It’s like a cross between Mary Tyler Moore and Law & Order SVU,” Sebastian smartly observed), only to watch as the dynamic of the show completely changed when, in episode seven, the tough and sexy Christine Cagney, as played by Meg Foster, is unceremoniously replaced by a feathered hair Sharon Gless. Also? Out go the original opening credits, in which Cagney and Lacey chase down a bad guy, cuff him, and triumph over the patriarchal system of the police force, all set to a brassy, 1970s groove. In comes a title sequence decidedly more of the Working Girl era, where our heroines pound the city streets but still get distracted by window-shopping.

I’m trying––mostly because I love Tyne Daly––to get back into it. But I keep thinking about Meg Foster and Tyne Daly. They seemed like friends as well as co-workers; part of the job description is supporting each other and having each other’s backs, all with a hard-nosed wink and a smile. Apparently, when career women work together and like each other, they seem like lesbians. But the new dynamic with Sharon Gless (and yes, I realize I’m talking about a show that is nearly thirty year old) seems more adversarial. Where’s the friendship? Where’s the heart? Perhaps it will come. I mean, the show did have a long, long successful run, even without my stamp of approval on staff changes.

So this style inspiration is dedicated to the original six episode run of Cagney & Lacey as I first fell in love with it, where the duo worked well together, liked each other, and wore awesome, awesome clothes. Key items: a-line skirts with pockets (filled with loose change for calling your husband at a pay phone about dinner), sturdy boots with enough of a heel to make you feel like a woman, a smart, sensible watch and a bangle, plaid, puff-sleeve tops, a big, cozy wrap coat to fend off the chill when you’re down at the docks, and a purse that amazingly stays slung over your shoulder as you chase down crooks.