In this day and age, we all know that women hold the power. They hold the key to the lock, and, despite what anybody may say or think, women can rule the world.
It’s a woman’s world according to Shonda Rhimes — no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
As a writer and director of several popular hit TV series — including Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, and Scandal — Rhimes has a knack for putting women in the spotlight and allowing them to dominate everyone around them. We’re all wondering how she does it.
I think the answer to our question, besides the fact that these characters are intelligent, beautiful, and empowering in nature, is that they are framed in breathtaking jackets. The women from Rhimes’ television shows are typically seen in pea coats.
Pea coats originated in the 1720s and were usually seen cloaked on officials — the people we see as making the rules and holding the power, the ones we look up to.
It all starts to make sense when we see Rhimes’ main characters dressed in such attire.
Throughout the seasons, it’s hard not to notice the fashion pieces that are swaying through the scenes, whether they’re crafting statements in the White House, cutting open brains in the OR, or sweeping unlawful mistakes under the rug at murder scenes.
In her shows, Shonda Rhimes has proven how to really cut corners and get away with it, how to not let people step on your toes — which are dressed in really expensive heels — and how to strut your stuff like you own the place because, in all honesty, you probably do.
There is something about a long jacket that empowers a woman; it gives her a sense of royalty, importance, and bravery. Shoulder pads with sharp hems, belts that bend at the waist, and, bringing it all together, strong lapels made for a queen.
It’s easy for viewers to look at their favorite cast members with a sense of admiration, maybe even aspiring to resemble their qualities. Power and beauty emanates from Pope, Keating, and Grey. Grey wears a long white surgery jacket, showing that she holds a title that has significance. The white coat symbolizes life, power, and aptitude.
The infamous Olivia Pope is often cloaked in long jackets and pea coats that ebb and flow as she makes her way down corridors. Pope never fails to make an immediate impression with her fashion pieces. She knows how to handle a situation, just like Keating.
Pope and Keating, who share similar titles, represent supportive figures who people in trouble desperately need.
Pope and Keating are often seen wearing similar jackets: powerful fashion statements that run the show. And make no mistake, they know how to run the show. It is clear that these long jackets authorize these women in a way that captivates their audience.