Strike a Pose

Katherine Heigl of Grey’s Anatomy; Rebecca Romjin of Ugly Betty

A woman never knows when she may have a date with destiny, noted Coco Chanel, “and it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.” But what of dressing for a strike? On both coasts last week, the Writers Guild picket lines were populated by unknowns and celebrities alike, including numerous supportive SAG members, who may themselves strike in June. Attention to wardrobe seemed to have had an inverse relationship to the striker’s fame, although sometimes, the “I just threw it on” look rang a tad calculated. Rebecca Romijn’s retro precision coif belied her dressed-down jeans. Grey’s Anatomy’s Katherine Heigl appeared to have donned scrubs pilfered from wardrobe, while pals Ellen Pompeo and Sandra Oh worked peace sign motifs. (Wrong protest, ladies.) On the other hand, in sunny L.A. a sexy tank top is never wrong, a point supported by CSI’s Marg Helgenberger.

Ellen Pompeo; Sandra Oh both of Grey’s Anatomy

Marg Helenberger of CSI

Holly Hunter; Julianne Moore and husband Bart Freundlich

Tina Fey; Krya Segwick

Zoe Lister-Jones

Cross country, New Yorkers had to contend with dipping temperatures. Holly Hunter looked just this side of self-consciously cute in her felt boater; Julianne Moore, genuinely unstudied in a chunky sweater, and Tina Fey, like Tina Fey. When a fashion reporter identified herself to Kyra Sedgwick, the actress lobbied immediately for no wardrobe questions with a terse: “I’m not wearing anything big.” Yet some women saw the strike as an opportunity and suited up appropriately. Zoe Lister-Jones, a SAG solidarity gal, happily ran through her list of credits. In addition to assorted Law & Orders, these included a 3.1 Phillip Lim dress, Wolford wool tights, Gap green leather gloves (“because we’re holding picket signs”), H&M jacket, thrift store boots and scarf by Brooklyn designer Fern Devlin. “There are a lot of bigwigs here,” she said. “It’s a networking opportunity.” At least one female marcher admitted to meet-greet possibilities of a different sort, the kind Chanel likely had in mind. Liz Tuccillo, creator of the defunct show Related, and a writer for Sex and the City, primped for the picket line in part, she said, “Because I’m single and there are a lot of guys in line.”

Los Angeles: Pompeo by Evans Ward/BEImages; Heigl by AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes; Helgenberger by REUTERS/Fred Prouser/Landov; Oh by REUTERS/Hector Mata /Landov; Romijn by DHA/Fame Pictures

New York: Fey by Nancy Kaszerman/ZUMA Press; Moore and Freundlich by AP/Tina Fineberg; Hunter by Michael Swarbrick/INFphoto.com; Sedgwick, Lister-Jones by Kyle Ericksen