Sadly another season of Mad Men has concluded and only another year until the next!! We have been thinking at Please Don’t Tell how it seems that the success of this cult series is partly due to the fact we adore the women of the 1960′s. For the last several years January Jones, Elizabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks of AMC’s ‘Mad Men’ have dominated the 1960′s retro woman. But what is their appeal and who is responsible for their appeal?
Her name is Janie Bryant,
the costume designer responsible for what in fashion terms count as a revolution- the apparent return to favour of a more womanly silhoutte, hailing Cristina Hendricks as the ideal role model for young girls. More women would rather look like her than Kate Moss.
The cult t.v. series has become something of an obsession with the fashion industry (us included!) with Mad Men inspired designs cropping up on the catwalks for several years now.
Take Betty, aka January Jones, she has the ladylike poise and glamour of Grace Kelly. The glacier colours and delicate fabrics represent the character of this cold housewife who is nothing less than an indifferent mother at best.
Peggy, played by Elizabeth Moss is mostly buttoned-up, often school-girl like in muted browns and mustards.She has a look of innocence with a slightly more old-fashioned style which is also obvious in her attitude regarding the relationships between the men and women in the office.
Joan, the curvy secretary, the volumptuous bombshell is captured in commanding colours with the accent on her’assets’. She is stylish, good looking and talented. She is to every secretary in the office what Don is to every man. They want to be her.
Magazines obsess over her hour-glass figure with increasing numbers of curvier models, such as Lara Stone on catwalks. The classic hour-glass has replaced the waif. Regardless of size every woman has this shape.
Finally, Megan, Don Draper’s new wife. Can she replace Betty as the most stylish?
Not only is she younger and slimmer than Betty, Megan is also popular with Don’s children. Motherhood to Betty is simply a burden.
The costumes in the series cleverly reflect the rivalry between the two.
Megan is the seductive minx who dressed provocatively in a sexy black minidress for Don at his surprise birthday party, singing ‘Zou Bisou’ and dancing in front of the guests. She bosses Don around and he likes it!!
This particular dress was all about the arms and legs as this was when miniskirts were invented. Black is typically French and makes her stand out and look sophisticated amid the bright colours and prints worn by the other women.
It’s already clear, we think at Please Don’t Tell that Megan is the most fashion forward, with a bit of an international edge to her outfits.
Out of all the women she’s the one we think would suscribe to Vogue…what do you think? X