There were seven deadly sins practiced at the dawn of the 1960s: smoking, drinking, adultery, sexism, homophobia, anti-Semitism and racism ... Mad Men on AMC taps into all of them."
- The New York Times
It's won a Peabody Award, two Golden Globes and it just swept the Emmy nominations. But let's be honest. Mad Men's real feat is being the most stylish show on TV today.
It is for men, what Sex and The City was for women—smartly written
dialogue and extreme characters we secretly wish to be, all wrapped up in a super stylized package. Mad Men, which returns to AMC this Sunday for its second season, is set in the sleek world of advertising in 1960s New York. Where offices such as Sterling Cooper have no need for such quaint modern-day notions as political correctness or casual Friday. Where no man is complete without the morning paper, his tie and a post-lunch Scotch.
The woman behind that slick Eisenhower-era styling is Janie Bryant, the award-winning costume designer who outfits the cast in both custom costumes and tailored vintage finds. "The '60s were such elegant times for America, when men came to the office in these gorgeous slim-cut suits" says Bryant. "You know, that's a good look for a guy."
We couldn't agree more. Break out the bar cart.
"It was the attention to detail that made the era so iconic in terms of style," says Janie Bryant, the show's costume designer. Here, she breaks down the look of the show's characters.
"He's young and married, so I feel Harry doesn't really care about what he wears so much. Like maybe his wife is shopping for him. He just wants things to be comfortable, so he wears more relaxed, short-sleeve shirts but dresses them up with bow-ties. I feel like he might run a bit hot, so he'd appreciate the short-sleeves."
"Ken has this all-American, clean-cut look. There's an easiness to his button-down collars and slim repp ties, worn with a simple tie bar. He wears a lot light, neutral colors and plain brown oxford lace-ups. And you'll notice that certain suits will reappear. I always keep in mind that the characters are actually people and they've got closets, so they repeat looks, mix pieces and make them their own."
"Paul sort of alternates his look. One day he'll be in a dark, sleek suit and the next day he's smoking a pipe in a bright colored cardigan. But he's always in a crisp tab collar shirt, which I think is more of a formal look. I always have the guys tie their own ties. That way they're all a little different and more authentic."
"Peggy is still very young, so she has a very sweet style. Over the first season, she's matured, but maintained that worker bee, buttoned-up look. Unlike the other women, she keeps the sexiness in check to show the office that she's serious about her career."
"As the art director, Sal has license to be a bit more flashy and flamboyant with his style. You'll notice his pocket square is folded more intricately, or he's always in really rich luminescent tones. Sal's someone who really likes dressing and you see it in the details like his narrow, Italian pointed shoes."
"Out of all the men at Sterling Cooper, he's really the fashion-forward guy in the office. He's a bit of a peacock, buying the latest trends and so we've got him in bright blue suits, sharkskin with the really narrow ties. And then lots of pieces like tie clips, cufflinks and beautiful monk-strap shoes. Between Pete and Don, I've amassed a huge collection of quirky vintage cufflinks, but yet I keep acquiring more."
"I feel that the clothes do reflect the man wearing them. With Don, he's a very strong, masculine guy who doesn't give up a lot of information about himself. So we keep him in somber, serious tones. He wears some brown, but it's usually gray, which was the traditional business suit color. It's a delicate balance. He's slightly conservative—he'll always have his hat on when he's leaving—but the cuts of his suits give him a modern look. And he also wears a French cuff shirt with a spread collar which I love. It's classic, but with the cufflinks and tie, there's a little pizzazz which makes sense for someone in a creative field."
"For all the slim, sharkskin suits the guys wear, there were still those at the time that were more traditional. That's where Cooper or Roger Sterling come in, who are the old guards, more traditional and buttoned up in pleated pants and three-piece suits. But they're impeccably tailored and finished."
Keep your shirt crisp, your tie dimpled and add the right Rat Pack details to look as sharp as the dapper rakes of Sterling Cooper.
1.) Sterling silver tie bar by David Donahue, $40 at Nordstrom. 2.) Lemtosh frames, $169 (without prescription) at Moscot. 3.) Sidecar gunmetal briefcase by Dunhill, $1,240 at Dunhill, 212.753.9292. 4.) Bow tie by Band of Outsiders, $92 at Blue Bee. 5-7.) Ties, (from left) Mike & Chris, $83, Ralph Lauren, $125 and Shipley & Halmos, $92, all available at Blue Bee. 8.) Suit by John Varvatos Star USA, $795 at Nordstrom. Shirt by Theory, $125, at Nordstrom. Tie by Hickey, $115 at Hickeystyle.com. 9.) Wool hat by Rod Keenan, $360 at Barneys New York stores. 10.) Cotton handkerchiefs, $25 for a pack of seven, at Brooks Brothers.
Designers from John Varvatos to the boys at Shipley & Halmos are creating modern looks by dipping into America's stylish past.
Looks by
1-2.) John Varvatos, 3.) Michael Bastian, 4-5.) Michael Kors, 6.) Neil Barrett, 7.) Shipley & Halmos. (Michael Kors photos: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week; All others: Courtesy)
