Looking at the Past and The Future of Mad Men Style

We’ll let you in on a little secret: we’re smarter than we look. When Perigee, our book publisher, asked us what release date we’d like for the book, we specifically asked for a February date, because it would take us through Fashion Week, awards season and right up to the season premiere of Mad Men; a time of the year when the mainstream press tends to be most interested in what we have to say.

Our mamas didn’t raise fools here.

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First on the roster, The San Francisco Chronicle sat down with us the other night and asked us to make some predictions for the season based on what we know about the fashion. We should say that this is purely a fun little exercise, so take these predictions with a grain of salt:

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we find out in the end this is Peggy’s story and not Don’s,” Fitzgerald says of the secretary turned copy chief. “She’s had the biggest evolution.” Elisabeth Moss’ wardrobe has matured from the girlish sweater sets and Peter Pan collars of early seasons to the more recent career-woman day dress ensembles and suit separates as she’s risen in the agency’s ranks. But, Fitzgerald warns, do not expect Peggy to go to work pant-suited this season.

“We got a lot of comments about that after the last season’s finale,” Marquez says of a moment in the episode where Peggy seats herself at Don’s desk while wearing a pair of slacks.

“That was not common in 1968 for a woman to wear pants to the office,” Fitzgerald clarifies.

Make sure to read the whole thing to see our thought on all the other characters.

Next up, Yahoo! TV asked us to look backwards, instead of forwards, with an article (and accompanying FABULOUS set of illustrations) all about our picks for all-time favorite character looks:

Tom: “My favorite look of Betty’s is either the time she met Don for Valentine’s Day and came down the stairs – it was a stunning shot (pictured) – or in Rome. Everyone says Rome, but wow.”

 Lorenzo: “And it just floated. I also like the blue dress when Don won the award.”

Tom: “Yes. ‘Doesn’t mommy look pretty?'”

…

Tom: “I hate to say it, but when Joan got raped, that outfit was stunning, and I think that was so smart of Janie [Bryant] – let’s put her in something that you will not forget because it is so beautiful, and then let’s degrade her and have the worst thing imaginable happen. That’s how you use costuming to engage the audience and force a more emotional reaction out of them.”

Again, go and read the whole thing for all our thoughts.

Psyched for Sunday night yet?

Picture credit: Yahoo! TV

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