#’Mad Men’ costume designer on how to replicate ’60s fashion
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“#’Mad Men’ costume designer on how to replicate ’60s fashion”
As Tracey Turnblad of “Hairspray” would say, “Welcome to the ’60s!”
While fashion trends come and go, this decade in style continues to be revisited — even in a culture wearing Crocs, chunky “dad” shoes, and distressed mom jeans.
“The 1960s fashion is the iconic American style — and it never goes out of style,” Janie Bryant, who served as the costume designer for all eight seasons of “Mad Men,” told The Post. “That decade is really important because the styles are timeless and always look great.”
“Mad Men,” which aired from 2007 to 2015 with 116 Emmy nominations and 16 wins, is unlike any other show. Most notably, its revamp of ’60s style and culture is unmatched.
“’Mad Men’ encapsulates amazing storytelling, vulnerable characters and a great style of costume and production design, as well as hair and makeup,” Bryant said. “Every element of this show is impactful and there will never be another show like it.”
Beyond being “the greatest show ever made,” Bryant said the fashion alone from the era holds an important key to changes happening in society, namely the transition from the ’50s to the ’60s, as well as the transition from the ’60s to the ’70s, which were “truly important.”
Bryant, who is launching her new collection Bryant/Draper with Inherent Clothier, points to the early ’60s when there was a “holdover of 1950s silhouettes” that favored a nipped-waist style. By the time the mid-60s hit, more architectural graphics and shapes were incorporated into wardrobes, whereas the late ’60s were all about flower power and bell-bottoms.
But Bryant also took cues from the show’s writing to tell stories in fashion.
“My first point of inspiration was the script, and then I started doing my research,” Bryant said. “I watched a ton of movies, especially ‘North by Northwest.’ Cary Grant’s character was an advertising man, and that film inspired my looks for Don Draper.”
With plenty of expertise, Bryant explains her top pieces for both women and men to shop for and breaks down some of her favorite looks from “Mad Men.”
So, how can I recreate ’60s looks?
For women: Cigarette pants, a striped knit sweater, a ’60s print scarf, a white lace midriff top, white flare bottoms, a light blue cashmere jacket, a red sheath dress, a mini dress with bell sleeves and strands of pearls.
For men: A sharkskin suit, a rep tie, wingtip oxfords, classic loafers, a sterling silver buckle belt, a stingy brim fedora, a leather band watch, pair of aviator sunglasses and a sky blue linen blazer.
Click to jump to women and men’s styles:
Women’s ’60s Style
“A casual outfit for women would be cigarette pants, a striped knit sweater and a ‘60s print scarf, Bryant said. “One scene in particular, which was one of my favorite costumes ever for Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks), was when she was in black cigarette pants I designed for her —and this red knit tee with a gorgeous silk scarf tied in her hair.”
Saks Fifth Avenue Cigarette Pants, $44.99
- Color option: Black
- Size options: XS-XL
Express High Waisted Soft & Sleek Button Tab Skinny Pant, $59.99 (originally $80)
- Color options: Black, heather gray, navy blue, tan
- Size options: XS-XL
Borden Effingham Fluffy Sweater, $72 (originally $120)
- Color options: Milkshake Marl, Azalea Chevron Stripe, Frankincense Chevron Stripe
- Size options: XS-XL
Shoptiques Multi-Color Stripe Crochet Knit Sweater, $61
- Color options: Nude stripes, yellow stripes
- Size options: S/M, M/L
Fonyve Silk Scarf, $10.99 (originally $12.99)
Sojos Vintage Polka Dot Scarf, $10.92 (originally $16.92)
“One of my favorite costumes I designed for Megan (Jessica Paré) was a white lace matching midriff top with white lace bell bottoms,” she said. “It was picture-perfect in photographs.”
Lucy Paris Abigail Lace Cropped Top — Bloomingdale’s Exclusive, $68
- Color option: White
- Size options: XS-XL
Lulus Lisa Marie White Embroidered Top, $34
- Color options: Mustard yellow, navy blue, mauve pink, white, black
- Size options: XS-XL
Express High Waisted Supersoft Twill Pull-On Bootcut Pant, $59.99 (originally $80)
- Color options: Black, Ballad Blue, navy blue, dark gray, white, pecan, rose, khaki
- Size options: XXS-XL
Show Me Your Mumu DJ Flare Pant, $168
- Color option: White
- Size options: XS-XL
“’Mad Men’ has the best coats ever and Megan Draper always wore beautiful coats,” Bryant said. “Betty had the most beautiful picture-collar blue cashmere swing coat that she wore a lot in season one; I love that coat so much.”
Calvin Klein Mid-Length Coat, $270
- Color options: Pastel blue, red
- Size options: 0 to 16
Unique Bargains Women’s Notched Lapel Double-Breasted Trench Coat, $73.99
- Color options: Beige, black, blue, khaki, pink
- Size options: XS-XL
“The silhouette of Joan Hollaway is the hourglass, sexy and usually, solid-color sheath dress,” she said. “One of my favorite sheaths I designed for her was the Christmas episode when she had a wool crepe with silk red bows on it.”
Harper Rose Envelope Collar Crepe Sheath Dress, $148
- Color option: Red
- Size options: 4 to 16
Marina Side Bow Draped Dress, $20.99
- Color option: Red, royal blue
- Size options: 2 to 16
“Megan Draper always brought the mini dress with bell sleeves look, one being the black pleated-sleeve dress she wore when singing Zou Bisou Bisou, and also when she went to meet Don at the airport; she was wearing a light blue mini dress,” Bryant said.
Boohoo Plunge Neck Flared Sleeve Skater Dress, $16 (originally $40)
- Color option: Red, Berry, Army green, black, blush, white
- Size options: 4 to 12
Boohoo Tie Detail Flared Sleeve Skater Dress, $24 (originally $60)
- Color option: Sky blue, rose
- Size options: 4 to 12
“Strands of pearls were hugely popular in the ‘60s and are a classic,” she said. “Matching sets of earrings, necklaces and broaches were what everyone had.”
Cristabelle Imitation Pearl & Crystal Layered Necklace, $50
Danbihuabi Pearl Necklace, Bracelet and Earrings Set, $8.99
Men’s ’60s Style
“For Don Draper, I loved his gray sharkskin suit,” she said. “It was a predominant color he wore throughout all eight seasons. I love the idea of the gray suit because it created that armor Don Draper used to protect himself, so the gray was iconic of his character.”
Men’s Wearhouse Egara Gray Sharkskin Slim Fit Suit, $139.99
- Color option: Gray Sharkskin
- Size options: 36 short to 60 long
Jos A. Bank Traveler Collection Slim Fit Sharkskin Suit, $29.99
- Color options: Light gray, Mid Blue, dark blue
- Size options: 36 long to 44 long; 38XL to 58L
He always wore a rep tie with diagonal stripes,” Bryant said. “Sometimes, I would do a solid color tie with an embroidered motif, but his color palette was always masculine and included many grays, dark burgundies, and rich chocolate browns.”
Otaa Navy Blue with Yellow Stripes Necktie, $45
Otaa Burgundy & Navy Blue Stripes Tie, $45
“For shoes, the wingtip lace-up oxford classic black shoes were essential,” she said. “I’d also style Don in casual loafers, especially with a plaid shirt and khakis. And of course, he would always show his ankles.”
Cole Haan ZeroGrand Wingtip Oxford, $195
- Color options: Black, British tan, Java
- Fit options: Medium, wide
- Size options: 6 to 16
Nordstrom Brody Driving Penny Loafer, $54.90 (originally $89.95)
- Color options: Navy, tan, black
- Size options: 7 to 13
“I would always style Don Draper in a sterling silver monogrammed ‘D’ belt, and the strap would be of black leather, depending on what he would wear,” Bryant said.
J.Crew Classic Leather Belt with Removable Silver-Plated Buckle, $65
- Color options: Dark Twig
- Size options: Small-X-Large
Slidebelts Premium Walnut Top Grain Leather Belt, $65
- Buckle color options: Gunmetal, brass, graphite, gold, silver, pinstripe
- Buckle size options: Standard, square
“The hats I always designed for him were the stingy brim fedora,” she said. “And, he wore Jaeger LeCoultre or Hamilton watches and Randolph sunglasses.”
Peter Grimm Men’s Depp Natural Straw Fedora, $21.99
Barry Wang Trilby Fedora, $16.99
Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Classic Medium Duoface Men’s Handwound Watch, $7,470 (originally $8,482.99)
This Jaeger LeCoultre watch is the exact one modeled by Don Draper in Mad Men. A splurge, for sure, but like Bryant said — timeless.
Hamilton Khaki Field King Automatic Silver Dial Men’s Watch, $399 (originally $463.99)
This Hamilton watch has a classic leather strap and a vintage face reminiscent of the ’60s.
Randolph Aviator Sunglasses, $219
- Size options: Small (52mm), Regular (55mm), Large (58mm)
These Randolph Aviator Sunglasses are the exact pair Don Draper wore in Mad Men.
Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses, $161
Similar to Randolph’s these Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses are gold-plated and more affordable.
“One of my favorite costumes of all time was when Don went to Italy and I designed that gorgeous light blue linen blazer for him,” Bryant said. “He also wore it in the Palm Springs episode, so it’s an infamous piece for Don Draper.”
Stafford Linen Cotton Men’s Classic-Fit Sports Coat, $69.99 (originally $140)
- Color options: Navy Herringbone, Brown Herringbone
- Size options: 38 to 52
Hawes & Curtis Men’s Light Blue Herringbone Linen Tailored Fit Italian Suit Jacket, $249 (originally $359)
- Color options: Light blue, beige, royal blue, pink, white
- Size options: 36 to 50
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