Fictional though he may be, Jon Hamm’s Don Draper character from the award-winning series Mad Men has brought sixties style bang up to date. Here’s how to get the look.
Taking inspiration from Jerry Della Femina’s cult text From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor: Frontline Dispatches from the Advertising War, creator of AMC’s Mad Men, Matthew Weiner, depicts the social mores of the 1960s and the world of advertising, captivating audiences worldwide. The show has since received critical acclaim for its authenticity and visual style.
Earning a whopping 13 Emmys, including the coveted Most Outstanding Drama Series prize for the three years it has been on air, Mad Men is full of jaw-droppingly wicked characters and even more so, tag lines that has everyone aghast and gagging for more.
Della Femina was a consultant for the first series of Mad Men, helping the production designers and scriptwriters to depict the buttoned-up debauchery of the 60’s Madison Avenue accurately, however trimmed down Weiner claims it to be.
Don Draper, creative director of Sherling Cooper, is one of these characters.
‘What you call love was invented by a man like me’
The troubled-hero and anti-hero of Mad Men is a poster boy for success with his perfect suits, hair and bone structure. An image that shot the otherwise struggling actor Jon Hamm, to stardom. Hamm has even recently been announced as the new voice for Mercedes—Benz S400 campaign, replacing actor Richard Thomas. Draper ‘lives like there is no tomorrow because, there isn’t one’.
This straight talking creative director always looks sharp and is regularly seen in a pristine suit, a crisp white shirt and a cocktail in hand. With super-sassy office manager Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks) at his side, men want to be Draper and women…well, let’s just say the seemingly perfect husband and father of two has trouble rejecting their advances.
What a man, what a man, what a mighty good man
Mad Men’s costume designer Jane Bryant and Brooks Brothers collaborated on a limited edition suit using the character of Don Draper as their influence. A look so coveted, that all were snapped up in a matter of days. Yet fear not, as here are some simpledetails to look out for when attempting to channel Draper’s look:
– A slim cut silhouette: No matter your frame, a trimmed silhouette will make you look slimmer and taller…I promise.
– Medium Grey: If you only have one suit in your wardrobe, make it a grey one. A grey suit can take you anywhere, working even when a black suit is too sombre. An extra sheen on the fabric would also be a further nod to the composition of the popular power suits of the 1960s.
– Diagonal pockets: The slight diagonal of the pockets adds a slimming effect to the suit. You can highlight this detail, by adding a pocket square. For the likes of Mr. Draper, a rich navy coloured suit with a perfectly-tied tie with horizontal stripes would be just the ticket.
– Narrow Lapels: Draper’s trimmer than usual lapels make for a neater and more confident look.
– Side vents: Instead of a single vent at the back, try and choose a suit jacket which features two side vents, as it makes for a better fitted suit and a sharp silhouette.
– Sleeve length: This is a very important feature in a jacket. The perfect length should be one that shows half an inch of the shirt sleeve.
Grey Tribute Suit – Reiss, Grafton Street, €516
Rufus Shoes – Kurt Geiger, Brown Thomas, Grafton Street, €134
Classic Fit Shirt – Gieves and Hawkes, Brown Thomas, Grafton Street, €115
Navy Silk Multi-Stripe Tie – Gieves and Hawkes, Brown Thomas, Grafton Street, €91
Silk Handkerchief – Dalvey, Brown Thomas, Grafton Street, €29
Classic Money Slip – Dalvey, Brown Thomas, Grafton Street, €29
Cape Black Detail Belt – Reiss, Grafton Street, €69
Benedict Stitch Sock – Reiss, Grafton Street, €13
Lucky Strike Cigarettes, 200 Cigarettes – €15
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