Please forgive me for being slow on the uptake when it comes to television. Blame the Atlantic, but I’ve only recently been able to get my hands on Mad Men… For the past few days I’ve been stuck in bed with the flu, and in my attempts to recuperate, I’ve watched every single episode of Mad Men. It was like that Thanksgiving weekend in 1991 where I watched the entire Godfather trilogy back to back. To be sucked into a particular story like that is very strange…it’s almost like an entire life has been lived.
Mad Men, in case you haven’t heard is a television series on AMC about an advertising agency in early 1960’s New York. It’s a show that doesn’t do any rewriting of history, where the gender lines are well defined, smoking, drinking, infidelity, smoking, drinking, and driving around without seat belts. While all the characters have depth to them, none of them flawless, I’ve come to be most fascinated with Betty Draper, the house wife and Peggy Olson, the female copywriter. I know, I know, Joan… but for some reason I’m just captivated by the repression of these two ladies, nothing is obvious, perhaps it’s a character trait I wish to have… but then, what good of a blogger would I be then?
She’s a Betty
From the beginning, I knew I would love Betty Draper. She kind of reminds me of my grandmother, only my grandmother is very vocal… but they have certain perfectionist tendencies. Betty’s ascent into cabin fever, caged madness under a very well presented classic Grace Kelly exterior.
Peggy didn’t get married…
Career girl by fate, she’s interesting because she doesn’t go by the rules, per se… but she doesn’t break them either. She’s innocent looking, a girl, but a woman. I’m so interested to see her thirty years later. My favorite outfits of hers are her church suits and now she’s starting to wear suits to work, like this checkered dress… it’s so lovley with the buttons down the side. Very femme.
Stills via the AMC photogallery, and the Betty in the Butterfly Blouse, and Peggy in the checkered dress are from the Chicago Tribune.
For those of you who aren’t living stateside, I’ve found this site helpful.
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Wow! The blogosphere’s been joyously calling out about Mad Men since the second season hit… It’s been everywhere!
Chic & Charming has been all over it, and Jezebel too…
I wrote about the style a few weeks ago myself… I’m an MM super-fan.
http://www.poeticandchic.com/home/2008/8/22/everyones-mad.html
spooky. We are so in sync Jennine. My husband and I just finished watching all of first season and last weeks episode.
Damn this show is good, and of course you know I love the costumes.
really?? that’s so funny… across a continent and an ocean two california girls gush over madmen.
sweet.
I am obsessed with Mad Men…. Betty is so intriguing as a character….
the cupcake diary first turned me on to mad men because of the vintage clothing, and it took *ages* to get it on netflix this summer, and even then i kept telling my boyfriend, “we’ll just watch the first disc. i just want to see the vintage dresses. if it’s horrible we’ll stop watching.” but then we were both so excited to find actual watchable storylines and characters! so now it’s like a double guilty pleasure - tv *and* vintage clothing! the best.
I am obsessed with Mad Men. I am so excited that Joan’s character is becoming more than just the busty secretary. Don Draper is so incredibly dreamy and fantastic despite his crap tendencies. The show should be watched for the cultural and fashion appreciation.
i’m glad that joans getting a more character depth… she’s smart, i just hate to see her main goal it to get a hubby.