More Marvelous Mad Men Style

--By Kim Moshtaghi

January Jones as Betty Draper in Mad Men

I am obsessed with AMC’s television drama Mad Men. Not only do I love the 1960s-based series because it’s about manipulation in advertising, but, mainly I love it because of the cast’s amazing wardrobe. The fashion in the show is phenomenal. I love all the sophisticated outfits the women wear. It’s incredible how seductive their non-skin-baring outfits are, and the significant amount of sexiness they actually exude.

All of the female characters carry a level of class when wearing their typical 1960s attire, but my favorite cast member’s wardrobe is Betty’s. Betty [left] is married to Don, the creative director of Sterling Cooper ad agency. Actress January Jones, who plays Betty, is absolutely gorgeous and fits the role perfectly. Betty wears feminine flirty dresses that look like they have been tailored to perfection or she chooses to wear horseback riding Ralph Lauren-like attire. Everything from the clothes to the accessories is well thought out. The cast usually wears simple oversized pearl earrings or other non-dangling earrings that are surely an excellent completion to their outfits. Their wardrobe consists of pleated skirts, dresses, and crisp white collared shirts with fitted long pencil skirts, cardigans, and lots of pearls. I love it!

Finley "Story" Shirtdress
$355.00
Available at: nordstrom.com

Since the show’s second season has started I have been noticing more of the 1960s style trends. These trends have been evolving for a while now, but my attention has never been as focused as recently. I want to share some sophisticated finds that will be empowering and sexy for all women. Not only are these dresses great work attire, but also a great way to incorporate a different dressing style that accentuates your assets rather than flaunting them. Although my finds aren’t as incredible as the show’s, I think I have found some classic pieces. To get the Betty look, you have got to get a bit more creative and glam up some of these dresses with some simple, yet bulky accessories. Personally, the simplicity is what I like about my picks.

My first pick is an elegant and polished dress from Finley [right]. This general style seems to be very popular at the moment, but I really like the sophistication of this particular dress. It may be pricey for some, but the classic white and black contrast always wins me over, and seems to justify the price. The crisp white shirt is simple and sexy and I love the pleated skirt, which is what differentiates it from most other black and white dresses. It reminds me of something Coco Chanel would have worn; she was rarely seen without her crisp white collared shirt. The elastic belt on the dress gives it a needed waist tuck. This dress will look great on most, but curvier women may appreciate it more.

Tahari Belted Ponte Dress
$111.00 (was $148-- save 25%!)
Available at: macys.com

My second find is a Tahari dress from Macys [left]. The cranberry color is great for the holiday season and it is very versatile. The adaptability of this dress makes it easy to spice up with some glamorous earrings or some sexy heels. I like how you can add to it, or leave it alone and let the simplicity of this dress shine.

Lastly, my all time favorite designer, Ralph Lauren, has this amazing double-breasted Lauren Ralph Lauren "Maddox" black wool sheath dress that is a knockout. I love every little thing about this dress. The fact that it will make everyone look like a million bucks is only one of the perks. This dress will keep you warm, and it looks far from bulky. I can already envision this dress on with big white pearl studs, and hair pulled back in a tight bun.

I didn’t get detail oriented with my picks; I wanted to keep it simple and versatile for all of you. The details are up to you, but with dresses like this, you can skip out on the brainwork. To catch up on some good drama, a fun cast, lots of deception and, best of all, great fashion, catch Mad Men on AMC every Sunday night at 10 pm/9c.
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Kim Moshtaghi is a contributing writer for Adventures in the Stiletto Jungle. Born in Germany, Kim is currently based in sunny Del Mar, California, where she also serves as Stiletto Jungle's Director of Sales and Promotions. Kim has a communications degree, a third degree black belt, and a totally covetable Gucci handbag collection.