1960s Fashion: The Men of Mad Men

Mad Men's stellar cast: (from left) Don Draper, Joan Holloway, Pete Campbell, Peggy Olson, Roger Sterling

Last week we brought you pictures and commentary from TV show Mad Men‘s costume designer Janie Byrant covering the women of Mad Men: Betty Draper, Joan Holloway, Peggy Olson, Trudy Campbell, Rachel, Bobbie Barrett, Sheila, and the Sterling-Cooper team of secretaries.

Today we’re taking a closer look at the ’60s styling of men: from the skinny ties to the pocket squares, costume designer Janie Byrant tells us that men in this decade were not afraid of fashion. Here’s what she has to say about some of the characters on the outstanding TV series.

Roger Sterling

Pete Campbell

Don Draper

Janie Byrant on Don Draper’s costumes: “Designing for Don Draper was a delicate balance. We had to use what was in fashion at the time, but also be on the conservative side. So Don’s not wearing a sharkskin suit, and the cut is a little forward for 1960, but the fabrication is very traditional. He has one suit that’s a beautiful windowpane, but it’s gray, which is the traditional business suit color.”

“Don also wears a French cuffed shirt and a spread collar which I love. It’s classic, beautiful and still very businesslike. But it still has a little pizzazz which makes sense for someone in a creative field as well.”

The Woolfpack

Ken, Harry, and Paul

Janie Byrant talks about designing for the office ‘Woolfpack’: “The costume design for Ken, Harry, and Paul was very specifically done. I wanted their looks to be uniform. Their characters are part of a team, the guys in the office, hitting on the girls. They’re working it. So I wanted to tie them together with their suits. Their clothing color scheme is a little bit darker than for Don and some of the other characters, and they all have narrow ties except for Harry.”

Harry

Janie Byrant about Harry: “Harry has a bowtie and short sleeves because he’s married. I wanted his character to seem more like his wife is shopping for him. His character would also be more into comfort, which is why we went with the short sleeve business shirts.”

And of course since it’s all about the pocket square, pick one up and have a go at folding it to your style. Are you more into Don Draper’s “flat fold” or do you fancy the “three corners up” that are Roger Sterling’s signature look? Read these easy step-by-step pocket folding instructions for all the different styles you’ve seen on Mad Men.

Images courtesy of AMCTV’s official website for Mad Men.

Click here to read about costume design for the women of Mad Men.