Mad Men: The Women, Part I

One of the most successful posts we've had since I stater the blog was a post I did last year on the style of the women of Mad Men. 

This past Sunday was the season finale of the show, so I wanted to go into it a little bit and put you up to speed of what's been going on with my favorite characters, Joan, Peggy, Betty, Sally and now Megan. I love this show, and I love the costuming and treatment given to the jewels.  


Joan Holloway:


Joan is a new mom this season, and is having a hard time figuring out her role in society.  Like a lot of new moms she is trying to reconcile working and staying at home with her (love child with Roger Sterling) son.  Times are changing and Joan realizes, after dumping her jerk of a husband, that it's O.K. to feel validation not just from motherhood but from her place in the office. 




A big theme this season was woman's body issues. After a few episodes where we she feels sorry for herself and her post-baby body, Joan is again empowered after she goes back to being useful at work.  She regains her power and even ends the season being partner at the agency.  Without revealing too much I will say that even though she has the brains to be in that position, she had to use her body to get there.  




Joan went thru a lot of changes this season, both physical and emotional.  Her wardrobe and jewelry really reflected that.  While she began the season in dumpy robes, at the end, she was back to wearing her signature gold pen necklace, and her clothes were a mix of her sexy looks and more demure pieces.  Since she is now overweight after having the baby, they are emphasizing the jewelry more than ever before.  This is a trick women use in real life, so its not surprising to me that they would use it in Mad Men, a show known for it's attention to detail and reality. 


As you can see Joan's look was a bit more simplified this season.  Probably because she is now a single mom and has had to simplify her beauty routine.  Ye Joan does not let being a mom crap her style.  She still wears her sexy clothes and jewelry.  My favorite look for her this season was this outfit above in turquoise, which looks great on red heads.  To get the look you could try any of these pieces from my collection.

Sexy 60's: These bold earrings in turqoise and diamonds are sure to mae a statement. handmade and set in 18kt rose gold.

The swinging sixties continue: Glamourous red coral "Fleur" earrings with diamond detail, handmade in 18kt yellow gold.

So very Joan: This cocktail ring does double duty, since it can be made into a brooch. Amethyst, quartz and citrine come together with diamonds and 18k yellow gold.

Betty:


They say you ca tell a lot about a woman by her choice in jewelry.  This is very true with Betty, who has reduced her glamour quotient by 75% on season five.  Her story-line is very deep, yet her screen time is very short.  Because January Jones was pregnant in real life and her filming schedule was considerably reduced, the costume designers had to tell the story through her wardrobe as well as her character. 


The theme of women's body image carried on to Betty, who is shockingly overweight and unhappy, even after having wed her perfect Senator husband.  Throughout the season Betty maintains contact with Don because this is the only thing in her life that hasn't changed.  Even though her ex husband was a jerk, he is the only constant in her life where she is now finding herself to be nothing but a discarded beauty queen. 


This season you really feel for Betty because her role also shifts to that of  mother, even though she has already been a mom for the last 12 years.  Now that she is raising her kids alone, and her own tween daughter is coming of age in the 60's she has had to acquire some maturity and it's shown through her less than youthful facade.


Don't get me wrong she is still beautiful, but Betty, who has always been positively judged by the way she looks, is now faced with the opposite reaction by her female peers. In contrast, the only one that still  doesn't see her fatness is the Senator, her adoring husband who is so busy with his life, or perhaps sees her inner beauty, to care about how she looks.



This season we saw Betty more in a human context, and not as glamorous as usual, yet she is still adorned and accessorized.  Because she wore matronly clothes, she stuck to classic pearls and gold jewelry, and there is nothing wrong with that. Here are some of the pieces in my collection that might be useful in achieving the Betty Draper Francis look of season five.  

Stunning micropave diamond cocktail ring in 18 kt rose gold.

Classic and elegant: Fabulous pear earrings with a twist, in diamonds and 18kt white gold

Betty would be jealous: pearl and diamond ring in 18kt white gold

Gorgeous drop style earrings in rubies and diamonds, handmade in 18kt white gold.

Sally Draper:


Becoming a teenager is not easy, and doing so with selfish divorced parents, new step parents is probably even harder.  This season, Sally did just that, and came out as one of the more reasonable women on the show.




Since she is becoming a woman this season, they gave her character a little more of a story and seriousness than previous seasons.  This year we see her expressing herself through her clothes and wanting to emulate her very young step mother Megan, who is very stylish and hip, and dresses all the time in the height of fashion.




Yes, Sally is growing up, but in many ways she is still a child.  To convey this visually, much attention is placed on her jewels, even though she does not wear many accessories.  In most of her scenes, Sally wears a childish locket, and other times, when she's curious about grown ups, she's shown with more mature clothes and jewels.  If I hd to pick something from my collection for Sally I would choose any of these beautiful charms.  They are a great piece for a 12 year old that transitions elegantly into adulthood. 


Mad Men is a great example of how jewelry can tell a story.  when I design my pieces I'm always conscious of what kind of a message they are sending and how they will help the woman who wears them ultimately tell her story.  This is only three of the gals on Mad Men, so that means I'll be back with more. Stay tuned.


Love Always
Dani K