Mad Men Weekly Fashion Report: Peggy's New 'Do and Joy Who?

I've been looking forward to this moment since her first day at Sterling Cooper -- finally, FINALLY -- Peggy Olsen got her "hair did." It took a Bob Dylan concert, no love life, and Peggy's gay co-worker Kurt to transform her locks to a more sophisticated (although subtle), fashion-forward bob. Kurt blatantly tells Peggy in his European accent "You are old style... I fix you." And that he did. See for yourself below.

Before During After

It was blissfully entertaining to see Kurt chop off her thin ponytail. Hopefully, Peggy's new haircut will inspire her or Kurt to do something about her wardrobe selection. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure we all have enjoyed her young conservative schoolgirl style with bow-tie collard sweaters and checkered print dresses, but Peggy is no longer a schoolgirl. One must progress with age. I think consensus will show we all await the day/episode where Peggy will trade in her full mid-calf dresses for more contemporary, va-va-voom, Herve Leger inspired numbers. Joan better watch out.

Speaking of more contemporary -- Joy (Don Draper's new flavor of the week) sported a couple looks many women would and are wearing today. Not only is the floral dress a must-have for the '09 spring/summer collections, it's a must-have for the current fall/winter '08 collection. Joy's floral silhouette, pictured below, is ultra chic with its slender soft lines, pops of yellow roses, and a halter neckline showing just enough skin and shoulder for the California sunshine. No wonder Don fainted from heat exhaustion. It was either because of that dress or maybe the jet set lifestyle of Joy's European "nomad" friends was too much for the Manhattanite Draper. It certainly was for Pete Campbell. Like a true New Yorker he found Californians to be a little off and couldn't wait to be back in New York City.

It's only a matter of time before things turn radical -- from form to fashion -- we get to watch it all unfold. Along with the hemlines, the sexual revolution and the civil rights movement slowly begin to creep up. And the wardrobes of Peggy, Joan, and now Joy each representing different generations will eventually collide making fashion in the 1960's the most explosive and provocative time in the industry's history. Peggy, still stuck in the 1950's sweaters and full skirt, while Joan's favorites are the slender column sheath dresses. But it's going to be the young free spirited women like Joy who will shock the men and women with the mini. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but in terms of the Mad Men fashion, it's only going to get far more interesting from here.

Also, do you want to dress like the women in Mad Men? The show has become the muse for many designers, which was vastly apparent with the recent spring fashion shows across the globe. Check out our Mad Men inspired looks for this week -- so you can bring out your inner Betty, Peggy, Joan, and/or Joy.

Comments

[Eek909]

I was totally eating up Joy's look. Gorgeous! Peggy's hair still wasn't that great for me. I liked her hair best when she was "out with the boys" at the strip club, with the kind of pulled back half/ponytail with sideswept bangs. Actually, I thought Sarah Palin ripped off this look for the Republican convention hairstyle she had.

Goodwill has been getting a lot of my business since I started watching Mad Men. Pretty much every time I go into a thrift store, I find an amazing Mad Men era dress. It is a little creepy knowing that my finds are probably the result of someone cleaning out their dead grandmother's closet but whatever.

I even bought a bullet bra to go along with all these dresses and it is such a better look than current bras...a much cleaner line than all the padded demi-cup bras in the stores today.

The craziest thing in wearing vintage is the sizing. I wear a size 4 or 6 in current retail sizes. I wear a 14 or 16 in vintage sizes. So yeah, when they say "Marilyn Monroe" wore a size 14, it totally means she was a tiny little thing, not much bigger at all than actresses today.

[Topfeeder]

If you got rid of those bangs Peggy the right boys would appear.

[PeaceOnEarth62]

OMG. I absolutely love everything about this show. I am obsessed with the characters, the story lines, the clothes, and the set decor. I cannot get enough of it. I'm watching season 1 which I missed on DVD from Netflix. I want more.