Betty Draper.

Love her or hate her, this lady is all class. Upper middle class that is. With her typical mid century family home, smiling children and perfect pin curls, it is easy to forget that Betty is only in her twenties.  If you’ve decided the Betty look is for you, there are a few important points to remember. Betty is a lady. She doesn’t do short and tight, she doesn’t do heavy make up, and she certainly doesn’t do comfort casual the way we see it today.

Of all the Mad Men ladies, Betty is the one we get to see in the most diverse scenarios.  There is Bedroom Betty, Weekend Betty, Cocktail Betty, Sporting Betty, and the list goes on.  It can be difficult then to choose a single “Betty” outfit; but just like Joan, Betty has her signature pieces that carry through from one look to the next.

*Set Hair

Betty is no wash and wear girl.  You may see the odd disheveled moment during a state of mental collapse, but you’ll never see a messy pony tail or ‘natural’ wave.  Betty takes the time to have her hair set every week, and in between times pin curls her own ends to make them sit just so. That wave at the side is no accident, created instead by applying setting lotion and clips in just the right manner.  When riding or out on the town, even Betty’s up do’s have a swept back, sculptural quality to them. Not a hair is out of place as it is swept back off her face and neatly French rolled in the back. On her more casual days, you’ll see her utilise an Alice band to keep her curls out of her face and give her a more youthful, and less domestic authoritarian look.

*Small button earrings

Betty keeps her jewellery choices very demure by day, opting only for the more dramatic when dining with Don’s clients. More often than not seen in pearl studs, Betty’s choice of earring is understated and indicative of her social class. It helps that being a mother requires a more sensible choice for day, as large, gaudy or heavy earrings don’t have a place around little hands.

*Nipped in Waist

Like almost all the female characters in the show, Betty’s look relies heavily on accentuating her waist. Unlike Joan Holloway, Betty’s look is more “Dior New Look”, with the nipped in waist and wide, full skirt. It is indicative of an earlier era, and comes with an innate sense of leisure; as office work, housework or pretty much any kind of work was not performed in these confections.

While on the topic of Betty’s shape, there are another two key pieces you will need to accurately re-create her look.  I say this because just throwing on a full skirted dress and calling it a “Betty” will not do.  You will need a shaped Bullet bra to create those high, pointed bosoms. It may seem a little extreme, but it is the best way to get that  sculptured chest shape and not be in danger of revealing too much of what is going on underneath.  There was no high beam looks in these days unless you were reading a men’s magazine! Secondly you will need a crinoline. A full skirt alone is not enough to pull off this look.  You need the added volume and swish of layers of tulle to bring it to life; and believe me, half the fun is in the petticote with these outfits.

*Soft Feminine Makeup

Betty’s face, even when heading out on the town, is always softly made up.  There is no harsh eye makeup, no false lashes, no overly rouged cheeks.  It is one thing to say this but another to do, so yes, there will be a tutorial coming to help you achieve this look.

*Fine Weight Jewellery

Even when out of the town you’ll see that Betty doesn’t drown herself in jewels.  If she does choose a signature piece, it will be only one, not the matching necklace, earrings, bracelets and cocktail ring.  Day to day Betty might be seen in a fine bracelet or the occasional “wealthy housewife” necklace, but no super sized brooches, rings or bangles. As a rule the everyday look consists of only the pearl stud earrings and a fine, round faced, gold watch.

*Mid Height Pumps

Betty is no vixen. She’s not working the crowd or husband hunting, so she has no need to wear sky scraping heels. Instead opt for mid heel pumps, not too low or risk looking dowdy, in muted neutral tones.

*Layers

This is one of the main keys to Betty’s look that so many people seem to overlook. Betty always has layers to her outfits.  Even on the hot days in sleeveless dresses, she is still wearing slips or crinolines (as anything else would have been unacceptable at the time), and always has a cardigan on hand for those chilly evenings.  Each of Betty’s looks has an accompanying layer piece. A scarf, trench, wrap, cardigan, shawl or even a bed jacket. A lady is always prepared and it seems that Betty is ready for any eventuality.

*Matching Lips & Nails

Just like the pearl earrings, Betty’s choice of matching lips and nails is another subtle indicator of her lady like status.  She is adhering to a more old school rule of what is elegant, rather than following emerging trends which would categorize her as an entirely different type of woman. Stick to a red or rose palette, and find the shade that suits you best to create your own signature look. Stay away from the darker vampy shades, which although might sound like the perfect evening outfit accompaniment, would never be seen on Betty as a happily married woman even during cocktail hour.

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*** Coming up – Betty’s Makeup. Another Super Kawaii Mama tutorial ***

If you can’t get enough of Betty you can even read her blog here.

You’ve asked, you’ve waited and the time has come. Here is a BRAND SPANKING NEW hair tutorial to help you achieve a great Joan Holloway style up do with longer hair.  Of course, given that my hair is just past my shoulders and I don’t have a fringe (bangs), I have to find ways to achieve these looks without lopping it off.  But you can still achieve the look I’ve created here with shorter hair, it just takes a little tweaking.

As usual I’m here to answer any questions and take requests.  So find yourself a comfortable spot, sit back and enjoy the first of my MAD MEN STYLE TUTORIALS.

Joan Holloway Hair

Mad Men fever has well and truly hit our shores.

I have been an addict for the past two seasons and am waiting anxiously to see what’s next.  But rather than dragging out that time pondering the prospect, I’ve come up with a special presentation for you all to work a little Mad Men into your every day. I bring you the first of the The Mad Man Style Files!

I am a Joan Holloway fan through and through.  I love her wardrobe, her hair, her attitude and her way with the snide remark. Even if your tongue is not as sharp as Joan’s, your style certainly can be.   There is a particular formula to her style that you can either choose to adopt fully or create your own modern take on the look.

*Fitted to waist and hips.

In a time when lycra had not yet made its fashion debut, designers had to rely solely on skillful tailoring to achieve Joan’s fitted look. This means more darting, seaming and pleating than you see on the average garment today. Belting with a skinny belt made of the same fabric as the dress was common practice in a more casual day dress look, but you’ll find that Joan’s look relies on clever rouching, cropped jackets or perfectly placed rear darts to achieve the same waisted focus.

*High Scooped Neckline.

Joan’s figure is a deadly weapon, all the more so for its lack of overt sexuality.  You won’t see Joan’s bosoms falling from a plunging v-neck, just her sculptured collar bones appearing above a modest neckline hinting at what lies beneath.  Like Alfred Hitchcock, Ms Holloway knows the art of suggestion is more powerful than having to spell it out.

*Knee Grazing Length.

This one plays not only into the afore mentioned art of subtly, but also plays a key role in creating the perfect hour glass shape.  By bringing the eye in at knee level, it echos the curve of the waist giving it further impact.

*Solid Jewel Colours.

This is one woman who knows how to make the most of her assets.  With her flame red hair, confusing the issue with vivid prints en massse would only detract from her striking features. Instead, by choosing solid jewel tones that compliment her hair colour, they serve to frame her natural assets allowing us to focus on her silhouette.

*Shaping Underwear.

Commonly called Foundation Garments, these are the precursors to Spanx and all those style of underwear. Without the aid of the stretch clothing we have today, woman relied more heavily on their underwear to give them the perfect shape they needed. (If only there was a bit more usage of these we wouldn’t be subjected to the multi boob phenomenon we see so much of now).   To get the perfect Joan shape, you need the perfect Joan underwear.  It lifts, taughtens and holds you in in all the right places.  Rather than relying on the dress to hold it together, this removes the straining, lumps and bumps, giving you Joan’s sleek smooth shape.

*Sleek 60′s Coif.

Joan’s hair truly is her crowing glory.  Not only striking in colour, but with such style, polish and variety, waiting to see how she arrives next is a pleasure.  There is much thought that goes into each style.  Even the softer ‘bed head’ do’s have a more sculptural quality that says, ” I look this good on purpose”. Each style has similar design elements.  Height at the crown, side swept fringe (bangs) to highlight her eyes, and a shorter length to show off her alabaster neck.

*Signature Necklace.

A strong personality can carry off a signature item with apolmb. Rather than being a show pony for an extensive jewellery collection, Joan’s choices are simple, only extending to the glittery in the earring department or on a big night out. In each and every office scene, Joan sports a sleek silver pen necklace. It is simple, practical and comes with the unspoken adgenda of business, but not at the expense of style.

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***  Coming Up:  Joan Hollway Hair – A Super Kawaii Mama Tutorial! ***