Mad Men: Brofessional Style

Seductive imagery, captivating characters, and compelling storylines - just a few of the reasons millions of viewers are tuning into AMC to watch Mad Men, an Emmy-nominated drama chronicling life at an ad agency in 1960s Manhattan. Mad Men manages to simultaneously evoke the look and feel of old New York while also giving off a sexy, stylish vibe that appeals to modern viewers. Costume designer Jane Bryant and her team are responsible for the fabrics, textures, and accessories that make Mad Men an authentic period piece.  It's not just about putting characters into clothes from the decade, it's about selecting the clothes that make the man - or woman.

The action centers on Don Draper, the guarded, mysterious creative director of the Sterling Cooper advertising agency, and his personal and professional lives. Bryant dresses Don, played by broad-shouldered actor Jon Hamm, in dark, narrow-cut suits and masculine accents. John Slattery, as Draper's boozing, adulterous colleague Sterling, gets a little more color and flair than Hamm's character. Since he's older, Sterling's often rocking a three-piece suit with flashy accessories, reflecting his character's appreciation of the finer things in life. Cocky youngster Pete Campbell, played by Vincent Kartheiser, is a throwback to Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. His blue suits are typical of younger professionals in the sixties, favoring the narrowest of suit cuts.

The women on Mad Men are another story. A world of difference exists between the classic glamour of Draper's wife, a former model, and awkward receptionist-turned-Sterling-Cooper copywriter, Peggy. Betty Draper, played by lovely January Jones, is dressed in full skirts and traditional designs that emphasize her feminine physique. Elisabeth Moss's Peggy oscillates between frumpy schoolgirl outfits and the sleeker dresses and pleated skirts that remind her colleagues that she is a woman, though she's got a man's job.

Although the show takes place decades ago, it's easy to see why viewers are enthralled in the drama that unfolds at Sterling Cooper and in the rest of the fictional world show runner Matthew Weiner has created. Conflicts at work and home are set against the cultural and historical context of 1960s America. Political and social subtexts are explored, along with the dynamic of shifting gender and racial relations. Though each of these facets of the show is fascinating in its own right, the reason viewers keep coming back for more is the tantalizing way the characters are presented: unabashedly original and utterly enthralling.