‘Mad Men’ costume designer to launch fashion line. Are you a Betty or a Joan?
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When the admen -- and Peggy -- on ‘ Mad Men’ defined women as types for a Maidenform campaign, they branded them as a ‘Marilyn’ (Monroe, natch) or a ‘Jackie’ (as in O). Well, word has it over at Glamour.com that the show’s brilliant costume designer, Janie Bryant, is in talks to launch her own fashion line, and so the question is: ‘Are you a Betty or a Joan?’
I talked to Bryant last July, and here’s a taste of her personal taste in a style profile. She’s meticulous about researching the looks of the ‘60s for ‘Mad Men,’ right down to sewing special undergarments for the ladies and men that are absolutely true to the period. (In fact, Christina Hendricks told me that that they are incredibly uncomfortable. Read more here.)
No doubt, Bryant will adapt the retro looks she creates for the show. I’m anticipating sexy pencil skirts, sweater sets and vintage-inspired dresses that have been updated just enough to feel modern and classic. Will she design for men? I can’t help but wonder. I think guys would buy into the idea of inhabiting a character like the Madison Avenue scamp by wearing a slim-cut suit and skinny tie. Those high-waisted gabardine pants that Don Draper favors might be a tougher sell.
Are you a Betty or a Joan, and who’s sexier? Men, weigh in too.
-- Monica Corcoran