With the fantastic season finale of ‘Mad Men’ on May 18th, the curtain came down on one of the most acclaimed TV shows of all time. There are plenty of things to love about the show: the cast of characters so captivating that most of them could carry their own TV show, the storyline, rife with intrigue and mystery, and of course the way the show managed to capture the zeitgeist of 1960s America. Mad Men won many fans with the authenticity and attention to detail with which it captured optimism and fear of this most raucous of decades.
Yes it was the cocktails at mid-day, the smokey New York speakeasies, but above all else it was the clothes that really brought this show to life. Mad Men can surely add ‘Best Dressed TV Show’ to its endless list of awards, (with Boardwalk Empire deserving an honorable mention) with the suave suites, retro dresses, and vintage shades making this show a seven-season long homage to timeless cool. So instead of mourning the loss of Don Draper and the gang, lets dry our eyes and think back to happier times with ten of the best Mad Men looks, and find out how you can pull them off!
10. Harry Crane – Ray-Ban Clubmaster Sunglasses
Slicked back hair, bow tie, wing tips, Sterling Cooper’s Head of Television is seen here at his quirky and eccentric best. However, it’s not just the bow tie that makes Harry Crane stand out: the real deal breaker is the statement glasses he is wearing. These frames are full rim, so to replicate this look you’ll need frames with a dual color scheme, with the heavier color covering the brow and stem, as can be seen here. However, an even stronger choice are the classic Ray-Ban® Clubmaster sunglasses. Perhaps the one indispensable semi-rimless style, Ray-Ban Clubmaster sunglasses are perfect for topping off a smart-casual look and ensuring you make a lasting impression.
9. Betty Draper – Ray-Ban Jackie Ohh Sunglasses
Betty Draper, the supremely stylish yet perpetually miserable wife of Don, would never be seen looking anything less than immaculate. Her dress sense and personal style is often compared to 1950s Hollywood icon Grace Kelly, but with this look she pays homage to another American style icon with her Ray-Ban® Jackie Ohh frames. Made famous by Jackie Kennedy during her time as First Lady in the 1960s, this vintage frame style has enjoyed a major revival in recent years. Ray-Ban Jackie Ohh sunglasses are extremely versatile, and can be used as they are here, to off-set Betty Draper’s smart dress and immaculate hair-do, or to add a touch of class to a more casual look.
8. Don Draper – Ray-Ban Active Lifestyle Sunglasses
Don Draper wears these cool rectangle frames while relaxing on a Hawaiian beach in Season 6. Rectangle sunglasses are always dependable, fitting with pretty much any face shape, and here the gold frame adds a sharp and decadent edge. The original frames used in Mad Men were manufactured by Bausch & Lomb, but Ray Ban do a great line of rectangle frames as part of their Ray-Ban® Active Lifestyle collection.
7. Lane Pryce – Persol Eyeglasses
Even by the incredibly high standards of the show, Lane Pryce was an intriguing character. His British mannerisms, and sense of style, often set him apart from the raucous advertising crowd on Madison Avenue. His dress sense is arguably more stiff and formal than his super-slick co-workers, but it has to be said that Pryce’s style had an air of Old-World sophistication that his colleagues often lacked. His choice of frame type reflected this sense of eccentricity and reserved authority. A variation of the round frame, these tortoise-shell sunglasses are classy, individual, and no-nonsense. The Persol Eyeglasses collection has perhaps the best variations of this frame design, including some foldable models, which provide convenience as well as top-quality design.
6. Ida Blackenship – Ray Ban Original Wayfarer Sunglasses
Ida Blackenship, Don Draper’s bumbling secretary in Season 4, is seen here wearing some black wing-tip frames with gradient lenses, adding a funky edge to her otherwise stuffy attire. So funky, in fact, that she won’t be seen without them, even indoors! Persol’s collection of black frames are a great way of getting this look, whilst Ray-Ban® Wayfarer™ Sunglasses are perhaps the quintessential black frame and lens combination.
5. Megan Draper – Tom Ford CARRIE Sunglasses
Don Draper’s second wife, Megan, also has an impeccable sense of style. Seen here on the Season 6 getaway in Hawaii, Megan Draper wears some oversized frames that are the epitome of retro chic. This is yet another vintage frame style to have made a major comeback, with Tom Ford CARRIE sunglasses and Celine Audrey Sunglasses being two examples of fantastic over-sized frames that are perfect for chilled out Summer days on the beach.
4. Harry Crane – Gucci Pilot Sunglasses
Here is Harry Crane with a look that screams 70s chic. The sidebuns, flannel shirt, blazer, even the Cadillac, it’s all almost too outrageous to be true! The crowning glory of this supremely stylish get up are the over-sized pilot frames, with the soft lenses and subtle frame color offsetting the more flamboyant aspects of the look. The Gucci Men’s Sunglasses Collection features several top-draw frames in the oversized Pilot style, whilst Tom Ford Pilot Sunglasses are always a strong shout.
3. Betty Draper – Linda Farrow Sunglasses
Betty Draper is so committed to the fashion cause that she even manages to spend an afternoon of gardening looking like a retro queen! These oversized frames are one of the hottest frame styles out there right now, and are sure to make be right on trend this festival season.Linda Farrow and Celine have both done great modern interpretations of this retro classic.
2. Roger Sterling – Tom Ford Eyeglasses
Roger Sterling, the all drinking, all smoking, all humping one-liner boss-man himself, was also not to be outdone in the eyewear department. These wing-tip frames are simple yet bold, giving a striking silhouette on the face that gives a look of smart self assuredness, perfect for both business and pleasure. Tom Ford and Ray-Ban®both do great collections of bold black frames that are worth checking out.
1. Don Draper – Randolph Engineering Sunglasses
This is quintessential Don Draper: intriguing, uncompromising and devastatingly cool. It has to be said that Don wasn’t as fond of changing his shades as he was of changing his mistresses, but when you can nail down a look so supremely as he does here, there isn’t much need to continually be mixing it up.
Simple but effective, these pilot frames by Randolph Engineering are an American classic. Originally manufactured for use by the US military, to this day every pair is still hand-made in Randolph, PA. Randolph Engineering sunglasses offer durability as well as flawless design, so whether he was relaxing on the beach or railing at underlings in the boardroom, these shades helped Don Draper stay ahead of the game.