TV Takeover: Mad Men, Season 7 Premiere

In season 7, the 70s are on their way.

Please don't take this the wrong way: although films are/have been/always will be Number One when it comes to style, every once in a while a TV show will make its way into your life that not only gets you hooked on it, but it leaves you pining for more. This is a TV Takeover.

Although this is a somewhat rare occurrence, it does happen. First there was Sex & the City (1998-2004), then came Gossip Girl (2007-2012), but the most exciting show for the past few years has undoubtedly been Mad Men (2007-). 

Centred on the lives and professions of Madison Avenue's advertising executives and employees in the 1960s, this show has expertly portrayed what fashion looked like back in the day and, more significantly, what kind of a role style played in each characters' representation of their own image.

In the first few seasons, we saw how most of the female characters were still heavily influenced by the demure look of the 1950s. In later seasons, these women began to embrace the more playful and sexy choices of the 1960s. They swapped the kitten-heels for go-go boots, the full skirts for minis, and the pretty pastels for bold geometric prints.

Now that the show is in its final season, and the timeline is set in the late 60s, we can expect that the style will reflect the evolution of fashion at the turn of the decade. How main costume designer, Katherine Jane Bryant, will choose to display this is unsure, but more than likely we will see some type of bohemian and/or disco undertones. 

As the premiere of the season just aired, let us analyse some of the key aspects we have observed:

1. Megan Draper (Jessica Paré) is the only one who makes a real effort.
   As the youngest of Don Draper's women (not counting his daughter), Megan is the most in tune with the trends going on at the time and is not afraid to proudly portray her obvious love for fashion.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks) looks lovely in purple.
   Joan is undoubtedly the matriarch at the advertising agency. She takes care of day-to-day happenings with the business and always seems to manage to help everyone out with their personal problems, all the while dressing in a professional, yet alluring manner.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Peggy Olson's (Elisabeth Moss) secretary is more stylish than she is.
   Peggy has been, since the beginning of the show, constantly trying to prove her worth in a male-dominated industry. Because of this, her personal style has mainly remained on the back burner, as she appears to simply opt for comfortable and professional attire (though there are a few stand-out looks over the seasons).
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Where is Betty Francis (January Jones)?
   Don's ex-wife is the most stylish woman on the show. Sure, she went through that depressing chubby-phase, but who hasn't? Where is she and why was she not in the premiere?
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Where is Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka)?
   
   Don's daughter, though still quite young, has displayed some promising looks. We want to see more!

   
   
   

Overall, perhaps not the greatest season premiere ever, but it'll do for now.