A Candid Review: The New Mad Men Collection
I am no Betty or Joan. I do, however, like most of America love the show Mad Men. I love the drama, the intrigue, the passion, oh, and of course, the fashion. We all can agree that costume designer Janie Bryant is brilliant. She makes the show aesthetically beautiful for us to watch. I find fashion from the 1960s one of the most flattering trends for women. I am a big fan of the gorgeous feminine lines that emphasize the female silhouette. I love the fitted bodices which come in at the waist. I appreciate the flared skirts which kindly emphasize our strong points and hide our flaws, such as not making it to the gym in a while.
This week I was cautiously optimistic when I visited Banana Republic to check out firsthand the recently launched Women’s end of the new Mad Men® Collection. Although a fan of vintage fashion, I felt reluctant to embrace a new clothing line that so blatantly dictates my style. I am a free spirit, right? I can create my own style without needing to buy the “Mad Men” wardrobe.
So, here is my unbiased urban, consumer Mom in her late 30s review of the line. I was rather disappointed… I felt as though Banana Republic missed the boat in taking an amazingly stylized period and creating unique pieces truly differentiated from its typical fall line. Whereas there were aspects of the line that I appreciated, I was generally underwhelmed. The Izzy pumps have potential. They are pretty classics to add to any wardrobe especially in the “rouge” color. The Mad Men Betty dress is a great cocktail dress to add to your wardrobe.
Overall, however, I could do without the animal print accessories. I found the orange and brown colors on trend but jarring and flashy. The animal print cardigan was flimsy and sheer. I wanted to like the bracelet sleeve jacket (featured above) which looks fabulous in all the advertising but is boxy in reality.
Oh well, what’s the lesson here? Excellent concept but execution was a little lacking. Let us know your thoughts and what you feel was (or was not) the missing link. For more honest fashion, shopping and travel musings, visit She She Shoppers.
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