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Mad Men Synopsis

Mad Men is a period drama set in New York City during the 1960s. The AMC series released in 2007 follows the experiences of the employees of an advertising agency, Sterling Cooper. Each character including the head of secretary Joan Holloway, creative director Donald Draper, account executive Pete Campbell, Don’s wife Betty Draper and secretary Margaret ‘Peggy’ Olson find themselves amidst cultural, social and political changes. Some of the themes presented include gender, racism, cultural memory and nostalgia experienced within both public and private spheres. The show has gained critical acclaim, winning four Golden Globes and fifteen Emmys. It has also had an influence on contemporary culture, inspiring fashion, furniture and academia.

Context: 1950s, 1960s and 1970s

Mad Men documents significant change during the decades of 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. It represents how issues of smoking, drinking, sexism, adultery, homophobia and racism were experienced by individuals. It particularly details the change in women’s roles. The initial view of women post World War Two was based on what is called the “The Cult of Domesticity” which encouraged women to retract from their roles in the workforce during the war to the housewife, which became the standard for womanhood by the early twentieth century. The values of womanhood were “piety, purity, domesticity and submissiveness” and women were expected both socially and legally to uphold such values.

During the 1960s, there was an increase in jobs due to economic wealth, therefore women were able to join the work force as the men were already working. When women joined the workforce they were often restricted to “traditionally female occupations” such as secretary, nurse or teacher. As women began to make up part of the workforce, they obtained more power and freedom. This was experienced in conjunction with cultural changes such as the introduction of the oral contraceptive pill, allowing the sexual freedom of many women and enabled women to work as single women. Additionally, both the Title VI and the Equal Pay Act of 1963 were introduced enabling working women rights and recognition in the workplace. Women were to be no longer discriminated against in wages and job opportunities. Moreover, The Feminine Mystique, a book written by Betty Friedan was released which had a “profound effect on the 1960s American society” and contributed to the emergence of second wave feminism.

As well as this, women who had given up jobs and education for marriage were beginning to realize their lack of freedom. Women began to rebel against the traditional image of the housewife and see through the “myths of the feminise mystique”.

Main Characters: Betty, Peggy and Joan thumb|Mad Men Season 4- "The Beautiful"

Each character represents a particular type of social and political status of women during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Betty embodies the “quintessential dependent housewife”. She gives up her college education and job as a model in Manhattan to marry Don, become a mother and a housewife in the suburbs. Betty’s character represents the struggle of the housewife who as she describes suffers from the “problem that has no name” after realising their lack of freedom. As the series progresses it becomes clear that Betty realises her unprotected and isolated position. Betty’s character represents the change in social and political conditions for women when she chooses to divorce Don and marry a politician. However, as she remarries she is once again alone in a domestic household. Thus, even though she rebels, she does not change her situation as Peggy does.

The character of Peggy represents the modern woman as she takes matters into her own hands in both her public and private life. Peggy is able to rebel against traditional expectations of femininity and beauty by using her brains rather than her appearance. She is able to exist not restricted by strict gender lines which enables her career advancement. Peggy experiences the greatest advancement of all the Mad Men main characters. She develops from a “candid, sweet and innocent girl” to a woman who chooses to understand the ad agency in her own way and resist flirting with her boss to gain success. In order to do so she does not let the prospect of domesticity, marriage or motherhood stop her, noted especially as she gives her child away.

The character of Joan also represents the role of women but one which is very different from Peggy. Joan functions as a kind of “Marilyn” who wants to be a “Jackie”. Joan is portrayed as an office manager who seems to “have the boys under control” due to her sexual appeal. In conjunction with her brains and skills, Joan uses her body to achieve what she wants. However, this freedom changes when she marries Dr. Greg Harris which leads to her to a domestic domain where she feels insecure and fragile. Even though eventually Joan divorces Harris and advances in her career by gaining a five percent partnership stake in the company, she is restricted by her role as “Marilyn” as she has to sleep with someone in order to do so. Thus, portraying a type like individual representative of the role of women.

Fashion Moments in the show and what they represent

Joan

thumb|Joan Holloway in Mad Men Joan’s fashion is representative of her role as the “Marilyn”. Her style alludes to the pin up style which consisted of “black winged eyeliner, full red lips and filled in eyebrows with high arches.” Just as the pin up models did, Joan accentuates her waist with high heels and fishnet stockings. This is seen in Season 1, episode 2 “Ladies Room” where she wears a tight fighting beige skirt and beige top. This outfit ultimately accentuates her waist and demonstrates the way in which she uses her clothing to assert power within the work place.

She additionally wears tight fitting pencil skirts which accentuated her femininity. However, as Joan desires to be taken more seriously in her role her style changes. She begins to adopt a more tailored look which consisted of skirted business suits in order to assert her “own authority and power”. This is evident in Episode 13 of Season 6, where Joan wears a tailored suit, with Victorian like frills. Thus, demonstrating her desire to obtain power through her work rather than her sexual appeal in the work place.

 Peggy

Peggy’s initial attire represents her innocence as well as her unwillingness “to be subjected as a mere object of desire to the men.” It can be seen in Season One that she chooses not to wear makeup and opts for an outfit that does not accentuate her figure. thumb|Peggy Olson in Mad Men In these outfits her clothing consists of earth tones and plaid patterns. However, Peggy quickly asserts her own sense of professional style as she wears “a matching tailored jacket and skirt. This is shown in Season 6 Episode 12 when Peggy wears a strong suit which finds a balance between “masculinity and femininity”.

She opts for brighter colours and sometimes different styles such as a pantsuit worn in the final episode of Season 7. Such outfits become reflective of the adaption by working women of male-dominated working environments. Betty

Betty’s style is representative of the fashion of housewives during the 1950s. Betty’s style showcases women’s style consisting of poodle skirts, modest blouses with ribbons tied in their hair. This can be seen in Season 1 Episode 4.

However, despite the fashion revolution of the 1960s which saw fashion become more daring and diverse, Betty still chooses to dress in the style of the early 1950s. Such as during Season 4 where she wears poodle skirts and continues to curl her hair in the style of the 1950s. Thus, representing her inability to fully become free of the role of housewife.

thumb|January Jones as Betty Draper in Mad Men