One of the themes of the Mad Men Season 2 episode Maidenform is fantasy versus reality; how life fails to conform to our fantasies, and what we do about it.
Playtex has a practical campaign about fit; what women really are, and what really works for them. Maidenform has a fantasy campaign. Playtex thinks perhaps they’d do better with a fantasy.
Pete references The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, which is about how things aren’t what you think they are, except they turn out to be what you thought after all (as Pete describes it). The most famous quote from Liberty Valance is “This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”
Everyone has a fantasy; a bubble being burst. Betty fantasizes she is a high school girl, flirting with Arthur. Pete fantasizes that he is an important businessman; he tells his brother he is too important to take a vacation, he struts in front of, and seduces, a model with his “important” business card. Paul, of course, fantasizes that women are either Marilyn or Jackie, and Peggy fantasizes that she can break through the (not yet called that) glass ceiling. And Bobbie has a sexual fantasy that doesn’t exactly work out.
The darker theme is the view of others and how that effects us”how we are seen, how we see ourselves”but inside of that is the notion of “I dreamed…”
7 Responses to “Maidenform dreams and fantasies”
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My mother constantly referenced the Maidenform campaign throughout my 1970's childhood. If I said, "I skinned my knee," she'd say, "I dreamed I skinned my knee in my Maidenform bra." If I said, "Jeff's picking on me!" She'd say, "I dreamed Jeff was picking on me in my Maidenform bra." We still crack each other up with it.
Maidenform wasn't a big favourite of mine originally, but I've heard the writing team feels it's one of their best. Since rewatching it I've found it on of the most thematically rich episodes of MM. I keep finding more layers. You're right about the fantasy vs reality. I love the theme of various characters seeing each other through other peoples eyes – Don seeing himself through Sally (and Bobbie), Peggy seeing herself through Pete, Duck seeing himself through Chauncey, etc.
I've not seen Liberty Valance but it's impressive that even the 60s culture references fit perfectly with the themes of the episode.
Liberty Valance is one of the greats.
There's also a mirror motif, tying into both the fantasy and the how-other-people-see-you themes.
Yes, the mirror motif is amazing! With the Jackie/Marilyn campaign and that final mirroring shot of Don Drapper sitting in the bathroom. I also find the Pete/Peggy look in the strip club very mirrorlike. Maybe a foreshadowing of "You know me and I know you." Peggy's dress is the same shade of blue as Pete's blue suit. Mad Men gets me obsessive over colours!
I just thought of this in regard to characters in this episode seeing themselves through the eyes of others. One of the most common recurring dreams is about going to work or school in ones underwear. It's a dream that's often about embarrassment or vulnerability — being "seen" by others.
'Cept it's okay if your underwear is pretty! Then you can tame lions, or walk a tightrope or, presumably, get into an accident without any loss of face. But who's looking at your face?
I bought a 1950 issue of Harper's Bazaar today from a vintage book shop and there was a Maidenform ad in it! The tag line was "I dreamed I went to the theater, in my Maidenform bra."
It was a trip to see…
I remember the Maidenform ads from my Mom's magazines. They were witty, sophisticated & on the edge of being naughty. Surely, some bluenoses somewhere were finding them offensive.
There's a good selection here: http://pzrservices.typepad.com/vintageadvertising…