Nov 042009
It turns out that Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant recently started a Twitter account, and used it to discuss “The Color Blue.” Tweets tend to disappear after a few months, but these really should be preserved:
- I love Peggy’s polka dot blouse in the scene where they are pitching Aquanet. I wanted her to seem studious and perky.
- Mrs. Pryce’s blue boiled wool suit: classic, tailored, beautifully understated contrast to the “fat ladies in their furs” she talks about.
- Danny Farrell’s corduroy jacket with knit collar reflects a working class man of the period and gives the feel of him being a drifter.
- I liked the idea of Betty being in a pink penoir before she finds the keys to Don’s drawer. The pink signifies the innocence, the denial.
- I thought it was important that Betty change into a different color after finding Don’s box. The pale blue penoir shows her state of mind.
- Ahhh Betty’s brocade butterfly gown is one of my favorites! She seems so frail.
- I like for Betty to wear anything with a butterfly or bird theme. It reflects her character so well.
- Trudy’s dress at the Sterling Cooper party is one of my faves.
We can only hope that Ms. B will share more Mad thoughts in the future!
20 Responses to “Janie Bryant on "The Color Blue"”
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I loved Trudy's dress not worn to Margaret's wedding, and also Joan's La Vie En Rose dress.
OMG…I didn't even realize Betty's dress had butterflies on it! The bird theme does fit her character well, that's a nice little tidbit…
Here’s Betty in other butterflies: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_X0vAJ3AvSgI/SKjvmie_0cI/AAAAAAAABio/5Q8j_XnEoQc/s400/2647996796_ec484f0e6a.jpg
brenda, that is my favorite thing she’s ever worn. I want that blouse.
# 6 JS – I concur and the diamond/ sapphire earrings she gave Margaret – not shabby – not shabby at all.
I believe the cream and black suit that Roger's former flame wore to SC was real Chanel and if it wasn't it was a good copy. I think Alice Cooper also wore Chanel in one of her scenes. I am also full of nostalgia for the at home gowns that Betty has been wearing lately because my mother had some like them.
brenda, I would also wear Joan’s La Vie En Rose dress to any occasion at any time.
#9 Brenda — I was thinking the same thing about that white Chanel suit. Isn't there an iconic picture of Coco somewhere wearing that same suit?
I'm really loving this season because the clothes are exactly like the outfits I remember my mom wearing when I was very little. My mom had a la vie en rose dress like Joan's only hers had blue-green roses. I loved that dress and the 3/4 sleeves. I also love the earring/necklace sets like the ones Trudy and Betty wear.
Also, I need to say that the madras jacket the Paul's friend the drug dealer wore in "My Old Kentucky Home" was genius. He reminded me of Harold Evans' crap-boyfriend character in "The Best of Everything."
BTW, Jane gets my vote for best-dressed this season.
When I went and looked at the still shots (from AMC) of what everyone was wearing to that SC dinner where they honored Don… the detail was incredible. That scene goes by in a flash – you can’t see what anyone is wearing – and yet – when you look at each characters outfit – it is nothing short of extraordinary.
I also must give a shout-out to the white (mink?) stole Betty had on at Jane’s wedding. It must have been a detachable collar with a coordinating mink. I’ve never seen anything like that – but it was just so PERFECT – as is everything Janie Bryant does. Even Betty’s brocade suit at Jane’s wedding made Betty look more like a ‘grown-up’. Just perfection.
# 10 francesk – oh wow you just reminded me that in 1963 I was 14 and wore a fitted 'madras' dress with bobby socks and suede brown penny loafers my first day of school. Madras was so popular then. It was cool because when the cloth was washed it would bleed and change colors. That summer I also had a top and shorts. Loved it.
Yes, loved Betty’s fur and brocade suit, in an icy color, which contrasts to the warmer colors of the fur neckpiece and cuffs of the (champagne?) suit she wore when Betty had the quickie on the night that might have been the end of the world..)
I remember those elegant fur-trimmed suits of the period, both my aunt and stepmother wore them, I believe. I also remember those Trudy-like dresses, too. With matchy-matchy shoes dyed to match (a staple with bride’s maid and prom dresses of period, many shoe stores of the period offered that service, as did my aunt’s bridal salon, if memory serves.)
As for the stole, ah. At about the same year I acquired a white bunny fur stole to wear with a white chiffon dress to a major dance, and it saw me through several spring formal dances for years to come.
My stepmother also wore a version of Betty’s butterfly shirt and pleated skirt.
I’ve meant to comment on the muted colors of that period for awhile now — the “muddy” plaids of Peggy’s dresses, Betty’s slacks, in recent episodes. Again, I sported a (size 3 petite) muted, muddy plaid shirtwaist for back-to-school in about 1964.
Janie Bryant’s eye for detail is amazing.
1) Peignoir
2) “Boiled wool?”
@#12 Oh, Gingere,
I was 13, and on the first day of school I wore a dark teal sweater set that matched a wool accordian-pleated muted plaid skirt in dark teal, dark purple, merlot, dark spruce, and deep brownish-gold. My knee socks matched the sweater set and I had a new pair of cordovan Bass loafers. Muted jewel tones (perfect for Joan!) were coming into style.
Did you have a collection of Gant shirts that coordinated with the colors in the Madras? I especially loved the summer sleeveless ones with the cut-in armholes. I had an unlined patchwork Madras blazer that was the world’s worst PIA to iron.
Overall, the clothing and accessories in this series set off streams of consciousness, help define the characters, and contribute tremendously to the quality of the production. I’d wear anything in Betty’s wardrobe now. My only quibble is that this season, some of Sally’s play outfits are too young for her.
I hope Peggy gets a raise soon so she can go shopping and get some new outfits and a good hair style to match her growing self-confidence. Or, maybe it is just in her nature to choose things that often are not quite flattering.
#10 francesk, oui.
http://images.newstatesman.com/articles/2008/1040/20081119_043coco-chanel_w.jpg
#13 Jeff, are you asking what boiled wool is? It’s a textured, kind of nubby wool. Boiled wool jackets with silver buttons are very popular in Austria. I don’t like the fabric very much because you have to wear something under i.
#11 freelancewoman, the skirts with our school uniforms were that same muddy plaid (this was years and years after MM, but for whatever reason nobody gave the look a makeover).
The style was a white button down under a sleeveless vest with a pleated skirt, as short as possible, knee socks and penny loafers. In winter, this was topped off with a peacoat and some girls switched tights for socks. Totally geeky considering how cool the public school kids looked.
#15–yes, I did wonder, thanks. A Google turned up some fantastic $900 boiled wool pea coats from Armani but I wasn’t sure how that related to what’s-her-name’s suit.
I would have thought that suit was made of wool boucle. I think Chanel used the Linton tweeds.
I wonder if Ms. Bryant is tweeting about the use of blue in this week’s ep– maybe settle some of those disagreements on the post.
Took me forever to catch this, but Trudy’s dress at the SC anniversary dinner is the same one Betty eyed in the store window before she hooked up with the guy at the bar!