Mad about Mad Men

After the first minute of the very first episode I was hooked. Hooked on the story lines, hooked on the period, hooked on the actors and most of all, hooked on the clothes! .

The as they appeared on screen dressed much differently than we do nowadays. I’m not going to necessarily say that this is a bad thing, but I definitely won’t say that?it is a good thing either. Still, when the season premier of AMC’s critically acclaimed, 16-Emmy Award winning, is that really how it was – TV show happened last night, I was all but gleeful when 10 p.m. came around and I was able to see my dear old friend Don Draper.

In the opening scene, we see Draper having illusions as he readies a glass of milk that he later takes to his wife. During this time, what I noticed most was the sleep wear. I remember hearing from someone that getting dressed was an experience in itself. Every circumstance and situation calls for the appropriate clothes.

I still live by that same philosophy. Each of the were very well put together. Draper’s sleepwear was an expression, his suits, all conservative in color – an expression. How did these men do it? Did every man in the 60s just instinctively know how to dress? And if so, how come our generation isn’t the same way?

Make no mistake about it, we men – generation Xers and millennials, have great fashion at our disposal. Still, when it comes to true style, it seems that Don Draper,?the rest of the , and the real-life that once walked as giants on Fifth Avenue in the 50s and 60s have us beat.

Since I’ve never been the type of person to take defeat lying down; I’ve decided to compose a great list of some great style choices that might do Don Draper proud.

The 3-Piece Suit

Never underestimate the power of the 3-piece suit. Now that winter is returning, it is the perfect time to break out the 3-piece suit. This suit is classic. The vest, the jacket and the pants – it’s a look. I believe that shows like are single-handedly bringing back the classics to menswear. And as they bring back look after look, the 3-piece suit still stands as an iconic staple in menswear.

Gray, Black and Navy Blue

Gray, black and navy blue are the quintessential colors of the professional white color work place. I do not anticipate this changing anytime soon. Don’t resent it – embrace it. Since we are talking about the classics, nothing is more classic than these three colors. Jackets. Topcoats. Pants – oh my!

The Slicked Back Hair

The Dapper Dan expression comes from that classic male – well groomed, well bred, well dressed. Now, they are called metro sexual. Before that, they were referred to as dapper dans – and is filled with them. A little pomade goes a long way. The truth is – during the days of , their hair looked more maintained with less product. What does that say about us?

Sometimes, in order to reinvent ourselves, a visit to the style archives is necessary – and I can think of no better reminder than .