Tag: Mad Men

Since 2007, the TV series Mad Men has encouraged a new trend in women’s fashion, with printed dresses and intricate hairstyles all the rage, but for men the show has left little options. Tailored suits and polished shoes are fine to a point, but away from the office the modern man needs to look outside of this show for his 50s inspired style. .

It might seem unlikely, but current fashion trends are more similar to the outfits worn by the Happy Days cast than Don Draper and his colleagues. A dark, understated blazer or cardigan over a light coloured shirt looks great with jeans or chinos; as long as you don’t tell anyone that you’re style icon is Richie Cunningham. Alternatively, these can be smartened up with formal trousers, a white shirt and a skinny tie to achieve a look reminiscent of Mad Men, but which is not so formal as to be office-wear.

Another great Happy Days trend to come back into fashion over winter was patterned knitwear. Usually these use neutral tones, which could be teamed with chinos for a preppy look or with jeans for a more masculine, rugged style.

In the 1950s men also took their fashion cues from the westerns of the period. Shows like the Lone Ranger, Rawhide and Gunsmoke filled the television schedule, and men began to dress accordingly. Although the more extreme versions of the cowboy shirt look appropriate only at rodeos and square dancing events, a chequered shirt with jeans is ideal for a hot summer’s day. When it gets cooler, a flannel shirt again delivers a rugged, outdoorsy style.

When styling hair, it isn’t hard to see a growing trend in celebrities who have taken their inspiration from the 50s. Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and Robert Pattinson are all guilty of waxing their hair as high as it will go, with the Fonz and the boys from Grease an obvious inspiration. To achieve the same look, let your hair grow first so that you have something to work with, then cover it in product and shape. It’s worth noting that although the hairstyle came back, the leather jackets didn’t.

For a different 50s-inspired hairdo, compare Glee’s Darren Criss to the cast of Mad Men. Again a lot of product is used, but with this look it is used to hold the hair down, and perfectly in place.

The answer then is to look outside of Mad Men. That show may have started the trend, but for men the 50s style gaining in popularity today is based more on cowboys and Happy Days.

Mad Men is not only a phenomona on AMC, the wonderful vintage narrow ties exhibited on the show have become a major trend in men’s fashion. The Mad Men television show happens in the early 60’s when narrow ties were at their hight. Now hollywood parties every night are featuring the biggest male celebrities adopting the fashion and even modern designers are perusing the show for inspiration on classic ties. If anybody wants to try this classic fashion trend then try finding authentic vintage 1950’s or 1960’s skinny neckties.

Wearing Thin Neckties:

Thin or vintage ties are such a popular style, for the reason that they can be dressed up or down depending on the event and the personal style of the wearer. The best thing is that everyone from young boys to executives are pulling off this look which gives them an instant cool edge.

For business men, a patterned, tailored suit or plaid shirt can be combined with a mono colored vintage men’s ties. Keep the look business like by wearing a tie that is a little skinnier than usual, creating the aura of confidence and authority. Make sure the pattern is also not too bright which can cause the presentation to be too much for the office.

At a black tie affair a skinny tie, combined with a classic black suit and white button down shirt is a timeless look. For a less formal style, a skinny necktie can also be paired with a cotton shirt and a vest. {Roll up the sleeves on a long sleeved shirt or go with short sleeves and add a striped or bold colored narrow necktie to create a playful and laid back look, perfect for young men.

Though narrow ties look special, their small size means they are not always the best look for bigger men. Buff, muscular men will look more appropiate with a normal width necktie. Also, the narrow necktie look is more appropiate the younger crowd. To still get the style of the Mad Man hit show, older men and more buff men can chose a tie that is thin, but a little wider than the 2 inch ties typically worn as narrow ties.

Pure silk ties in pastel blues, muted grays, browns and greens carry off the classic look that held court during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Of course, narrow neckties in plaid, adorned with graphics, bright reds, purples and oranges can also be worn. When going with a bold necktie remember that the more bold the tie is, the more tuned down the suit should be, to keep from looking too loud.

Finding a Vintage Narrow Necktie

Vintage clothes stores are a great place to look for vintage ties. For vintage inspired looks, several fashion designers have offered styles inspired by Mad Men. Among them is fashion designer Michael Kors who has created an early 60s inspired line. Classic ties from the era can be bought on the web as well. Narrow ties direct from the 1950’s and 1960’s can be found with a google search.