Bryant has the “Mad” touch with costume design

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If you haven't yet heard of AMC's television series Mad Men, you've been living under a rock. When I went out for Halloween and saw quite a few people dressed up as Don Draper, I realized just how crazy of a phenomenon this show is turning out to be.

I'm glad I caught on in time, as the series is really starting to take off and gain recognition. I had heard good things so decided to see if all the hype was legitimate, and sure enough I was sucked into the world of 1960's New York City and the clever characters that inhabit it. I am only on the second season so far, but am working on catching up to the fourth season which just finished airing on TV.

I couldn't quite figure out where the initial appeal of the show came for me, I just knew it would be a show I would like even though I couldn't pinpoint why that was. Once I found myself spellbound and unable to resist watching episode after episode before bed, I made a mental note as to why I couldn't manage to turn away from the screen. Unlike anything I had ever seen before, Mad Men invites you into a world that my generation had never known and probably never will, authentically. It's so shocking to see things like smoking cigarettes as such a common occurrence, and to see women still so far from freedom and equality to men. But the one aspect of the show that always hypnotizes me is the female characters and their everyday attire.

I can honestly say that I am extremely attracted to Christina Hendricks (Joan Harris in the show). Her stunning bombshell body and fiery red hair had her named sexiest woman in the world of 2010 for Esquire magazine, by a poll taken of only female readers. I can't speak for all women, and of course I can't say I'm not glad that we no longer enforce the same standards on how to dress and put ourselves together, but I have a lot of respect for the women that lived in the '60's and looked as good as Betty Draper (January Jones) did every single day. Not a strand of hair out of place, lipstick always perfect and a pair of kitten heels to wear while doing housework. This is such a ridiculous fantasy world; I don't even know if it was really like this for the majority of America; however, it's quite well played out in the show.

There's a reason the women (and men) of Mad Men are so noted for their style and grace, and that the show has become so popular partly due to the lust and charm of many of the strongest characters; that reason is Janie Bryant.

Janie Bryant, the costume designer for the Mad Men series, is a genius. She has previously been compared to Patricia Field (famous costume designer known for her stunning work with Sex and the City) which is quite an honour, to say the least. She believes dressing up is an art — with which I have to concur — and sees costume design as a way to communicate a character's story through their wardrobe. Something many people may not have previously noted is that Betty Draper is often dressed in glacial blues and bridal whites to compliment the coolness of her character and iced perfection. Then of course, Joan (Hendricks) is dressed in sexy reds and curvy dresses to reflect her character's sensuality.

The overall work she has done thus far for the show is having a huge impact not just on those involved with the show and the television world, but those in the fashion world. Mad Men-inspired collections started showing up in 2008, with Michael Kors and Prada's 2008 resort line. Vintage and vintage-inspired pieces are what Bryant normally works with, and she is having a huge influence on the resurrection of old to new. She's reminding us how cool it is to re-live the past decades.