If you haven’t heard of Mad Men, it was a drama show that ran from 2007 to 2015. It took place during the 1960s, and it focused on an ad executive named Donald Draper. Betty Draper, also known as Betty Francis, was Donald Draper’s ex-wife and Henry Francis’ current wife. She was a stay-at-home-mother that embodied the average married woman of the early ‘60s: heavily depended on yet never fully appreciated. She was stuck in her house to take care of their kids while Donald was frequently away and cheating on her.
Her split from Donald and her pursuit of an education in psychology were small but sure actions towards personal liberation. She wasn’t a perfect person, especially to her children and in the fact that she had extramarital affairs. However, her vulnerability and outright loneliness is the fuel that allows her to change her life and live it closer to her own terms, rather than what a patriarchal society expects of her.
Image courtesy of HuffPost.
Knowing Betty’s story and her personality only elevate the awe factor of her outfits. Despite falling apart emotionally, she always looked picture perfect. This speaks to what women in the sixties, and even now, had to do with their emotions: pack them away and paint on a fake smile. Below, we’ll take a look at some of her best outfits and how you can recreate this iconic character’s style.
What this article will cover:
- Outfits worn by Betty Draper
- How to recreate these looks
- Her clothes and jewelry throughout different seasons
Dress and Blazer Set
Images courtesy of Worn on TV and Macy’s.
In this episode, Betty Draper wears a fuzzy dress with a matching jacket. Although simple, the outfit is classy and looks well put together. While it is a different pattern, Macy’s Tweed Mini Dress and Tweed Cropped Jacket worn together create a similar look to Betty’s. As for her jewelry, she kept it minimal with a string of pearls, a small watch, a bangle, and chunky hoop earrings. Since the set is a statement in itself, keeping your jewelry plain and simple will help make the dress pop. You can achieve this outfit for around $320, and pair it with jewelry and shoes that you already have. The beauty of this outfit is that you can create so many different outfits with it. If you want to dress it down, you can wear the dress by itself with your hair up and Converses. If you want to wear it to work, you can wear both the dress and jacket with your hair done and black heels.
White Pleated Dress
Images courtesy of Pinterest and Amazon.
Betty Draper’s white pleated dress is the perfect mix of casual and elegant. A dress on Amazon has similar sleeves, a thick waistband, and a flowy, pleated skirt. This dress is $39.99 with 4.3 stars out of 5. It has over five thousand ratings. This look wouldn’t be complete without a matching headband, which you can find at Urban Outfitters for $12. The headband is ribbed cloth, so if you’d like to make it thicker or thinner based on your look and hair type, you can just fold it over. Betty Draper is wearing almost no jewelry, except for pearl stud earrings to match the all white theme of the outfit. So, you can recreate this look for a little over $50. This dress has a springtime aesthetic, so it would be perfect to wear to the golf course, a walk in the park, or to watch a tennis match. It has a sporty vibe without being underdressed.
Brown Plaid Shirtdress
Images courtesy of Pinterest and Hot Topic.
Betty Draper’s brown plaid shirtdress was a cute, casual everyday look. A similar dress can be found at Hot Topic with the only differences being in sleeve length and pattern. Betty Draper’s dress was styled with a thin brown belt, and you can get a similar one at Forever 21. The belt helps tie the look together and accentuate your waist. As with her other outfits, Betty Draper is wearing a simple string of pearls and a small watch. The belt is a little under $8 and the dress is $34.90, so you can achieve this look for just over $40. This dress is very versatile, and you can dress it up or tone it down depending on how you accessorize. If you’d like to make it look more formal, you can wear it with the belt, heels, and a jewelry set. If you’d like to go for a more everyday look, you can wear this dress with Doc Martens, minimal jewelry, and no belt.
Dusty Pink Dress
Images courtesy of Pinterest and MACloth.
This dusty pink dress is uniquely stunning, in large part because of the sleeves, which seem to wrap around the back from arm to arm. MACloth has a similar dress, called the Cap Sleeve Cocktail Dress. While the sleeves do not wrap around, they have a similar look. The color match, however, is nearly identical. With just a bangle and a choker necklace, Betty Draper keeps it light on accessories. You can get this look-a-like dress for $109. This dress is great for any formal event, such as a wedding, dance, birthday, or nice dinner. With the work on the waist and shoulders as well as the wrap pattern on the chest, the dress can be worn with or without jewelry.
Image courtesy of Mad Men Maniac.
If you’d like to include the fur coat into your look as well, Amazon has a long faux fur coat for $20.99. Another small detail that makes all the difference is Betty Draper’s pink gloves. Amazon has pink satin gloves for just $9.99. These additions are perfect if you are in a colder area, or if you just want to spice up the dress. The coat is also a good investment in general, because it goes with most clothes and it can make any outfit more dramatic.
Pink Halter Neck Dress
Images courtesy of Style Delights and EGO Shoes.
This hot pink halter dress is super flattering on everyone, and it was styled with a chunky set of earrings and a necklace. Although it is not the same shade of pink, EGO Shoes has a $36 dress that has a similar neck style, a thick waistband, and a pleated skirt. This dress is very summery in its color and style, so it would be perfect to wear on vacation, dinner, or even to the beach. You can make it more or less formal depending on what you wear with it. If you want to look casual, you can pair the dress with flip flops and tied up hair. If you want to make it look more formal, you can wear it with heels and jewelry.
Button Down and Trousers
Images courtesy of Pinterest and Cider.
This outfit screams 1960s from the button down tank top, to the trousers, to the sunglasses. A similar top is sold by Cider for $20. Amazon has $34.99 pale green trousers with a similar fit as Betty Draper’s—straight leg pants that stop just above the ankle. Both the shirt and pants are $54.99. Pair these with your favorite sunglasses and formal shoes, and you’ve got this outfit in the bag. This outfit is great for everyday, or even on Casual Fridays at work.
Other Ways to Emulate Betty Draper
Aside from her outfits, some of Betty Draper’s staples are her hair and makeup. More than anything, she is known for donning a bright red lip and short, curled blonde hair. If you’re committed to the vintage look, Amazon sells 1935 Besame lipstick. A little earlier in the timeline than the fifties and sixties, but it still helps set the tone, and it is $29. From the actual sixties, Etsy has brush rollers for $26.99. With this authentic haircare, you can recreate Betty Draper’s voluminous waves.
Last Thoughts on Betty Draper’s Fashion
Betty Draper’s style was soft and elegant, which is why she had such timeless looks. Decades later, the fashion shown in Mad Men is still coveted, and we hope that this guide helped you find products you can rock in the same way Betty did!
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