Back Into The Closet: From a reboot idea to why an episode was completely blue, all the wardrobe secrets from Mad Men

Back Into The Closet: From a reboot idea to why an episode was completely blue, all the wardrobe secrets from Mad Men

Costumes are a television show essential. Without them, a show is rendered completely unbelievable, but with them they catapult our imaginations to a particular time and place, leaving behind a legacy in the process.

Whether it’s Villanelle’s pink dress in Killing Eve or Ugly Betty’s poncho, there’s usually always more than meets the eye and a whole world of tiny details that escape unnoticed.

Each week Back Into The Closet will deliver an exclusive look into the wardrobes of some of the world’s leading series to bring you all the costume secrets and niceties we might have missed.



Last time, we caught up with The Mindy Project, costume designer Salvador Pérez, but this time around we’re bringing you all the gems from Mad Men thanks to Janie Bryant.


One episode was completely blue

The colour blue ran completely through season 3 episode 10 (Picture: AMC)

Season three episode 10 is filled to the brim with the colour blue to reflect Brit-born Rebecca Pryce’s (played by Embeth Davidtz) unhappiness about living across the pond.

‘It’s the episode where Lane’s wife says she’s sad about being in America and she really misses home,’ Janie told us.

‘In that episode there’s all different shades of blue.

‘All the characters wear the colour the blue or some shade of blue just to really tie into that theme of the episode.

‘It really does create a visual mood of sadness.’

Don Draper’s shirts were made especially so cigarettes could fit in the pockets

Don’s shirts were custom made so they could hold his cigarettes (Picture: AMC)

Smoking is obviously a major theme of the show and the costume department made sure Don Draper’s (John Hamm) shirts could accommodate his cigarettes.

‘I designed so many of his suits and we made his shirts for the right fit, for the right collar, for the right colour, for the shirt pocket on the chest, for the cigarettes and what not.’

Each tie was chosen to reflect the character’s mood

Each tie tells a story (Picture: AMC)

No detail was left spared on Mad Men, not even the colour of the ties.

Janie revealed: ‘Every scene I would ask the question, “Does this tie tell the story of what the character is saying? Does it convey anger? Does it covey sadness? Does it convey happiness? Does it convey betrayal?

‘Each detail with each scene we’d ask ourselves whether the costumes tell the story of what the character is going through.’

Joan always wore matching brooches and earrings around holiday season

Joan would always wear a matching earring and brooch set around the festive season (Picture: AMC)

Christina Hendricks’ Joan Holloway had a penchant for wearing a matching earring and broach sets, but only around each festive season.

‘Every holiday I would always find Christmas, Halloween or Thanksgiving brooch sets for Joan so she would wear themed jewelry with every holiday,’ revealed Janie.

‘All those little details from the period were so fun.’

Joan’s outfits were pretty much all custom made

Joan’s costumes were all custom made (Picture: AMC)

All of Joan’s ensembles were to die for and they were all unique, created by Janie herself.

‘I designed and we built almost every single one of Joan’s costumes,’ Jaine said. ‘About 90 per cent of her costumes were costume made for her.

‘My colour pallet for her was so specific so many of the costumes were built for the show. As costume designer, I loved that whole process.’



Betty’s season 2 gown took the longest to make out of the whole show

Betty’s season two blue gown took the longest (Picture: AMC)

Betty’s gorgeous blue gown in season two episode The Gold Violin was the longest costume to make across seven seasons.

‘I designed that dress for Betty and we had to build three of them because she gets sick in the car and gets sick on her dress,’ Janie recalled.

‘That did take a long time, there was a lot of details and a lot of beading in the gown.

‘There was also this blue silk organza overdress that went with the silk gown underneath. That took a lot of work to make three of those gowns.’

January Jones didn’t mind wearing the fat suit

January Jones wore a fat suit in season five (Picture: AMC)

January Jones wore a fat suit and prosthetic double chin for the entire fifth season as her character Betty put on weight caused by boredom and unhappiness in her second marriage.

‘She was such a great sport and we laughed every single fitting,’ Janie said. ‘She was always like, “I’m a totally different person.”

‘It was like designing for a totally different person and a totally different character.’

She added: ‘She had to stay in the suit and her costume on top of that for hours. It was definitely more difficult to be in that just being a regular costume but she was a great sport.’

Mad Men won’t be returning – but here’s an epic reboot idea

Mad Men isn’t coming back (Picture: AMC)

For those of us who had held on hope for a Mad Men revival, it’s not looking good.

‘I don’t think the show is coming back, well not that I know of,’ Janie told us.

That being said, Janie has got an idea of where she’d like to take the show if it did return, adding: ‘Maybe if it did come back it would have to be 1975 or something.’


We’re fully behind this.

Costumes were repeated for our enjoyment

The character’s were partial to re-wearing outfits (Picture: AMC)

The characters in Mad Men often wore outfits again and again and there was good reason too.

‘It’s important to see the characters as real,’ Janie explained.

‘I always liked reliving my favouirte and having the audience being able to enjoy the costumes again of their favourite characters too. Once is not enough!’

She continued: ‘I think that’s important to tell the story that we do wear our clothes again and again and it’s important to keep the characters grounded in reality.

‘It’s also a reflection in that we as people don’t change our style all that often anyway.’

Back Into The Closet is a weekly series that delves into most iconic costumes to ever grace television, from shows past and present. Check back each Thursday for the latest wardrobe secrets.

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