Mad Men Sewing: Season 6 Episode 3

Time for another installment of Mad Men Sewing!!  But first I wanted to thank everyone for you lovely, lovely comments on my McCall blouse post!  *big hugs*  I also wanted to alert those of you that were looking for the pattern (McCall 764 from 1940) that there is one currently for sale on Etsy.

Also, I know the Great Gatsby opened yesterday in the States...I can't wait until it opens here this next Thursday (the 16th)!

Right, now onto Mad Men...I'm going back to episodes 3 to take a look at the fashion and to find similar vintage patterns.  But did you see last week's episode (episode 6)...definitely my favourite so far.  I can't believe Don and Ted will be working together!  What are your thoughts?

Episode 3
All of my favourite outfits from episode 3 were either worn by Peggy or Trudy.  This dress is a hallmark style for Peggy (and it shows up again in episode 6).  I love how sassy it looks:

This tie-neck dress style was very popular in the late 1960s!  Here are some vintage pattern gems in a similar style:

1. Simplicity 3522, available at the Cynical Girl Etsy Shop; 2. Simplicity 6895, available at Adele Bee Ann Patterns Etsy Shop; 3. Simplicity 5986, available at RetroMonkeys' Etsy Shop; 4. Butterick 3102, also available at RetroMonkeys' Etsy Shop; 5. Simplicity 7223, available at J Ferrari Designs Etsy Shop;  6. Simplicity 6057, available at Sydcam 123 Etsy Shop; 7. Advance 9453, available from the Cynical Girl Etsy Shop; 8. Simplicity 5832, available at Floradora Presents Etsy Shop.

I love Trudy's style but I definitely felt very bad for her this episode (and this whole season so far)...hopefully we will see her face in future episodes.  I love this floral rolled collar dress:

Here's a few 1960's rolled collar dresses.  I think this is such a classy look:

1. Simplicity 3751; 2. Simplicity 3718; and 3. Simplicity 4187, all from the RetroMonkeys' Etsy Store

When I think of 1960's style, I always think of the classic two-piece dress suit.  Peggy pulls this look off very well.  I just love her fuchsia/blue colour combo:



There's a ton of vintage two-piece dress suit patterns.  My two favourites include a classic two-piece suit and also a dress with jacket:

1. McCall's 6052 from J Ferrari Designs Etsy Store; 2. Simplicity 4564 from RetroMonkeys' Etsy Store

After the two-piece dress suit, the other style I associate with the 1960s is the classic shirtwaist dress.  Here's Trudy in a shirtwaister:

Here's a few of my favourite 1960s vintage shirtwaist dress patterns:

1. McCall's 5774, available at Adele Bee Ann Patterns and Cynical Girl's Etsy Store; 2. Advance 9424, also available at Cynical Girl's Etsy Store; 3. Simplicity 4937, available at J Ferrari Designs Etsy Store; 4. Simplicity 3758, available at Mrs. Depew Vintage Etsy Store

Which 1960s style is your favourite?

Mad Men Sewing: Season 6 Episodes 1 and 2

Welcome to my new series--'Mad Men Sewing' where I will feature some of the costumes from the show and matching vintage patterns to recreate the looks!

I was very excited about the start of season 6 on Sunday and was able to catch up with the series on itunes.  I think this season is going to be really fun in terms of costumes/outfits.  According to the styles, it seems like the season is set somewhere between 1968 and 1969 (though they haven't officially said).  Some of the outfits are still very mod but creeping into some of the 1970s styles.

Here are my pick of outfits and pattern matches based on episodes 1 and 2...

Megan's bikini:
Episode one opens with Megan and Don on the beach in Hawaii.  Megan is wearing a really fun and bright bikini:

Retro swimsuit sewing patterns from top to bottom: 1. Swimsuit and trouser/top cover-up available at Retro Monkeys' Etsy shop; 2. Bathing suit and cover-up pattern available at CynicalGirl's Etsy shop; 3. Swimsuit and top and shorts cover-up pattern available at Retro Monkeys' Etsy shop

It's interesting because I think her bikini might not be historically accurate? All of the vintage patterns I've seen are mostly for bandeau type tops or halter neck bikinis with thick straps. What do you think?   There are a lot of 1960s bikini patterns--the ones shown above are a few of my favourites.

Megan's beach cover-up:

Keeping with the funky and bright coloured fabrics, Megan wears a short cover-up on the beach:

1960's swimsuit cover-up and beach patterns. Left: pattern from SewVintageLady; Right: Butterick Easy Living beach dress pattern from Mrs Depew Vintage

While the beach cover-up pattern on the left (McCall's 8812) is a more accurate match, I can't help but LOVE the pattern on the right (Butterick 2288)....such a cute mod beach dress!!

Joan's Double-Breasted Waistcoat/Vest, Skirt and Ruffled Blouse Ensemble
Can I just say that even though she didn't have very many lines in the first two episodes, Joan still stole the show?  She looked fantastic!  I love the purple tones and the ruffled blouse:

1960s ruffled blouse patterns from left to right: 1. Ruffled blouse pattern, available at Adele Bee Ann Patterns; 2. Ruffled blouse pattern with skirt and jacket, available at Retro Monkeys' Etsy Shop; 3. Ruffled v-neck blouse and pinafore pattern, also available at Retro Monkeys' Etsy Store

You can't tell from the photo above but Joan is not wearing a one-piece dress.  It's a waistcoat/vest with a matching skirt.  Here are a few one-piece double-breasted wiggle dresses from the time period:

Double-breasted pinafore/jumper patterns.  Left: Available at Miss Betty's Attic Etsy Shop; Right: Available at Delicious Patterns and at Deja Vu Patterns Etsy Stores

And here are a few waistcoat patterns for a more accurate portrayal of Joan's outfit (to be paired with a pencil skirt):

1. Butterick 9474 pattern, available at the Alternating Pattern Etsy Store; 2. McCall's 5783, available at Frisky Scissors' Etsy Store

Jane's Mod Dress:

Ok, besides Joannie...the show was also stolen by Jane.  Who looks that good at a funeral??  I gasped when I saw her outfit.  She looks like she just walked off the cover of a Vogue Paris Original (VPO) Pattern.  I didn't find a VPO that matched exactly but here are a few that remind me of her outfit:

1. Vogue Paris Original 1540 designed by Jacques Heim, available at All the Precious Things Etsy Shop; 2. Vogue Paris Original 1809 designed by Patou, available at All the Precious Things Etsy Shop:  ; 3. Vogue Paris Original 2206 designed by Molyneux, available at Hela Q's Vintage Patterns Etsy Shop

Here's a closer look at her dress and matching hat:

And here's the outfit I wish she was wearing (lol...maybe I should name this series 'What they should have worn'...):

Vogue Paris Original 1722 designed by Pierre Cardin, available at Floradora Presents Etsy Store

This has to be one of my favourite Vogue Paris Original patterns.  The design is so mod-a-licious!

So, tell me...did you watch the season premiere?  Were you as shocked as I was by the last five minutes?  Oh dear...I think we are in for a ride this season!  What was your favourite outfit of the night?