Mad Men night out - YouLookFab Forum

Hey girls,

I've been silent for quite a stretch thanks to work and a house renovation - still in progress (when/will it ever end? Aaaah!)... but as I have a somewhat interesting event coming on this weekend, I thought I would make time to write and collect your gals' wise opinions.

So... it's an yearly itinerant that takes its inspiration from previous decades. Food, decoration, artists, music all vary according to the chosen decade and, this time; as the title of this post already gives up... it's all about the 50s. The wasp waist isn't that friendly - at least, I can't exactly picture myself being all comfy and gorgeous in a wasp waisted dress - but I want to use this "Mad Men Night Out" as an opportunity to dare out of my comfort zone.

I didn't want to spend a fortune on a new dress in a shape I'm not comfortable with... plus it had to fit me off the rack (as the celebration is this Saturday and my tailor isn't available on such short notice). So... I picked this option here from H&M in both light grey and black: http://www.hm.com/at/product/24329?article=24329-A. The plan is/was to wear either of them with my red stilettos and a black fur coat I found on a thrift shop last season.

But now I'm having doubts about it being too simple, too bleh, for the event. Anyone has a killer solution? How to dress it up 50s style? Or another dress that will cost less than 80 USD and that I can get my hands on quickly (living in Vienna, Austria)?

12 years ago

rute

Veteran

The dress is gorgeous not blah at all, the problem is that it doens't say 50's to me.

I would go for:

http://www.hm.com/pt/product/23337?article=23337-A

http://www.hm.com/pt/product/23754?article=23754-B

http://www.hm.com/pt/product/22968?article=22968-A

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jurocha

(website)

I have a few fit and flares on my closet; both skirts and dresses. Some even made it to the forum already (as in: http://youlookfab.com/upload/i....._image.jpg; and this orphan, that has still not been donated: http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....se-orphans).

I didn't think at all of flares when putting an outfit together for this Mad Men evening. I had the attached picture in mind, in fact! There is even a flare dress there, but I was too focus on the look the red head Christina Hendricks is pulling off to even notice it before.

I guess that what in my head really reads 50s is midi-length.

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No styling, no shoes... the dresses as raw as they get. The gray is slightly snugger than the black - a cut issue that I've noticed to happen quite often in H&M pieces (the lighter colors are cut smaller than black and navy ones).

The dresses have no lining. So what you see is what you get: they are made of a polyester blend.

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ramya

Jurocha that's 50s in my mind. With right hair style I think you could pull it off. Go for it.
P.S. : Like it better than the orphans .

unfrumped

Maybe more on the accessories? If you were belted, carried a 50's handbag on your arm- ooh, how about short gloves-- or a hat-/ vintage or thrifted( need to borrow from church ladies!). Lipstick, hair.. I think of stuling that dress so you are
looking "uptight" ( maybe prim is a better word)rather than a looser, edgier look that would be more modern.

El Cee

Both dresses are stunning on you and think either color would work… especially if hair and accessories have that retro feel (as ramya and unfrumped have suggested). The black version reminds me very much of a dress that my mom used to wear to cocktail parties in the early '60's. (BTW --Both my mom and dad worked at ad agencies… so they were part of the "Mad Men" environment.)

April

The shape of that dress is very close to my mother's "going away" dress (worn after she changed out of her wedding gown) and that was 1959. With a thrifted fur it should look great. How about adding a bunch of pearls or other beads?

Suz

I think it reads as late-50s influenced and you can definitely make it work. Some fake pearls or clip on earrings, a little clutch, heels, and yes -- if you have time -- a thrifted fur stole!

Have a wonderful time! (And it is nice to see you!)

Missey

And don't forget the red lipstick! This is a party after all! The H&M dress reminds me very much of what Don Draper's wife Megan would wear, she's more on the hipster side of the 50's.

L'Abeille

The seaming of the dress is apparent in the pic of the grey one--that is a perfect style for the era.
My suggestions: wrist length gloves, and a hat. A little pillbox or something else tiny, with a veil if you can find it.
Pearls is a great idea. If like me you are less blingy, what about a peter pan collar pinned onto the neckline? Or a circle brooch if you can find one.
Definitely the fur coat.
This sounds like so much fun. As if I needed any convincing that Vienna isway cooler than my neck of the woods!

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