Mad for the Look

We’re mad for the crisp, retro fashions that have been dusted off and whisked from a 1960s fashion vault to our 21st century wardrobes. And the trendy comeback in tailored suits and dresses with a ladylike silhouette is due in large part to AMC’s hit television show, “Mad Men.” Millions tune in every Sunday night to watch the storyline unfold, of course, but we’re just as interested in what Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce’s execs will wear to the office.

Suave and hip glamour was the word decades ago when fashion icons shaping and defining men’s fashion included The Mods, a subculture that originated in London, along with Frank Sinatra (known for his gray sharkskin suits), crooner Bobby Darin and the Beatles.

A big reason many of us are so enamored with the Mad Men style is because it is refreshingly cool in contrast to the informal look that has dominated men’s fashion in recent years. How can a man tweak less-than-sophisticated everyday wear into something more polished and urbane without sacrificing a leisure look?

Thankfully, a returning trend for men, which has some of us turning our heads, is wearing a blazer or a sports coat with denim. A single gentleman in his mid-thirties recently hired me to help him add a bit more dapper to his drab wardrobe. While shopping we stopped at Banana Republic, which sells the Mad Men look, and found a dark navy sports jacket with a black windowpane pattern. Incorporating a color into your wardrobe other than solid black easily offsets dark denim or black trousers.

Adding a sports coat to my client’s wardrobe was a step outside his comfort zone, although I was confident this new piece would be an exemplary addition. On April’s First Friday event at the Crossroads, my client decided to break out the new Banana Republic blazer. Later that evening he texted me, expressing his delight. “Holy cow! This is working so far! I have received more looks and smiles from women tonight than I have for the past decade.”

Listen up guys: People really do respond handsomely to a little style!

What makes a Mad Men-style jacket so entrancing? Simply and instantly, the jacket offers a polished, smart and sophisticated look. The jackets are more slender, cut and tapered at the waist. Back in the day, a carefully tailored suit was standard—and some see it as a luxury today. As a wardrobe stylist, it’s my constant mantra for both men and women: Buy clothes to properly fit your body. Sometimes an off-the-rack jacket will need a bit of tailoring to fit your physique—but it’s worth the extra bucks you’ll spend in getting a piece that in the end you’ll wear and enjoy for a long time.

Swank up your inner Mad Men persona by adding a well-fitted jacket to your closet. Frank Sinatra once sang, “You’ve either got or you haven’t got style. (If you got it, you stand out a mile).” In my estimation, truer words were never penned or crooned.

And don’t forget the crisp white button-down shirt. Don Draper would be proud.

Visit It’s So U at itssouwardrobe.com for fashion and wardrobe tips.