While season 4 left us with many personal changes for Don, Betty, Joan and the rest of the Mad Men gang, it also marked a pivotal change in fashion. The early ’60s with their heavily ’50s influenced full skirts and shirtwaist dresses has come to an end. The mid to late ’60s style is much more Jackie O. Kennedy with brighter colors, simple sheath dresses, knits, smaller hats, and pants! The casualwear revolution is beginning to take hold in everyday life, including acceptable office wear (gasp!).
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Late 1960s Mad Men Costumes
We don’t know what exactly the Mad Men costume team has planned for season 5, but based on the fashion history of the mid ’60s, we should have some good clues.
Here are my Mad Men Season 5 fashion predictions:
Brighter colors such as pinks, lime green, canary yellow, and sea blue are all set to add some new life to the Mad Men team. Outfits that matched in color for dresses, shoes, hats, and bags were the rule of the day. Betty and the new Mrs. Draper will probably lead the pack with this updated housewife look.
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1966 dresses (Betty Draper style)
Besides brighter colors, an influx of patterns may spring up for the summer months. Floral, tropical prints, stripes and dainty mini prints will increase in popularity as the decade progresses. Again, the housewives will probably be the leaders of this fashion fad.
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1966 Young Floral Dresses
For the office girls, like Peggy, we will still see many curves and cap sleeve dresses or two piece suit sets with an array of vintage accessories. Scarves could be a big hit, same with bold bangles and necklaces. I predict she will be one to watch this season for the best fashion forward wears.
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1966 Mod Dresses (Peggy Style)
Dresses wont be the only Mad Men fashion hot spot. Pants will be in. Already seen in season 4 with Joan, cigarette pants matched with cute tops will be seen in and out of the office. Megan wears the cutest casual clothes, so I expect her to continue the trend.
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1966 The Mod Look – Casual Outfits
Cardigan sweaters have not gone of out fashion yet. On the contrary, they will play an even bigger role with women this season. Classy and functional, they are the icing on the cake that can pull an entire outfit together. Plain, beaded, or trimmed with simple lines, the cardigan is here to stay.
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1967 Sweaters and Cardigans
For these and more great Mad Men inspired clothing try one of these shopping pages:
60s Dresses | 1960s Dresses Mod, Mini, Hippie
1960s Cocktail, Party, Prom, Evening Dresses
Debbie Sessions has been teaching fashion history and helping people dress for vintage themed events since 2009. She has turned a hobby into VintageDancer.com with hundreds of well researched articles and hand picked links to vintage inspired clothing online. She aims to make dressing accurately (or not) an affordable option for all. Oh, and she dances too.