Couture Allure

So I FINALLY got on the Mad Men bandwagon and put seasons 1 and 2 in my Netflix queue. I am now officially addicted, not only because I'm dying to see more of Don Draper's past and find out who knocked up Peggy (we're supposed to think it's Pete, right? But I suspect there may be a little twist headed my way. Time will tell...), but I am also obsessed because I live and breathe for the fashions. Actually, that is the primary reason many of my friends told me to get on board with this show. They all kept saying, "You'll LOVE the costumes!" Naturally, as a costume designer, that was quite appealing to me. I actually really love designing period costumes because there's an extra challenge of not only being historically accurate, but also of trying to stay within those confines while also making the looks fresh, new and unique. But my point is that my friends know me VERY well because I love the show and I love the costumes. If it weren't for all the issues women dealt with back then, I would have loved to live in the 60's.

Recently, I was perusing the interwebs for some costume-related research and I stumbled across Couture Allure, which for anyone who loves the clothing of the 50's, 60's and even 70's is a treasure trove of amazingness and wonderment. Are those even words? Who cares! This site is to die for! Need proof? Here it is:

Cotton Floral Full Skirt Dress, $185

I adore this yellow dress because it also reminds me of what Chuck might wear on Pushing Daisies, another favorite show because of the fashions. But it also reminds of something Betty Draper would sport if she got together for lunch with some of her lady friends.

Fuchsia Wool Wiggle Dress, $175

If this fuchsia frock doesn't scream "Joan Holloway" I don't know what does! Joan is one of my favorite characters for a lot of reasons, one of which is her clothes. She always looks flawless and so super sexy. Her red hair is fabulous, too. She is the iconic sexy secretary of the 1960's and she knows it. Her form-fitting dresses show off her curves in the most feminine way.

Cotton Striped Full Skirt Dress, $375

Another perfect Betty Draper dress, this one more of an every day frock. It features one of my very favorite color combinations- yellow and grey. I adore the way the stripes are sewn to create a chevron effect down the front of the dress. Stunning.

Navy Wool Dress, $145

Can't you just picture this on Peggy while she makes eyes at Pete Campbell? Maybe he'd rip the collar on it, too...  

Green Wool Dress, $195

I adore this suit and I could absolutely picture it on Rachel. She'd wear it to one of her "business meetings" at lunch with Don where they'd smoke cigarettes and talk candidly about the sexual tension between them. She is a fabulous character and I'm looking forward to seeing more episodes about her. I love that she is a strong woman defying convention (and her father) and really working hard to make something of her store and herself. This period in our history was huge for women and I like the Rachel represents that small but powerful group who refused to let the fact that they were women stop them from reaching their goals. (See, it's not ALL about the smoking and the affairs!)

Apricot Organza Party Dress, $165

Now that I've covered my favorite characters, I'll switch gears and just show you my favorite dresses from this site. Since I pretty much always dress like I'm going to a cocktail party, I'm going to post my favorite cocktail and formal dresses. I like picturing myself in them at the opera or a symphony performance or a White House state dinner or something else as unattainable as the dress. 

Full Skirt One-Shoulder Dress, $275

This red one actually reminds me a bit of my red dress that I made last Christmas. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather because I'd really like to wear it again. The heavier cotton sateen and the sleeves make it a little warm for July. But I digress...

Pink Silk Cocktail Dress, $135

Full Skirt Party Dress, $750

Cream Satin Party Dress, $475

I really don't have any words for the last two other than "Oh. My. God." It must be so much fun to work on the wardrobe for a show like Mad Men. Someday, maybe... In the meantime I'll just enjoy this amazing website and their even more amazing vintage fashions.