Style Lessons from Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks (Joan); How to Get the Look!

What a season for Mad Men! My favorite moment of season 5 has to be when Joan Harris finally told off her rapist husband, Greg.  Mad Men has taught me a lot about style like how to put on eyeliner.  In celebration of the show’s iconic style, I’ll be doing several articles featuring style tips from the different characters beginning with Joan Harris

(played by the talented Christina Hendricks).   While Joan is tall and voluptuous, there are lessons in style that all women (regardless of body type) can use.  (See picture.  Hendricks is the redhead.)

For redheads, green, purple, and blue are great colors.  And a note to all women:  When you wear green, choose carefully.  There are different kinds of green—army green, curtain/vomit green, Kelly green, and emerald green.  The latter two shades are the best.  Want Joan’s look?  Check out this green number at http://www.pinupgirlclothing.com/ava-dress-jade-green.html.   Vintage clothes are great for working with curves–they make the best of hips, thighs, and stomachs.   If you love vintage clothes, www.pinupgirlcothing.com is a great site!  They have everything from dresses to swimsuits.

Try V-Necks and Pencil Skirts

V-Necks:  With her ample chest, Joan dons dresses and blouses with v-necks well.  V-necks are the best neckline for women with large chests.  If you have a large chest, avoid boatnecks, which make buxom women look like they can’t breathe.

Pencil Skirts:  These are great for all women.  Joan wears pencil skirts that highlight her shapely legs.  You don’t need to be a size two to have great legs.  Also, if you have thick thighs, pencil skirts are great because they’re roomy in the thighs and create an hourglass silhouette.  Most women carry excess weight in their tummy (like me especially with Prednisone), which is why I love pencil skirts.

Interested in buying a pencil skirt?  Check out this chic black number from Halogen at Nordstrom that comes in petite and regular sizes!  It’s on sale now for $39.99; I wear it to work, church, and out to dinner. 

4 Timeless Rules on Beauty & Confidence

1.  Beauty is a moving target.  You can’t please all people all the time.  Some people are just stupid like the critic at the New York Times who called Hendricks fat the day after she walked the red carpet (January 18, 2010 edition).  In that same edition of NYT, another writer went on and on about how beautiful Hendricks is.  We later learned that the critic who called her fat actually photo-shopped her picture to make her look bigger!

2.  Ignore assholes excuse me, critics.  When people (especially people who know you’re sick) criticize your appearance, it’s not really about you.  It’s about their own insecurities—some people feel insecure about the way they look or other issues (Am I smart enough?  Why does everyone else have it together?), and they put down others to feel superior.  Other critics have a very narrow view of beauty—beauty for them only includes women size 4 and below.

3.  Your Opinion Matters Most!  When I get dressed, the first opinion I care about is mine.  The second most important?  Mine.  And everyone else’s can take a back seat.  It’s not that other people’s opinions—our families, boyfriends, friends—are not important.  It’s that their opinions should never be as important as ours.  People are fickle—someone can call you beautiful today and say otherwise tomorrow.  Have you gained weight?  Did you lose your hair? Yaytayataya…

4.  Always believe in yourself.   To anyone that matters, the way you carry yourself is far more important than your dress size.  Believe in yourself.  If you don’t, why should anyone else?

 

–Your Stylist, Jessica Gimeno

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JessicaGimeno

Hi there! I am a patient advocate, writer, and public speaker most well known for my TEDx Talk, “How to Get Stuff Done When You Are Depressed.” As someone who is juggling 5 illnesses: bipolar 2, myasthenia gravis, endometriosis, psoriasis, and asthma, I’m passionate about helping people who navigate life with both chronic physical & emotional pain. If you’re interested in hiring me to speak at your event, check out the CONTACT tab.

2 thoughts on “Style Lessons from Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks (Joan); How to Get the Look!

  • July 7, 2012 at 1:31 pm
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    Look @ yourself w/God’s eyes. He sees you as beautiful no matter what illness or size.

    Reply

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