Like countless others, I became a huge fan of Mad Men on AMC this fall. I had watched it from time to time before, but this season marked a change for me in that I couldn’t miss an episode. It’s not that the show wasn’t good before, but this season I really felt drawn toward Don Draper on a number of levels.
So when my wife asked me to write a blog about Christmas, it was easy to find inspiration – Don Draper. So with that, this is my version of a Don Draper Christmas.
The Basics
Even though Don is a very complicated man, a lot of things about him are very cut and dry. His wardrobe is one of them. It’s pretty formal, but you know he means business just by looking at him. So let’s start with a good gray suit. Because you’re not in your 20s anymore. And even if you are, you have to look older or everyone thinks you’re the green, wet behind the ears amateur that you are. Hey, that’s what Don would say. But enough already. Here’s the suit I like from Charles Tyrwhitt, and I’m sure Don would approve:
I even like the color: Tonic Gray. Perfect for a gin & tonic or a martini. But Don has rye whiskey and lots of it. On the rocks, neat, or in an Old-Fashioned, Don enjoys a good drink. The obvious choice is Templeton Rye.
As for me, I prefer scotch. My choice? Laphroaig (pronounced La-froyg). Made on the island of Islay, their 10yr scotch is perfect for having after a hard day of keeping your staff, your colleagues, and your boss in line. Plus, it’s a lot less expensive than their 18yr scotch, which I simply love.
The Details
Since we got the big stuff out of the way, time to move to the details. First thing is the shirt & tie to go with the suit. Again, I offer these from Charles Tyrwhitt. The shirt is their Black Label white shirt because nobody wore anything other than a white shirt to the office.
The tie? Simple black and gray should do the trick:
Then there’s the shoes. Black, simple. And they’d better lace up. Don doesn’t wear those fancy schmancy tasseled loafers and neither should you. If I were Don, I’d pick these from Cole Haan. I have a pair of their Nike Air lace ups and I think they’re great.
Since all of Don’s shirts at the office have French cuffs, you need cuff links. This pair I spotted on Etsy will work. They’re vintage, and they just look like a pair Don would use:
Last but not least, you have to have a lighter. Not that any of us can smoke in our offices anymore, but you need to be prepared in case someone needs a light. As someone who has the occasional Arturo Fuente Canones, I’ve always liked Colibri lighters. And their Wellington flint lighter is, in a word, swanky.
So there you have it. The complete get-up you need to look like everyone else who wishes they were Don Draper. Let me know how that works out for you.
On second thought, don’t.
Disclosure: This post was not sponsored by any of the products or manufacturers of those products. This is all just stuff I like.
