Dress the Part: Mad Men’s Jessica Paré

Don Draper’s proposal at the end of Mad Men’s season four to Megan, a 25-year-old secretary played by up-and-coming actress Jessica Paré, was unexpected, to say the least. But at the beginning of the show’s fifth season, viewers were even more dumbfounded to discover that Megan and Don were officially hitched, and she was more than a mere trophy wife. In the first episode, Megan surprised her embarrassed husband with a 40th birthday party, where, in a sophisticated and seductive, long-sleeved black dress with rhinestones along the neckline and a supershort skirt, she performed a particularly suggestive interpretation of Gillian Hills’s song “Zou Bisou Bisou” to an audience of his coworkers. Not since Marilyn and J.F.K. has “Happy Birthday” been so erotic. Needless to say, the scene was a hit on Facebook and Twitter almost instantaneously, and Paré—her good looks, her gap-toothed Lara Stone–esque grin, and her sex-kitten wardrobe—were catapulted into instant fame. One thing was clear, there was a new Mrs. Draper in town.

When formulating Megan’s wardrobe, costume designer Janie Bryant keeps in mind that she’s the second wife; she’s young, liberated, and has her finger on the pulse; and, as a result, her clothes reflect the show’s transition into the Mod period of the sixties. Her evening looks are dramatic and bold, consisting of face-framing embellishments, and her office attire is all about bright print-on-print and color blocking. All season the choices have been such an easy sell that sometimes it’s hard to take your eyes off Megan and her enviable ensembles. And so, in preparation for the season finale of Mad Men this Sunday, we’ve dedicated this installment of Dress the Part to Megan Draper.

Look 1: (1) Peter Jensen rabbit-print blouse, $279; farfetch.com (2) Miu Miu suede kitten-heel pumps, $494; mytheresa.com (3) Salvatore Ferragamo grosgrain cotton-bow headband, $128; luisaviaroma.com (4) Balenciaga tricolor miniskirt, $648; farfetch.com (5) Smythson Nile Blue Collection bijou organizer, $370; smythson.com

Look 2: (1) Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture SPF 15, $32; sephora.com (2) Rene Caovilla jeweled pointed-toe halter pump, $1,595; neimanmarcus.com (3) Shery Shabani Red Carpet diamond teardrop earrings, price upon request; endless.com (4) Coast Marlaya jersey maxidress, $246; houseoffraser.co.uk (5) Tom Binns Dumont Swarovski crystal bib necklace, $2,135; net-a-porter.com (6) Stella McCartney clutch, $1,757; colette.fr

Look 3: (1) Miu Miu Plexiglass crystal and glass pearl necklace, $695; net-a-porter.com (2) Notte by Marchesa embellished silk-chiffon dress, $750; net-a-porter.com (3) Givenchy Rouge Interdit Shine lipstick in 02, $30; sephora.com (4) Manolo Blahnik fiocam patent leather Mary Jane pump, $795; neimanmarcus.com (5) Guerlain by Emilio Pucci terra-cotta Khôl Kajal in 02, $36; sephora.com

Photo: Courtesy of net-a-porter.com ; Courtesy of Sephora; Courtesy of Neiman Marcus; Courtesy of Sephora

Source: www.vogue.com