think
like Don Draper
Our buddy over at eHarmony sat down and dissected Mad Men to offer up a little dating advice for all our lovely, single readers. It's nice to know what men are thinking, but we've got to be true to ourselves. One of our writers also chimed in for a little "he said, she said" dating advice. Enjoy!
Pickup lines
He said:
In between whiskey sips and cigarette puffs, the gentlemen of Mad Men tend to be rather promiscuous. Sleazy one-liners were all the rage in the male-dominated '60s, as this video suggests.
Every pick-up lin from Mad Men
Back in the '60s, “Anybody mind if I take my pants off?" would have been shrugged aside as charmingly sweet. “I'll give you a go-round like you've never had,” might have seemed devilishly romantic. A tip, though: “Can I have some of your hair?” is creepy in any decade.
There is a considerable school of thought that might think pickup lines in any era are a bad move. Rare is the female who goes weak at the knees at the sound of “Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?” Use with extreme caution in today's enlightened times.
She said:
Ladies, there only two circumstances where it’s OK to respond positively to a pickup line. One is if he looks like Don Draper. The other is if he’s clearly being a goofball and immediately apologizes for the lameness. It needs to be a good pickup line, though. Something unique, ridiculous or somehow related to the moment.
As for employing pickup lines on guys: Use sparingly. On Mad Men, you rarely see the main girls putting themselves on the line to score a date. Guys like a girl who’s a little bit forward sometimes, yes. But all those women who have hit on Don? They’re always the temporary fixes. There’s no magic pickup line that can make a guy fall for you, any more than there's one that can make you fall for a guy.
Up next: More Mad Men dating advice >>
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Dress like Joan Harris, think like Don Draper
Our buddy over at eHarmony sat down and dissected Mad Men to offer up a little dating advice for all our lovely, single readers. It's nice to know what men are thinking, but we've got to be true to ourselves. One of our writers also chimed in for a little "he said, she said" dating advice. Enjoy!
Social habits
He said:
A love of fine whiskey can always be encouraged, though perhaps not to the extent nor at the pace of the Mad Men, who think nothing of opening a bottle around breakfast, lunch or dinner, during important meetings, weddings or funerals — any time of the day, really. In moderation, a sip of a fine Bourbon or Scotch suggests manliness and a refined taste, and is bound to impress your date.
The Mad Men love to smoke — with Lucky Strike as their biggest client they practically have to. But times have definitively changed since the '60s in this regard, and smoking is not the standard practice it once was. Lighting up on a first date is probably a bad move, and smoking in general is probably not a smart move, as Roger Sterling discovered when he suffered a nasty heart attack.
She said:
If you like to drink, go for it. But keep in mind that no one is ever sexy when they’re drunk. Have you ever seen Joan stumbling around or slurring her words? Was a drunk Betty ever an attractive Betty? No. The ladies of Man Men are always at their sexiest with just one drink in hand.
As for what’s in the glass: Drink whatever you want. However, guys usually seem impressed with a girl who can swig Scotch. Don Draper always offers his girls a whiskey neat and it comes across as some sort of test. Can you throw back Canadian Reserve with him without making an ugly face?
Smoking: Smoke at your own risk. But keep in mind that while it seemed sexy to all men back in the '60s, it may only attract certain types of guys now. Is that the type of gent you want?
Up next: More Mad Men dating advice >>
{pageBreak}
Dress like Joan Harris, think like Don Draper
Our buddy over at eHarmony sat down and dissected Mad Men to offer up a little dating advice for all our lovely, single readers. It's nice to know what men are thinking, but we've got to be true to ourselves. One of our writers also chimed in for a little "he said, she said" dating advice. Enjoy!
Fashion
He said:
If there's one thing Mad Men excels at, it's looking good. For a fringe show on an obscure basic cable U.S. channel, Mad Men has caused something of a style renaissance, changing the way the fashion world thinks about clothes and trends, and if nothing else reigniting a love of thick-rimmed glasses, narrow ties and slicked-back hair.
There are plenty of handy dating fashion tips to glean from watching Mad Men.
Gents:
- Aim for simple, tailored, well-fitting suits, soft and thick at the shoulders/chest, but tapered at the waist — a classic "American" suit.
- Be sure to include a small, smart, white line of linen in the pocket square.
- Never deviate from a standard white shirt.
- For a truly authentic '60s look, consider a smart felt fedora, though only worn outdoors — a gentleman should always remove his hat when he arrives at the office.
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Quiz
QuizAre you a Megan or a Betty? Take our quiz to determine which Mad Men character best matches your personal style.
Ladies:
- Aim for elegant, curve-hugging dresses — or, as the series makes its way through to the late '60s, miniskirts with bright, bold colors.
- Consider a cute vintage felt or straw hat to match.
- Complete the look with kitten heels.
- Head to Banana Republic, who boasts a Mad Men"capsule collection" for the authentic look.
- Sometimes a jacket and tie can be a little too formal, especially for a first date, and tastes have since diversified beyond suit-for-formal, polo-shirt-for-casual. And even Don Draper himself is not always dapper — it's safe to say that checked jackets left the realm of what is cool a very long time ago.
She said:
That’s tough. Mad Men has spent the first five years of its existence in a rather buttoned-up world, whereas the vast majority of situations in our generation have become far more informal. Have you been to the opera lately? It’s a mess.
I do think there’s something to learn from Joan, though. The girl is curvaceous and sexy, but she’s never spilling out of her top or baring more of her flesh than she covers up. A little sex appeal goes a long way.
As for miniskirts: Really, John? When you see a miniskirt-clad girl, are you thinking you want to get up her skirt or put a ring on her finger? Ladies, there’s nothing wrong with a miniskirt, just keep it at mini and not micro-mini. A** cheeks are for the shower, yard work in cutoffs and sexy bathing suit mishaps. And, unless you’re built like Megan Draper, take heed of what you pair it with on top. Also, ladies, you know better: No kitten heels. Ever.
Finally, if your date is to a Mets game: All those rules are out. It’s time to buy a fitted T-shirt or tank top to support the team. After all, even Don sheds his suit from time to time — and I’m not talking about that ill-advised checked jacket . Plus, you can't wear a suit or Joan's sleek skirts to the beach!
About the He and the She
He is: John Nugent is a freelance writer, journalist and blogger living in London, writing about films, music, pop culture and technology. He has written for Little White Lies, Film4.com, The Skinny, Moviescope Magazine and many others. He is obsessed with Mad Men and overly forgiving of Don Draper's relentless deviancy.
She is: Deirdre Kaye is our Television Editor, freelance music writer and drinking game enthusiast. As a Mad Men fan, she's spent five season waiting for Joan and John to end up together. She's never met John but she's spent the last few days imagining he looks like Don Draper and sounds like Lane Pryce. Don't ruin things by telling her otherwise.
They think: eHarmony was absolutely brilliant in their decision to contact SheKnows about this article. We're always game for helping out our single sisters. Plus, we're always happy to introduce you to a smart, opinionated piece of man candy like John.
All images courtesy of AMC
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