I was late to the Mad Men party but made up for it over the holidays. In three weeks, I caught up on four seasons of madness, and loved every minute of it. Gripping characters, snappy dialogue, methodically-researched historical details-- yes, yes, and yes! But what most entranced me might just have been… yep, you guessed it-- the icy perfection of bored 1960s housewife Betty Draper.
January Jones couldn't have been more perfectly cast. With her patrician looks, she easily captures Betty Draper's refined glamour and provides a foil for the flashier, "modern" women working at the Sterling-Cooper ad agency.
girl of the month
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| Versace's 2011 ad campaign |
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| GQ magazine spread |
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| awards show darling |
January's own style is more edgy than retro chic, and this budding fashion icon rarely plays it safe on the red carpet. Case in point-- the Red Dress Seen 'Round the World. You'd have to be hiding under a rock to have missed the fringed, slashed-up/down-to-there Versace gown she wore to this year's Golden Globes.
Here she is in some of my favorite looks-- our answer to Grace Kelly, the new face of Versace, soon-to-be X-men superhero: the inimitable Miss Jones!
blue blood
I wasn't crazy about this look at first, but I appreciate January's individual style. So many starlets strap themselves into perfectly boring, beaded, stylist-approved gowns. But cookie-cutter January is not. And the more I look at this electric blue Versace number, the fresher it seems. What do you think?
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| in Versace at the 2010 Emmys |
The exquisite corsetry, the feather-like detail, the sassy asymmetrical hemline, it suits her perfectly. The tousled hair and subtle makeup keep her from looking stiff or fussy.
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for details on January's look, see makeup artist Rachel Goodwin's blog post:
http://www.rachelgoodwin.com/2010/08/january-jones-2010-emmys |
An ice queen who sizzles in sky blue. I have nothing to say about the look below but: flawless!
Ok, I have a little more to say. Coral lips, Veronica Lake waves = wow! The dress even has pockets. I'll take one in every color, Donatella, thanks.
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| in Versace at the 2009 Golden Globes |
Lady in red, and arguably the best dressed lady at the party. January spotted this dress on the Versace runway in blue and requested a red version to wear to this year's Globes. And needless to say, it created quite the sensation! (as in Ryan Seacrest's eyes nearly popped out of his skull while interviewing her).
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| in Versace at the 2011 Golden Globes |
January first arrested my attention when I caught a glimpse of her in this Lanvin creation at the 2010 Golden Globes. Well, I caught a glimpse of the black headband and red lips. It was love at first sight. Most major movie stars wouldn't have the chutzpah to pull off this look, let alone a burgeoning TV starlet.
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| in Lanvin at the 2010 Golden Globes |
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for more on January's makeup that night: http://www.rachelgoodwin.com/2010/01/lanvin-loveliness/ |
woman in white
When I read that reviews were mixed for the cream confection below, I was actually shocked. The way the tightly-constructed geometrical bodice leads into yards of flowing fabric-- utter genius on the part of Donatella Versace. (January is certainly a loyal customer!)
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| in Versace at the 2009 Emmys |
This flouncy corseted gown doesn't capture my fancy like some of January's other choices, but she's tres charmant from the neck up. The wispy hair just barely contained by rows of mismatched sparkling headbands adds whimsy and youth to an otherwise traditional silhouette.
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| in Dolce Gabbana at the 2008 Emmys |
Are you mad for January? Then stay tuned for Betty Draper style… and how you too can look like a bored housewife.
