For your assignment this week, you are to do a critical series of blog posts on the show Mad Men. You have an option of doing one of the following posts but doing more than one can give you some extra credit. You can even do all of them if ya want:
1.) The relevance of Mad Men in regards to modern society: What is the show’s cultural relevance? Why are people so intrigued with such a somber show? How does the show’s plotlines parallel what is happening in 2009?
2.) The fashion and design aesthetic: Choose one style-related item in the show (i.e. tie, suit, pocket square, dress, typewriter, desk chair etc.) and do an in-depth evaluation on it’s mid-century modern style. How accurate is it’s portrayal in the show? Then, relate it with a contemporary designer’s aesthetic. Whether it be the silhouette, style or even inspiration, write about how it influences a particular designer or brand of today.
3.) Gender roles: Analyze the gender roles in Mad Men and how men and women acted during the ’60s. Why were women treated the way they were? Why was it acceptable for men do that? More than that, analyze the scene we watched in class where Peter and Peggy meet for the first time and he calls her “amish.”
4.) Fashion character study: Choose one of the following characters from the show and do a “fashion character study” on them:
– Don Draper
– Betty Draper
– Peggy Olson
– Joan Holloway
– Roger Sterling
Don’t just look at the episode we watch in class. Look at pictures and watch episodes of how these characters dress. What does it say about their character? Think of silhouette, color palette and styling. How does it play into their attitude and personality?
5.) Click on this link and Mad Men yourself. This is pretty much a freebie. That said, this one will ONLY count as extra credit. You won’t be able to turn this in as your single assignment. Embed your <em>Mad Men’d</em> self in your blog and create a character name and persona for yourself on the show. Are you a secretary? Door man? Housewife? Ad exec? Are you sleazy? Sweet? Sexy? Be creative here – but remember – this will only count as EXTRA CREDIT.
With all the answers, I want you to be thoughtful, critical and thorough. Til now, all of our posts have been light-hearted and fun. With this assignment, I want you to think and be insightful. Think of this as a critical commentary on popular culture that could also appear in print. Each post has to be at least 500-words.
If you have any questions. Holler.