Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Embracing the Inner Betty...

Yes, I am refering to Mrs. Donald Draper (or is that Mrs. Dick Whittman?...or maybe neither depending on how season 3 is going).

I've been looking back at season 1 of Mad Men and catching up with season 2. As I almost never watch TV, I'll have to wait for season 3 to be released on DVD. The nice thing about watching a series on DVD is that you can go back, pause and replay to scrutinize the details.

I have been nuts about Betty's ugly coffee cups for a while. It's the shape really, more than the color that grabs me. I finally broke down and purchased some. That set off a chain reaction. I really wanted to know more about how the women of the era functioned. What did they do all day? How did they keep their homes? What did they make for dinner? You get glimpses of Betty's days...cutting shelf paper in a house coat, marketing in heels, running around after children in slips and pin curls, casseroles and roasts served with a smile and a cigarette. Take away the whole underlying infidelity story line and the double standard by which some men chose to live, the whole housewife thing is rather appealing to me! Me! ...a true, blue single gal. What's happening here???? My inner Betty is breaking out! Rather than stuff her back in, I'm going to embrace her and see what she and I can do. (The advantage we modern gals have is that we can pick and choose what we incorporate and still leave the house and satisfy ourselves with outside interests!)

To help us, uh make that me, I've ordered a few helpers. They focus more to the mid 1950's than Betty's late 50's/early 60's life. I figured her style of wifeliness was cultivated a bit earlier than where the show picks up. So, here we go...guides for midcentury domesticity:






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