night gallery

Mad Men’s Period-Perfect Pajama Party Slideshow!

For four seasons, Mad Men has reminded us of important differences between the sixties and today, involving politics, gender, race, class, sexuality, the media, advertising, and the working world. But the racism, homophobia, and casual sexism has not been nearly as shocking as the reminder that white Americans once wore pajamas. And nighties. Like, all the time. Seriously. Even when they were shooting pigeons. From Don’s look-alike striped pj’s to Betty’s elaborate nightgowns and Trudy’s spectacular pregnancy tutu, sleepwear has been just as important a part of the Mad Men style as Don’s steel-gray suits and Joan’s secretary pen. Don’t believe us? Vulture has done the hard historical research and returned with photographic proof.

“Oh, this little thing? I’m just getting started.”
“No, I don’t live in a frilly world of make-believe at all.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fabulous, I get it. Shut up.”
“Lightweight and agile: The perfect hunting outfit.”
“Literally, angels are hiding in my billowing nightdress.”
“Oui, Oui!”
“Babies love chiffon.”
“I’ve worn it all. Now I’m giving up.”
“Now all I need is a striped pocket square.”
“I’m just gonna crash here.”
“So sometimes I like to go patternless, can we drop it already?”
“I like to dress down before a flashback hallucination.”
“I make this plaid promise to you.”
“I find that dark patterns best hide vomit stains.”
“What am I wearing, Don? Well, let’s just say it looks like I just skinned a grizzly bear, baby…”
“What, you never seen a lady with a black eye wearing a crazy orange dress in the apartment of her boyfriend’s secretary before?”
“Later us Beats are doing a little production of La Boheme down on the Bowery.”
“I am like a powerful Roman goddess. Only I’m the powerful Roman goddess of a Jewish department store.”
“Why buy separate clothes just for sleeping? Doesn’t it just make economic sense to wear your underwear to bed?”
“No matter how much I try to dress down, even I have to stare at myself sometimes.”
“My underwear kills your outerwear.”
“I only wear these PJ’s and glasses when I know my man is half a world away.”
“The only thing uglier than this nightgown is this vibrating contraption.”
“I pray, in my sweetest flowered outfit, that Matt never makes me wear that fat suit and that awful nightgown ever again.”
“Okay, praying only half worked. Please, Matt Weiner, let me change out of this outfit…”
“I know, right? I am sooo cute.”
“Back in my day, a cheap whore didn’t have to show it all. We cheap whores had dignity.”
“I’m just here for a few episodes. They told me to bring my own PJ’s, it didn’t matter. I just brought these. I said: ‘These look okay?’ Matt said, ‘Whatever…’”
“It’s nice that these are absorbent. I just wet myself.”
“I borrowed these PJ’s from Chucky. I think they’re flammable. Wanna see?”
“I call this my Power Plaid. It makes me feel positively regal.”
“Why Trudy, thank you, I do look like a handsome little boy. And I quite like your shoulder wings too.”
“Pete, you can sell these! It’s kind of a towel, kind of a toga. I call it: The Towelga.”
“Pete, you’re wearing the same jammies? But I put on my special ravish-me-impregnate-me-and-take-my-dad’s-money outfit…”
“This is as somber as I get and, yes, I still look like I could be starring in Beach Blanket Bingo.”
“I’m tired of all this sleepwear competition. It’s over. Betty, you got served!”
Mad Men’s Period-Perfect Pajama Party Slideshow!