All “Mad Man” fans have their favorite characters and are bracing themselves for the show’s last episode. While I’ve always been fond of Peggy (I love quipy writers) and have a strange love/hate relationship with Pete (have fun in Wichita, buddy), I have always been taken with Joan Holloway.

Joan is one of the first women in the “Mad Men” universe to break into the ad world’s boys club. We meet her on the show’s first episode as she coaches Peggy, the “new girl,” on how to behave in a busy, sex-crazed, and booze-fueled office atmosphere. Joan is firm, elegant, and it’s obvious that all the men in the office are smitten with her. But does Joan care? No. Joan cares about her job and getting work done, no matter how many disgusting advances she gets every day.

Over the years, Joan’s character has become increasingly intricate and deep. She’s been through multiple unpleasant encounters with men, been married and divorced, and has seen many promotions come and go. All the while, though, she has remained distinctly “Joan.” To celebrate this amazing female character, we’ve highlighted a few of the many things we adore about Joan.

1. She isn’t afraid to be feminine

Joan has a style that is all her own. She wears vibrant colors, beautiful jewelry, exquisite heels, and her radiant red locks are always perfectly styled. So, why is her appearance so important? Because it is intimidatingly female. Her looks are so uniquely hers that Joan is able to stop male clients in their tracks, and get the attention she deserves. She understands that she could never be a man, or win at being a masculine woman because that just isn’t her. Joan embraced her killer feminine instinct and grabbed the ad world by the balls, and demanded to be noticed for her smarts.

2. She uses her wit and accumulated wisdom to own all the haters

Now, Joan has had it rough many times. She had to deal with people thinking that she was just a pretty face, or that she was a “good time girl.” More often than not, Joan has had to use her wit and wisdom to get her point across. Joan’s superpower over the years has been putting dumb-dumb ad executives in their place and showing them what’s what, and we love her for it.

3. She’s a woman’s lib mover-and-shaker (and she doesn’t even know it)

Joan is an incredible feminist in her home life and at work. At home, she got out of a marriage that was terrible by telling her then-husband to take a hike when he wasn’t honest with her. She embraced being a single, working mother with grace and serenity.

And at the office, Joan knew that women weren’t taken seriously in the ad world, but she was able to expertly work the system many times. Sure, sometimes she had to play nice to get what she wanted, but she knew how to play the ad man game. Most recently, Joan lost her job because she stood up to her boss and told him she didn’t want to be sexually harassed in the work place. She ultimately lost her battle with the company, but her speech about women‘s lib and rights was truly inspiring.

Now, we know Joan wasn’t without faults, but really, who is? It’s the characters who screw up along the way and learn from their mistakes who really intrigue and stick with us long after a series ends.

Let’s raise a glass to Joan, and hope that we get to see many more female characters like her in the future.

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Image: Joan shot from “Mad Men” Facebook page

The post 3 Awesome Ways Joan Used Her Womanly Ways to Crush the ‘Mad Men’ Ad World’s Masochism appeared first on EcoSalon.

Is the wrap dress really that flattering and easy to wear?

So iconic is designer Diane von Fürstenberg’s famed wrap dress, it holds a place in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Introduced in 1972 by von Fürstenberg, the wrap dress achieved peak popularity in the mid to late 1970s. The Met summarizes: “Its fundamental form was already deeply embedded in the American designer sportswear tradition; a new woman designer translated the style into 1970s fabrics and colors, generally brighter, bolder, and more synthetic (and stretchy) than the early examples to which the silhouette and design principle are indebted.”

A DVF wrap dress was the first designer piece Shannon Lorraine, owner of New York sustainable designer showroom FoundFuture, aspired to own. “It felt like a coming of age thing, silly but true. Plus, if your boobs fall out a bit, it’s just part of the sexy allure of the dress,” says Lorraine.

Lorraine is not alone in her enduring love for the dress.

“The popular design, which began a women’s fashion trend due to its revolutionary versatility, is notable for its dual status as comfortable business wear and elegant evening dress,” reads one biography. “Suitable for the changing roles of busy urban women in the 70s, the dress became a sensation and Fürstenberg sold over five million of them before market saturation and over-exposure killed its popularity while new trends took over the 80s.”

DVF Wrap dress at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art, 1975–76

I say, while the versatile design has been credited as a symbol of the ’70s women’s liberation movement, and touted as a dress that looks amazing on any body type, the wrap dress actually has many faults and challenges. Warning: we’re about to commit fashion blasphemy.

As a former fashion boutique owner and rep for many sustainable designers over the years, I have observed that while the shape can work with many different body types, accentuating the waist and cleavage, it  can also be problematic for those same reasons. What if you have too much or too little of both? Too little decolletage and the neckline falls open to show your bra, too much and depending on your age, too much is either liable to get you marked with the dreaded c-word (that’s cougar), or, well, undeniably going to show your age.

As for the silhouette, slight frames can get lost in it, appearing to be all elbows and knees. Bigger girls might be glad for the flattering coverage of the legs a miniskirt can’t offer, but in emphasizing the waist, the wrap dress also puts the belly on full display. If you’ve had kids and the pooch that comes with them, you’ll be reaching for your Spanx girdle to look good in the wrap.

Oh, but there’s more. The other flawed feature of the wrap dress is the skirt. Given the slightest breeze, the wrapped opening whisks apart to show the world panties, control top hose, Spanx or maybe, that you simply like to go commando. (Hardly a revolutionary or liberating way to show the world that you’re tough as nails.)

Ask all your friends if they have a wrap dress and see if they actually wear it. I bet you they will all have a reason why they do not.

Mountains of the Moon’s Audrey Wrap

The wrap dress winner for me and my former boutique customers is this organic cotton, faux wrap called the Audrey Dress from Mountains of the Moon. The dress features a cut on the bias skirt that won’t blow open and a faux wrap top. The 3/4 sleeves also make this a great choice for women who dislike their upper arms.

But perhaps you’re a wrap-a-holic who cares little for this slanderous DVF talk.

For you, I offer the Wrap Shop at DVF and these sustainable takes on the original:

Nixxi’s Faux Wrap Dress

Lina Rennell Wrap Dress

Kelly B Acacia Stripe Faux Wrap Dress

The post Thanks for the Wrap Dress DVF, But It’s Hardly Liberating appeared first on EcoSalon.