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mad people
April 2, 2012

Mad Men Fashion Recap: Betty’s Fat Days

By Charlotte Cowles

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Photo: AMC

The only thing better than Betty’s return to Mad Men is her coming back fat, grumpy as ever, and sitting on the couch eating Bugles straight from the bag while dressed in what appears to be a pink button-down duvet. The episode begins with Sally and Bobby grunting as they try to zip their mother into a silvery dress (they can’t, and Betty is so mortified that she crawls into bed and refuses to leave the house). However, her weight gain might be caused by something more worrisome than housewife-syndrome-induced munchies, which leads to her making several doctor’s visits in a delightful parade of frumpy floral getups. Meanwhile, Megan looks as slender and stylish as ever, and the ad men continue their intrepid experiments with loud, plaid blazers. See all the episode’s best looks in our fashion recap.

Related: Mad Men Fashion Recap: The Swinging Sixties Have Arrived

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1 / 13 Photos
Betty's failure-to-zip dress Betty's "fat" wardrobe seems better suited for upholstery than for clothing. For example, this dress resem... Betty's failure-to-zip dress Betty's "fat" wardrobe seems better suited for upholstery than for clothing. For example, this dress resembles a slipcover for a divan (or some equally fussy piece of furniture).
Megan's easy-to-zip dress Megan overdoes her color scheme during dinner with the Heinz guy and his wife, matching her purple eyeshadow to her geo... Megan's easy-to-zip dress Megan overdoes her color scheme during dinner with the Heinz guy and his wife, matching her purple eyeshadow to her geometric-print outfit. But points for effort! Photo: Copyright: AMC 2011
The return of Peggy's unfortunate short-sleeved button-downs Peggy wears two (two!) short-sleeved button-downs in this episode, in addition to th... The return of Peggy's unfortunate short-sleeved button-downs Peggy wears two (two!) short-sleeved button-downs in this episode, in addition to the one she wore last week. Despite what Lily Kwong might dig up at Joe Fresh, shirts like these are not a good look for most people, particularly Peggy.  Photo: Copyright: AMC 2011
Betty's Bugle-munching robe A pink quilted muumuu really jazzes up a fat day the way an XL sweatshirt never will (duly noted).
Pauline's "Diet Mom" dress Henry's mom Pauline wears this flowery thing to tell Betty that she's gotten heavy and should try diet pills... Pauline's "Diet Mom" dress Henry's mom Pauline wears this flowery thing to tell Betty that she's gotten heavy and should try diet pills. Betty takes her words to heart and, for some (perhaps symbolic?) reason, also wears floral prints for the rest of the episode. Photo: Copyright: AMC 2011
Dawn's "I'm not Don" blouse The company's first black employee! Her shirt is marginally better than Peggy's, thanks to the cheerful str... Dawn's "I'm not Don" blouse The company's first black employee! Her shirt is marginally better than Peggy's, thanks to the cheerful stripes.
Michael Ginsberg's ballsy job interview outfit You know how there are certain rules about what you're not supposed to wear to an interview? This ... Michael Ginsberg's ballsy job interview outfit You know how there are certain rules about what you're not supposed to wear to an interview? This jacket/shirt/tie combo violates ALL of them. What's more, Ginsberg turns around and wears the very same jacket back for his second interview, leading us to believe it's the only one he owns. But if you're going to invest in one blazer, you might as well get one that no one will forget, right? Photo: Copyright: AMC 2011
Megan's yellow minidress Megan's perky hotness serves as a not-so-subtle foil for Betty's dolorous Bugle-scarfing.
Betty's regrettable floral print, #1 As her friend says, "Betty! I barely recognized you!" Photo: Copyright: AMC 2011
Harry's blazer fail at the Rolling Stones concert The only thing that could make this worse is a black mock turtleneck worn underneath — oh,... Harry's blazer fail at the Rolling Stones concert The only thing that could make this worse is a black mock turtleneck worn underneath — oh, wait.
Rolling Stones fangirl outfit Ironically in the same pea-soup color family as Harry's blazer.
Peggy's novel color combination If the Miami Hurricanes mascot and a flight attendant had a baby, it would look just like this dress.
Betty's regrettable floral print, #2 Betty awaits news from the doctor in yet more fat-lady florals, this time with multicolored pom poms on the ... Betty's regrettable floral print, #2 Betty awaits news from the doctor in yet more fat-lady florals, this time with multicolored pom poms on the sleeves. Photo: Copyright: AMC 2011
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  • mad men fashion
  • mad men
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  • janie bryant

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