Mad Men: Betty Draper’s 5 Best Outfits (& 5 Worst)

Betty Draper from Mad Men is so much more than a 1950s housewife. She is also a fashion icon that stands out in an incredibly fashionable TV show. Seriously. If there is any TV character who deserves the award for the greatest sense of style, January Jones’s complex character on the AMC series takes the crown without a doubt.

Mad Men is a brilliant TV show with excellent plot lines and unforgettable characters, yet sometimes we are totally distracted by all of the drama that’s going on because we’re too busy focusing on the breathtaking costumes the show boasts. What are Betty Draper’s best outfits on the show? Which were just “meh”? Read on to find out!

10 Best Outfit: Barbie Dreams

Wow. Just… wow. Rarely can an outfit take our breath away, but this beautiful dress has managed to do just that. Betty knows how to turn heads, and her sense of fashion always makes her the most interesting person to look at in any room she enters. Her big puffy gowns that pop with girly colors are bold and gorgeous to us, and when it comes to fashion, she isn’t afraid to take risks.

She looks like a human Barbie Doll and we can’t help but admire how much dedication she puts into her look. Everything about this outfit just screams “elegance” and we just can’t get enough of how beautiful it looks. Someone, please tell us where we can purchase this dress?

9 Worst Outfit: What Was She Thinking?

Yikes. What exactly is going on with this outfit here? It looks like something a kindergarten art teacher would wear as a smock during a finger painting session in order to prevent their clothes underneath from getting ruined.

Even Betty’s face reveals how uncomfortable she is in this outfit, which simply isn’t something she’d usually wear. We’re not blaming her though. We’re all allowed to be fashion victims every once in a while because that’s what makes us human.

8 Best Outfit: 50s Icon

One of the most elegant eras for fashion was hands down the 1950s. Women would often be caught lounging around in their most gorgeous gowns and pearls, emulating Hollywood starlets such as Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn.

Many women would choose to dress to the nines even on the most casual occasions and Betty Draper is proof of this. Even when she’s sitting at home all day while the kids are at school, she will doll herself up and have a smoke, all while looking like a million bucks.

7 Worst Outfit: Who Sleeps In This?

It’s nearly impossible for Don Draper’s lovely wife to make a fashion mistake because she often puts so much attention and consideration into her outfits. We can’t fully judge her here because these are her sleepy time clothes, but the look she is currently serving us here feels just a tad outdated for 2020 standards.

It also seems a bit unpractical to sleep in this, considering all the ruffles and layers which would probably be uncomfortable to relax in. Betty’s face here emulates our confusion when it comes to this outfit choice.

6 Best Outfit: Jumper Goals

Look at how happy and care-free Betty looks in this adorable jumper! Her friend’s face pretty much says it all. While fans absolutely adore Betty when she is dressed to impress in her poofy petticoats and gowns, they also can’t help but love seeing her in something a bit more casual and easy-going like this red and blue piece.

She looks as though she is about to let loose and enjoy life the way she once had before her depression spell in season 1. Her dazzling smile completes the entire look and we are gonna have to rate this particular outfit a solid ten out of ten.

5 Worst Outfit: Something She Threw On

There is nothing wrong with this outfit per se, but compared to all of Betty’s spellbinding looks on the show, this one just doesn’t make the cut as being one of our jaw-dropping favorites. In the words of Coco Chanel, “Before leaving the house, a lady should look in the mirror and remove one accessory.”

We feel as though the pearls along with the scarf and the earrings are a little bit too much here, and it would be a bit better if she perhaps got rid of the scarf all together because it doesn’t really match with the rest of her outfit.

4 Best Outfit: Grace Kelly, Is That You?

Classic and stunning. These are the best words to sum up Betty’s look here, where her feminine nature is fully emphasized by this beautiful dress. Mrs. Draper adores looking girly while at the same time emulating her fashion icon, Grace Kelly.

They both have an extremely similar look and a sense of sadness to them, so it is no wonder Betty is constantly being compared to the old Hollywood starlet. This is one of Betty’s most breath-taking looks on the entire show, and when January Jones is on screen in this dress, we can hardly pay any attention to the plot because we are too busy focusing on how fabulous she looks.

3 Worst Outfit: Could Be Better

Although Betty looks stunning and chic here as always, we do think less is more when it comes to this outfit and that the scarf/belt on the dress is simply unnecessary. Not that we don’t like the dress with the polka dot scarf hanging loose, but we think it can be a bit improved if she just wore a plain white dress which we think would look mesmerizing.

Accompanied by her elegant white gloves, she would be an absolute show-stopper if she simply eliminated the belted scarf.

2 Best Outfit: A Dress That Stops Traffic

Betty Draper is the queen of rocking a lovely floral printed dress, and this look is no exception. She looks absolutely flawless in this outfit which shows off her curves as well as her sheer sense of confidence.

Don should feel especially lucky here to have Betty as his wife and we wish he appreciated her more on the show because we certainly do. Her sense of style, as well as her personality, are completely unique and beautiful, and her complexity as a character just makes her all the more lovable to us.

1 Worst Outfit: Simply Meh

This outfit is still arguably cute, but by Betty Draper standards, it is simply “meh.” We’re used to her rocking ten out of ten looks, so this one feels a bit average and forgettable compared to the majority of her wardrobe. It seems like an outfit that she just threw on, and we’re not super crazy about the pattern of green stripes along with the buttons.

Still, even if this is on the “worst outfit” section of the list, you can’t argue the fact that she looks undeniably stunning, and Betty will forever be our fashion icon.