Don Draper’s suits are not particularly distinctive, which is what makes them so perfect.  People shouldn’t notice something specific about your suit; they should simply notice how good you look in it.  Don’s suits are almost all gray, with the exception of a few navy and black ones.  And his shirts are uniformly white – no splashy colors or patterns for this iconoclast.  Here are a few specifics to be noted when trying to recreate the look:

The suit is just the beginning when it comes to pulling of the Don Draper look.  It’s all about the little touches that reveal his level of class and style.  He’s impeccable, but not showy, so he uses a pocket square, but keeps it very conservative.  It’s always plain white, folded into a flat square that just barely peeks out of the pocket.  If you truly want to capture the Mad Men elegance, don’t mess around with colors or fussy folds.  Keep it simple.

We see a progression of timepieces on Don as the years go by.  And don’t think this is accidental; the watches reflect his steady increase in status and salary.  There is some debate around whether all the watches he wears are historically accurate or not, but they are all certainly beautiful.  These are the various models he’s gone through:

True to the era, Draper wears ties that are on the narrow side.  Most often, they’re a solid color in satin, but he’s also been known to wear stripes and textured fabrics, like twill.  They always hit just above the belt (where they ought to) and are tied using the basic four-in-hand knot.  The Draper touch of cool?  A tie bar.  Go for a very minimalist straight bar in silver and you can’t go wrong. Remember, the Draper is in the details.

Simplicity is the name of the game – Don’s belts are narrow, feature a simple gold buckle and match his shoes.  It’s not rocket science, it’s understated style.

Draper normally wears double cuffs, which require cufflinks.  Though you may be new to dapper dressing, you shouldn’t be intimidated by this classy accessory.  As you’d expect, Don wears subtle, simple links.  The ones we see most often are squares in matte silver and rounded-tip gold triangles.  The point is that, if you look, you see them, but they don’t draw your attention otherwise.

There’s no question when it comes to Mad Men-esque cool shades.  It’s got to be aviators.  There’s a huge variety out there, so you should opt for frames that suit you in color and shape.  Don sports a square pair from Randolph Engineering Sunglasses, but that particular style might not look great on you.  It’s best to go into a legitimate eyewear store and try on several different types.  The key is that, when you put them on, you feel painfully cool.

The 60s were definitely an era that embraced the hat, for both men and women.  Though Fedoras have gotten a very bad rap in recent years, that doesn’t mean you can’t pull one off.  Just look at Draper – his peaked, felt Fedoras are distinguished and hip at the same time.  You may not choose to wear a hat every day, but a modern gentleman has at least one proper one that fits him well and can be donned (pun intended) for the right occasion.

Sorry guys, but this one you can’t buy.  Don’s style is more than the sum of its parts; an important component is that certain je ne sais quoi that commands attention.  It’s all about exuding confidence, which is much easier to do when you feel great about your clothes and accessories.