Button Down Dress Shirts: How to Look Like Don Draper

Don Draper. It can't be denied that he, along with ex-wife Betty Draper, are the talk of the town right now. He's a successful businessman, a father of three, a womanizer, a mover and shaker in the advertising world of 1960s New York, but most importantly, he's pretty darn dashing and looks mighty fine in his neatly combed hair and button down dress shirts, if we do say so ourselves.

Don Draper may be fictional, a product of the creative minds of Mad Men producers, but nevertheless, in 2009, he was named the most influential man in the world by AskMen.com, beating the likes Michael Phelps and Barack Obama. Take that, Mr. President! So, you want to look like Don Draper? Good move: you're a classy guy. If you missed out on the Brooks Brothers limited edition Don Draper suits and mens button down shirts (which went for no less than $998 apiece), then don't despair.

It's easy to look like Don Draper with designer dress shirts, well cut suits, sexy ties, shiny leather shoes, and belts that frame your waist. When you're standing next to a woman like Betty Draper, in her gorgeous floral prints, billowy skirts, tailored jackets, and flowing dresses – not to mention her oh-so-sweet strings of pearls and lovely earrings – then you've got no choice but to look razor sharp in perfectly pressed suits and immaculate dress shirts for men.

The key to achieving a Don Draper look lies in a slim cut silhouette. Got a shapeless suit? Forget about it; it won't suffice. Ensure that your suit is well fitted in all the important places – at the waist, at the crotch, under the arms, and at the shoulders. A streamlined suit will make you look taller and slimmer – and very Don Draper indeed. Make sure your jacket sleeves are not too long – the perfect jacket sleeve will show off about half an inch of the sleeve of your shirt.

Choose your button down dress shirts carefully. Don mainly goes for classic, crisp white designer dress shirts that are perfectly pressed by Mrs. Draper. So make sure you have plenty of them in your wardrobe, and steer clear of striped dress shirts. When it comes to the tie though, go crazy with stripes: black and white striped ties are good, as are solid gray or black ties.

Don Draper is all about teaming his mens button down shirts with a medium gray or black suit. From what we can tell, he tends to prefer gray. So if you invest in only one suit, make it a gray one and make Don Draper proud. When selecting your suit, choose jackets with diagonal pockets, narrow lapels and two side vents at the back, which all add to the illusion of a slim, trim body.

Finally, when you're wearing your suave suit and mens fashion shirts, don't forget to pop on a fedora and sunglasses if you're headed outdoors, or light up a cigarette and hang onto a glass of scotch if you're hanging out at home or in the office. We guarantee that you'll be mistaken for Don Draper in no time.