It's a Mad, Mad world

*Drum roll please*

The first CEV chick’s nest!!

A few Sundays ago I went to the Mad Men Premier at Noir in the Charles Hotel and would like to formally recommend their weekly Mad Men parties to my readers. Although Noir is actually a bar, this recommendation clearly skirts my bar=bad policy. This is a better choice than most bars because the Mad Men nights are always on Sundays which generally means less booze, the hour or two before the show was quiet and perfect for flirting, and the ratio of women to men was spectacular.

As people began to pile in to the bar one thing became shockingly clear – women like Mad Men as much as they like retro fashion. My estimated ratio was 5 or 6 women for every man at the bar. Those odds are very heavily in your favor! On the other hand, there were enough men there that your presence would not make the needle skip on the record. As if the ratio wasn’t enough to convince you, the evenings are “costume encouraged” so the women who attended looked incredible. The women were wearing sleek dresses, high heels, and red lipstick reminiscent of the ‘60s so everyone looked more attractive than the people you would find in a random jeans and t-shirt bar.

Talking during the show (from 10-11pm) is strictly forbidden but between 8-10pm the atmosphere is ripe for meeting people. You can talk to women about how they look like a particular character, this week’s story line, or even that you forgot how great candy cigarettes were! Because there is commonality among all of the bar-goers, finding something to say to strike up a conversation is easier. If you are reading this and asking yourself what in hell I’m talking about, catch up with the show on Netflix or Amazon video.

Although women like the fashion, Mad Men’s constant look at work life in the 60’s is, by definition, a study of men. There are very few cheesy jokes and you’ll find little in terms of loud action (although there was a pretty awesome moment in the Independence Day episode from season 3), but this will speak to any man who has ever had a difficult boss, a backstabbing co-worker, personal troubles, or a challenging client. If you heard about it and thought that it wouldn’t speak to you, change your tune – it will!

Another major benefit of Mad Men nights is that you can wear costumes. 60’s costumes are pretty easy for guys – a conservative suit and combing the spikes down with a sharp side part is pretty much all you need to play the part. Although that takes a little extra effort on your part, the payoff will come when you give the women at the bar a reason to talk to you. During the premier, a handful of guys were dressed in their 60’s wear and women were complimenting them all night. I’m pretty sure that the ones who went the extra mile (e.g. the smoking jacket and candy cigarette) could have easily picked up the majority of single women there. I was certainly impressed and I heard rumblings of others who were wowed! The best part is that you can use your costume to inspire a new, more confident you. This brings me to my next point…

What Don Draper Can Teach You About Dating

OK, DO NOT under any circumstances act like Don Draper indiscriminately. The 60’s are over and modern women would probably not hesitate to knee you for much of what he does. However, one thing that Don Draper can teach you is the concept of “faking it until you make it.” As a lowly rural kid turned soldier, he wanted a better life so he willed circumstances changed and turned himself in to a high powered Madison Avenue ad man. He also created his whole career by studying how people work and identifying the patterns. In S1E8, “The Hobo Code,” his hobo house guest teaches Don about the Hobo codes where one will communicate with others about the residents of the house by assessing the general patterns of the family. This was established as the basis for his career and the vehicle that freed him from his lowly life.
Use those two tips, feigning confidence and observing female behavior, to improve your skills with women. As you learn the art of faking confidence, you have to be able to establish the difference between confidence and lying. I plan to do a detailed post in the future about why men should attempt to be as honest as possible to women. As a preview, I’ve encouraged my readers to listen to the Pickup Podcast before but part of the reason why I have been so drawn to their advice is the fact that they advocate for owning what you want and need and promote being honest about it. So observe what Don does to draw women in and ignore what he does once he has roped them in. Your love life will thank you!