Mad Men Quotes
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Source: Mad Men
Speaker: Joan Holloway
You want to be taken seriously? Stop dressing like a little girl.
Context
This line is spoken by Joan Holloway, played by Christina Hendricks, in the TV show Mad Men (2007-2015).
The most ambitious person on Mad Men isn't a man—it's Peggy Olson. In season 2 of Mad Men, she began her upward climb from Don Draper's secretary to Sterling Cooper creative powerhouse. But our favorite fictional advertising agency from the 1960s is a lot like the tech industry of today: a total Boy's Club.
Peggy can't seem to climb the corporate ladder with her creativity alone, so she gets a little help from Joan Holloway, the office manager at Sterling Cooper. Joan tells her the hard truth: "You want to be taken seriously? Stop dressing like a little girl." It might be a little harsh, but it forces Peggy to put away her American Girl wardrobe and invest in some clothes that match her attitude.
Where you've heard it
You've heard this in a pep talk advising you to dress for success. A pep talk from a really blunt friend, at least.
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
Joan knows how to dress to get what she wants, so if you're as fierce as she is, you can try this quote on for size.