by JASMINE GARNSWORTHY
Do NOT ask Christina Hendricks about her figure. Is that clear?
Hendricks is the LA-based actress who plays Joan Harris in the cult TV series Mad Men and she was in Sydney last week for the 2012 Specsavers Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition.
After the now internationally-famous incident involving a question about her body shape (and used the word “full-figured”) that caused Hendricks to terminate the interview and complain the question was rude, all further interviews came with strict conditions.
There is to be NO mention of weight, shape, size, body or body image. Fortunately, I hadn’t been intending to.
As a style editor, Mad Men is superb TV. The polished, 50s/60s fashion is almost a character. I love the contrast between Joan’s sultry, come-hither wardrobe and Betty’s domestic goddess A-line dresses. (If you have never watched, what’s wrong with you? Get to the itunes store immediately and download yourself series one – you’ll be hooked in minutes).
In a very business-like hotel room surrounded by anxious PR reps and a queue of other nervous journos, Christina and I chatted about pencil skirts, Mad Men and Ryan Gosling. Here’s how it went down:
JG: Do you have much influence in Joan’s wardrobe in Mad Men?
CH: Little to none to be honest, our costume designer is unbelievable and the first time we came together we had the exact same vision of the type of clothes Joan would wear. She had story boards with all these images – it was exactly what I pictured. Basically she just brings these amazing things and I get to wear them. I have to say Joan’s wardrobe has influenced my own wardrobe in the opposite way.
JG: How?
CH: I’ve learnt a lot from Joan about tailoring and fit. I don’t think I owned one pencil skirt before Mad Men which was idiot for me because they’re just the most flattering, nicest thing, so now I have a bunch of them.
JG: (A teeny bit disappointed) So what is your personal style like?
CH: I love fashion, so I love to try all sorts of different things. However, I think over the years I consistently go after feminine, romantic clothes with a quirky twist.
JG: What are your tips for anyone wanting to re-create Joan’s look?
CH: To get the ‘Joan look’ I think you’d be pretty good to wear a blouse with a bow and a little pencil skirt and you’d be well on your way. Of course you need the little chain with the pen hanging too.
JG: You’re very much a pin-up girl for elegant and glamorous red carpet style, what about off the red carpet, what does your casual wardrobe look like?
CH: LA is a very casual city, so I often wear a blouse or a turtle neck and jeans. But probably my favourite thing is a sun dress, like a little forties style dress is my favourite.
JG: How do you pick what you wear on the red carpet?
CH: Generally I just go with my instinct – I see a dress and I fall in love. But every once in a while I’ll have a feeling a couple of months before and really like something I’ve seen like a particular colour or style. You go to these events and you almost play a character – I get to wear these extravagant gowns and I think, do I want to be this woman or do I want to be this woman? Do I want to be feminine and pretty and sweet, or do I want to be old Hollywood glamour? That usually steers me – what kind of mood I’m in.
JG: Are there any trends in fashion that particularly catch your eye at the moment?
CH: Gosh, I really love some of the romantic, gothic looking things around – anything with black lace I’m particularly loving. [Also] I really like the ‘equestrian look’.
JG: You co-starred with Ryan Gosling in ‘Drive’ and will be working with him again to film ‘How to Catch a Monster’ next year. What’s it like working with him?
CH: He’s fantastic. I think he’s one of the best actors of our generation and he’s fun and sweet and collaborative…
JG: (Deep sigh)….
CH: He is everything you would want him to be.
JG: You’re here for the 2012 Specsavers Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition – how do you make glasses look awesome?
CH: I think glasses can be sexy, well my husband thinks they are sexy! He’s always like, ‘wear the glasses’. Sexy for anyone is about confidence and standing out as an individual while having your own sense of style.
JG: And after you leave Sydney, what’s next?
CH: In about three weeks I’m back to Mad Men, then after that I’m doing Ryan [Gosling]’s movie. Another movie is lined up after that if time-wise it works out. And that will probably take up my whole hiatus and I’ll be back doing season 7 of Mad Men. Hopefully I’ll get to take a holiday in there somewhere.
JG: What’s it like on-set filming Mad Men?
CH: It’s like a family at this point – we’ve known each other for years. You know, we take it very seriously on set, everyone is very prepared, very professional, but when we go offset we have a little area where we play cards and dominos, play music and decorate our little area. It’s very fun.
And just because she’s so damn awesome (I’m considering creating a Christina Hendricks fan page on Facebook), here is a gallery of Christina Hendricks’ best looks, plus a few ways to re-create her style:
If you’re feeling a little fashion-inspired, click here to head over to Mamamia Shopping for pencil skirts, blouses and basically everything you need to get Christina Hendricks’ (or Joan’s!) look.
Top Comments
Great interview!! It was very well translated into type. Often reading interviews you don't get the feeling that two people actually had a conversation. This was a great piece, clearly Christina felt comfortable, as did Jasmine. There is a clear dialogue, which was hard to see even in the video with Kate Waterhouse.
I loved the questions, as Christina has great style, both personally and when playing her role as Joan on Mad Men. Many women will find her style inspiring, and appreciate her taking the time to talk about it. ;-)
"Do NOT ask Christina Hendricks about her figure. Is that clear?"
This is just so incredibly offensive. As a woman (SIZE not disclosed), this is abhorrent.
Christina Hendriks, intelligent, interesting, successful actress was offended to be asked how she feels about her body.
Damn right it's offensive.
But I think it hits home even harder and makes it sadder that this VERY WEBSITE was defending the interviewer in a previous post, labeling CH as "precious" amongst other things.
Truly, I want to swear at MM right now for their hypocrisy on this. This very case was your chance to SHINE AND SAY WE REJECT women being defined by their bodies, and "synonymous" with XYZ descriptions.
And heaven help me if I don't get deleted.
How dare Ms Waterhouse, or anyone else think it's ok to ask this. I've NEVER EVER EVER EVER seen/heard of a male actor asked about how he's inspired other "plus sizes" with his body type.
Hi Kate
I'm sorry to hear you feel that way.
If you go back and look at the story we did on the interview between Kate Waterhouse and Christina Hendricks, you'll find that we did not take the angle that CH was being precious. We asked readers the question: Was she being precious? Or was she right to be offended?
All interviewers make mistakes. It happens. That interview was handled badly by Kate Waterhouse but I don't think it's up to us to bag either woman for how they behaved.
That's why we tried to simply report the story and not offer an op-ed.
We are big fans of Christina Hendricks which is why we were thrilled for Jasmine to do this terrific interview with her.
Hope that helps clear things up a little.
I'm kind of surprised Mamamia - of all sites - felt the need to ask its readers the question of whether or not it was 'precious' of Christina to react the way she did. I'd have thought for sure your writers would have defended her reaction. She's entitled to her feelings, it's not for Kate or anyone else to decide how she should react.
I read Kate's follow up article and cringed. She really doesn't get it, does she? So you think Christina should have been more like Kim Kardashian, huh? Thank GOD she's not, and doesn't use her body as currency on every possible occasion (including when flogging diet pills...)
I have to disagree with that Bec. The fact that this site has constantly reported that CH terminated the interview due to KW`s questions is inaccurate reporting. The previous article did imply that CH is a prima donna.
I thought Kate's follow up article was good, much better than the original interview (which was a bit of a dud, so it needed to be!). She outlined that everyone's bodies are different, and that's a good thing. That there are things that everyone wants to change about their bodies and can't. And that Hollywood should embrace more different body types.
It's her job to talk about clothes and hence the bodies that the clothes hang on is a natural progression from that.