Lemondrop

Clearly everyone's attracted to Joan Holloway, the "Mad Men" character portrayed by Christina Hendricks. Even straight women are. Even me. And I think I've discovered the reason why. She's essentially the same character who shaped my youth. The one whose super-slitted red dress I'd always try to find for my dress-up bin. The one whose pursing lips and smoky voice I'd impersonate with my friends.

She is Jessica Rabbit.

Obviously, Jessica Rabbit of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" oozed sex too, but not in a vapid, Playboy bunny sort of way. There was always something more to her. Let's look at some of the Jessica/Joan similarities that push the characters into the realm of the untouchable ultra-babe ... and why their bombshell personas give them an advantage at work.

Rule 1: Work Your Curves
Men embrace their masculinity at the workplace as a source of power -- whether it's in a meeting or on a conference call. Women, on the other hand, cover up their natural feminine qualities with hunched shoulders and pipsqueak voices.

Joan and Jessica? No way. They push femininity to its peak by accentuating the attributes many women try to hide. They walk chest first. They talk in their natural low, raspy voices. While most women (myself included) try on an outfit and then ask whether or not it makes their boobs/butt look too big, Jessica and Joan wonder if it makes their curves look too small -- and if so, out the window the outfit goes! We say: As long as you stop short of dressing like an actual pro, showing personal style and embracing your body can help your professional life.

Click here to read three more Joan/Jessica-approved rules for success.



Rule 2: Have the Know-How
From the real world to Toon Town, Jessica Rabbit could play the game better than anyone else. She held all the keys, she knew all the answers -- effectively, Jessica was the center of the action ... all masked in a sly side-smirk and a sleepy gaze. Similarly, Joan rules Sterling Cooper. Without her, the whole operation would fall apart. And even when she's tasked to help out in the TV department, she's a natural. Not because she's playing by the "male" rules, but because she creates her own.

Trying to get ahead on your looks only makes people resent you. That's not what these girls do -- they rule because they have all the info the people around them need. And they happen to be good-looking while they're at it.

Rule 3: Rock Vamp Red
It takes a lot of chutzpah to full-on rock out with your red out, because peeps love to hate on redheads. There's even a term for it: Gingerism. How do Joan and Jessica respond to this? Red hair. And red lipstick, and red dresses, and red shoes. Red, red, red. In your face haters! Wearing red denotes confidence and makes people think you're a winner -- required traits for anyone looking to get ahead.

Rule 4: Choose Your Men Wisely
What do I love most about these two? It's not their career strategies, just their plain old taste in men. They don't swoon for the typical heartthrobs. Joan has quietly dated a few of the Sterling Cooper guys, but she's never so much as winked at hunk-of-the-office Don Draper. And as for Jessica ... well she baked carrot cakes for hubby Roger Rabbit. 'Nuff said.

Ryan Barrett is a frequent contributor to Lemondrop.com.