Lady Porn: Men At Work, Looking Sharp

By Sarah Carlson | Lists | September 2, 2011 |

By Sarah Carlson | Lists | September 2, 2011 |

It’s hard to explain, but there’s something about a man in a well-tailored suit that can leave me weak in the knees. Who needs to see skin when they’re coming at you with hair slicked back, tie clipped, vest buttoned? OK, I’m a fan of the skin, too. But sometimes, all it takes is just a shirt sleeve rolled up and the sight of their forearms to make me appreciate the beauty of man (even if I sound Victorian).

From the classic 1960s cuts on “Mad Men” to the updated threads on “Suits,” TV has no shortage of good-looking men donning slick ensembles at the workplace. And some of the gents aren’t traditionally handsome, either. It’s the confidence that comes with duds that makes them appealing. Clothes really do make the man.

Here are my picks for the best-dressed male characters currently on TV. Some of them also can be seen sans clothes in love scenes, but even when they’re not, it’s still difficult to look anywhere else.

Don Draper (Jon Hamm), “Mad Men”
Classic. The styles sported on the AMC show have even inspired a new line from Banana Republic.

Jared Harris (Lane Pryce), “Mad Men”
Still classic, yet a bit more refined. And the glasses are hot.

Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer), “White Collar”
Caffrey works the ’60s looks in an updated way, and most importantly, he’s not afraid to wear a hat.

Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), “Suits”
A slick lawyer requires slick suits and slicked hair.

Will Gardner (Josh Charles), “The Good Wife”
Ditto. The lawyers know how to do it.

Stephen Colbert (Stephen Colbert), “The Colbert Report”
This fake pundit also knows how to look his best. Colbert gets props for usually sporting cuff links.

Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), “True Blood”
Now that he’s a politician, this vampire dresses up and immediately commands attention. Nice use of the double-breasted jacket.

Hector Madden (Dominic West), “The Hour”
He’s a 1950s BBC broadcaster, but he looks just as good off-camera as on.

The Doctor (Matt Smith), “Doctor Who”
He’s not nearly as refined, but The Doctor sure can rock the professorial look with the tweed jacket, suspenders and bow tie. Bow ties are cool.

Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi), “Boardwalk Empire”
And if you think the right clothes can’t make a man attractive, look no further than this 1920s Atlantic City politician.

Sarah Carlson has a front-row seat to the decline of the newspaper industry and lives in Alabama with her overly excitable Pembroke Welsh corgi.