Though BBC America’s newsroom drama The Hour – now in its second season – has been dubbed “The British Mad Men,” series costume designer Suzanne Cave says there are distinct differences when it comes to the clothing. ”In terms of similarities I suppose the silhouettes are similar, but Fifth Avenue advertising in the ‘50’s is worlds away from [The Hour’s] Lime Grove,” Cave tells EW. ”British fashion was a slight step behind American fashion. Even just in terms of the technology of fabrics, that kind of thing would’ve been more advanced in America.”

If anything, the costumer examined the different worlds of the British TV rivalries of the late ’50s for historical style references. “Where as the ITV guys are much slicker, much shinier, the people who work at the BBC are a little bit quirkier, so we marked the difference between those two,” said Cave, who, along with her team, custom designs many of the outfits for the show’s main characters Freddie Lyon (Ben Whishaw; above right), Bel Rowley (Romola Garai; above center), Hector Madden (Dominic West; above left), and Marnie Madden (Oona Chaplin).

Click on to get the scoop on each character’s look and pick up this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly, on newsstands now, for more on the costumes of The Hour. SEE PHOTOS