Photo borrowed from the Tom McMahon Page, February 4, 2004.
There I was, the laundry was going round and round and the suitcase half packed. We had already been through the “try on every pair of levi’s in the house because we have gained weight” routine. We had just discovered that every pair of denim in the house had suddenly become too tight, too short, too uncomfortable to take on the trip with us. All the denim in the house now being discarded, a quickie trip to Amvets produced one pair of button up 504’s the next size bigger………ad infinitum.
He was happy and I found a nice red wool sweater.
So there I was, online, reading my daily blogs off OD and ignoring the packing choices when suddenly I reached Dark Roasted Blend’s vintage Stewardess Uniforms. I confess, I was a gonner visiting all three pages.
Oh My……shades of the past. Dear friend Bee had been a Stewardess in the age of the 1960’s uniforms. Her major airline owner’s wife would change uniforms often. One day Bee would be in a suit, the next day waddling in awkward early polyester stripes here and orange there. Ugly colors and truly unforgiving fabrics indeed. Every stain showed. What about white…who thought that was a good idea.
Following my now activated curiosity bump, I Googled Stewardess Uniform
Stewardess Uniforms and discovered Cliff Muskiet’s massive collection of air style. Here over 230 uniforms are displayed for your appreciation, including those awful uniforms of Bee’s.
Stewardess worked hard up there in the air. Often the uniforms didn’t make working in a moving airplane any easier, but these women did the job in awkward places, under pressure and with grace. They watched their weight under strict weight restrictions, wore their makeup carefully, and every hair was always in place along with their smiles during these years when flying was a far more innocent thing and airline fashion was often a little beyond style into marketing.
“Coffee, tee, and me?” PSA still has a lot to answer for.
LINKS:
Vintage Stewardess Uniforms
Stewardess Uniform Collection
American Airlines History Through The Years
PSA History Page
PSA uniforms
Cool Things:
Airline Angels
Pan Am History and Memorabilia
Braniff Airlines
Fasten Your Seat Belts
Luchtzak Aviation Pictures/Uniforms
Flying the Preppy Skies
National Sundowners: Flight Memories
Air America Net: With links to Air Vietnam, Air Cambodia, Air Laos, Bird Air, and other SEA Airlines
Veterans Day: Veterans Day/Rememberance Day. The day that memorializes the signing of the Armistice ending WWI.
Duck: Woke him, and we had a coke with him in the “living room.” He doesn’t want us to come today as we “need the time to pack.” We probably will anyway.
Me: Saw Mohave’s newly painted and colorful room, puttered here while G did the laundry, Duck, Dinner. Today pack. Tomorrow Ba is picking us up at 0445.
Mirror Journal: Day Tripper At Open Diary
G: Singing…….”On the Rails Again.” He started packing today at dawn, and singing. Lots of singing.
As a child, I remember thinking the uniforms marvelous and the stewardesses very glamorous. I couldn't have been further from the truth.
ReplyDeleteAren't you two almost on your way? Safe and pleasant journey.