Come Fly With Me!

During the golden age of flying, air travel was seen as completely glamorous and chic. Flying was an 'event' because air travel was quite expensive and rare. Only 10 % of the population flew in those days.  The expectation was that you would wear nice clothing onto the flight. Passengers often were very elegant, dressed beautifully. Anyone who boarded onto an airplane in the 1960's or early 1970's in a sweatsuit, or ragged jeans, would've caused a major hubbub among the passengers.

For a generation of young women, being a stewardess was a chance to see the world. Women became an integral part of flight crews in the 30s, when Ellen Church approached Boeing Air Transport (now United Airlines) with an idea. She suggested that there should be nurses on board to assist with the passengers. Boeing agreed and nurses became the first stewardesses in the air. Originally, they dressed in military-style uniforms, but by the 60s the uniforms became shorter and more playful. Uniforms came in brilliant colors, mini-skirts, go-go boots, and even bold Pucci prints.

 T.V. Show Pan Am

(Stewardess: Come Fly With Me!; photos collections of: Vicki Nicely, Mary Daniel, Bjorn Larsen, Chris Lamborde, Ken Jensen, Tom Bailey, Suzanne Crawford Johnson, Benjamin Shaykin. US Airways, Japan Air Lines, Trans World Airlines, American Airlines, Air Jamaica, Air France)