DALLAS — Today, in 1922, British carrier Instone Air Line introduced its pilots and staff uniforms. It is believed that these were the world’s first commercial airline service uniforms.
Like all early aviation apparel, garments were designed for the male figure. The look was heavily military-inspired and created from whatever materials were available. And this was how the uniforms would remain until Ellen Church, the world’s first female Flight Attendant, took to the skies in May 1930.
Church and other early female FAs were registered nurses; their uniforms reflected that occupation. The military element continued with dull colors, matching hats, and white gloves.
From Flight Attendants to Fashion Icons
But as aviation developed, so did the uniforms. The post-war era saw more and more people take to the air. This led to airlines looking at ways to entice passengers onto their jets. The early days of the “Cabin Boys” were replaced by the sexualized look of the “stewardess.”
This marketing tactic saw carriers such as Braniff International introduce new looks from some of the world’s top designers. Braniff would go one step further with their Emilio Pucci look, which saw scantily clad crew members carry out the “Air Strip” and remove various uniform layers throughout the flight.
Over the past two decades, most airlines have introduced a much more conservative look for their staff. More recently, carriers such as Play and SkyUp have gone for more relaxed and gender-neutral outfits, which has seen other legacy carriers such as British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic (VS) relax their once-strict uniform regulations.
Featured image: Flight attendant circa 1970. Trace British Airways' (A) FA uniform history back over 100 years to the formation of Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T) in 1919. BA's crews have become known as some of the best dressed in the industry throughout its history.
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Exploring Airline History Volume I
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David H. Stringer, the History Editor for AIRWAYS Magazine, has chronicled the story of the commercial aviation industry with his airline history articles that have appeared in AIRWAYS over two decades. Here, for the first time, is a compilation of those articles.
Subjects A through C are presented in this first of three volumes. Covering topics such as the airlines of Alaska at the time of statehood and Canada's regional airlines of the 1960s, the individual histories of such carriers as Allegheny, American, Braniff, and Continental are also included in Volume One. Get your copy today!
February 2025
