Airplane travel used to be so luxurious back in the days (and had more room for us Economy Class folks too). People would dress up and head into airports and onto airplanes dressed like they were on their way to dinner parties. Today it’s the exact opposite, with air travel looks being more about comfort over style.
I was never part of the “dress up era” but I still like to look nice to fly, I just really wish that I was not alone. Can you imagine what airports must have looked like with all of these well dressed men and women wandering around? Sigh..just fantastic I’m sure. Well for today’s post, we are stepping back in time and getting a peak at the ‘Stylish Side of Vintage Air Travel’.
Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Stylish Side of Vintage Air Travel
Vintage Photos 1930’s – 1960’s
To start the images roundup I found this one in a thrift shop a few months ago and had shared it in a previous post BUT it’s so appropriate to share again. This lovely 1940s couple is standing in front of a Canadian Pacific Air Lines plane which was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. This image would have been taken in its early years. Her hat is simply wonderful!
Even though this is clearly a modelling image from the 1950s it is still not inaccurate on how women dressed for travelling. Fantastic outfit.
Being stylish was not just reserved for the ladies. Here is NBC News’ Foreign Correspondent James Robinson in 1958, looking very dapper.
Everyone flew, like this adorable well dressed older couple pictured here.
1930s Fashion are on display in front of Qantas Flight.
And also on display for Hawaiian Airlines (Late 1920s, Early 1930 photo).
Is this a fashion show or the lineup for the plane? Either way these folks look really great!
1946 photo of Passengers on a Pan Am Boeing 307.
Source: Flickr
Looking good was not just reserved for the adults, even kids were put in their Sunday best for air travel.
Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, and Laraine Day “Flying in High Style,” 1954.
First class travel style includes wearing your furs.
Even the luggage was just as fabulous. Thought! Maybe you had to dress up to match the luggage? Hmmmm…
The most adorable 1950s Vintage Hard-Sided Suitcases, Turquoise Blue Luggage. Travel in Style!
Source: Etsy
Lastly, Jessica from Chronically Vintage had this wonderful Air Canada boarding pass on sale on her Etsy site and I just HAD to buy it because 1. It is piece of Canadian History (love) and 2. My husband works for Air Canada so I knew I had to make it mine. It has it’s own glam feel to it, don’t you agree?
Looking for more vintage travel paraphernalia & items (like vintage suitcases)? I have a collection of items for sale on Etsy that I have found from various vendors (updated monthly). You can find those items HERE.
Question time: Do you dress up for Air travel? Or do you prefer to be part of the comfortable clothes bunch?
FURTHER READING:
Liz 🙂
