So, as I wrote about recently I have been traveling and unable/or too tired to blog anything out. Also after dinner and drinks and after dinner drinks I don't think too many people would want to read my mixed up thoughts...Including me the next day!
I was taking a plane the other day and it made me remember something my pop said a long time ago "always wear at least a blazer on a plane; you will be treated the way you expect." So I do. Even if I'm stuck in the middle seat in economy class I'm either wearing my suit or blazer to the plane (of course we remove the jacket while we sit; otherwise it gets wrinkled, etc).
The other day While I was getting my boarding pass checked I looked around and started to actually think about what people wear on planes (I know we could talk about how bad people dress all the time, today let's just focus on planes/airports). I saw too many sweat pants/shirts, is there a gym on the plane that nobody told me about? What about those Fanny packs? Here is a hint people THEY NEVER LOOK GOOD! I'm not trying to just bitch about other people, I spied a bunch of guys in jeans and tee shirts or some other type of shirt; honestly it looked fine. Just because I was wearing a suit I do not expect everyone to wear one. However, please look in the mirror BEFORE you leave the house.
I know the response that everyone is going to say; "I want to be comfortable for the long flight". I agree, bring a good book or take a quick nap but you are still in public you should not be wearing slippers in the airport (yes I did see it last week). My flight kind of looked like it was filled with extras from one who flew over the coo koo's nest. I truly believe most American must be colour blind too.. Orange, red and purple (nice outfit).
11 comments:
Can't agree with you more. I also try to look good when I fly I think people respect you better. I've always been taught to look good because you never know who you might meet.
One quick story. I flew from a small airport here called MBS to Detroit (15 min flight) to connect to a flight to Phoenix and I was in upper class, we were getting ready to leave and all the sudden a very strange, rather large, poorly dressed man gets on the plane. He had a pile of newspapers in his hand and dropped them all when he boarded. Just made a mess, turns out he was sitting in first too and he started talking on his cell phone (even when told not too). He sat down to a doctor looking guy who was wearing a nice Brooks Brothers Suit (I wore my BB ease suit so no wrinkles!) Anyways, hate to judge by the way people dress, but he did sit in first class. Everyone had a puzzled look on their face.
Oh, and the time someone quite hairy sat next to me in a tank top and sweatshorts. It was a 5 hour flight out to LAX.... I moved quickly.
My father has always told me no matter what to always be on your best behavior because you never know when that 6 degrees of separation is going to catch up with you. So I can relate to the dress to impress comment. And I agree fully. I don't know how many times I have been on a plane and had to even SMELL stinky feet because people think it is okay to take their SHOES OFF! If people say they want to be comfortable, fine I understand, but does that really mean that people actually wear clothes that they are not comfortable in everyday? Should the rest of us really have to pay for it?
I once worked for a company that mandated business dress for all travel after an incident occured on a flight and an employee deplaning happened to be randomly interviewed by the waiting press in rather shoddy attire. I think you also get better service if you are more dressed up - and that applies not just to flying, but to shopping and so on. P.S. My worst flying incident: Sitting across the aisle from some guy clipping his toenails - it was absolutely disgusting and I was just too many seats over to tell him to stop. Gross!
Susan: Imagine seeing someone cutting their toenails on the NYC Subway...
Hear hear! I always do, however, feel bad for those with really early AM flights or red-eyes. But at least put a nice (clean, no rips) pair of jeans on and a sweater/nice shirt. My plane uniform is the aforementioned jeans/sweater/ballet flats combo.
My caveat on airplane attire/hygiene - please at least have showered/used deoderant/body spray (yet not overwhelming!). You are in extremely close quarters with other people. Come on now!
Clipping their toenails???!!!! If I saw that, I would die laughing.
I haven't been on many short flights. So I have to admit, I'm that girl in the cotton pants. However, when you're in flight and transition for 25 hours, dang, you don't want jeans. BUT I always carry hygenie products with me, have my hair neat and treat my flight attendents with the utmost respect. Even thought I'm wearing a polo and my favorite MATCHING sleeper (mismatching is a pretty hideous crime) pants, I haven't had any issues with being treated less than well. I think it might be less the way you dress (though we know we make impressions by dress) and more the way we treat those around us and serving us.
you can still look nice and be comfortable at the same time. I was raised to "dress" for air travel so I guess old habits die hard. I'm not saying I'm putting on heels to trek through the airport, but khaki slacks, a sweater set and a pair of cute loafers and a strand of pearls will do the trick nicely and I am still super comfy.
Tod, I am happy to report that I spotted LOTS of men wearing blazers on our flight to Bermuda - but as my Hubby pointed out, it WAS a flight to Bermuda, so what else would you expect. However, I have to agree, what is up with the sweats & such? I have seen it all & I still "dress" to travel, I don't want to look like a bum or a slob - EVER (well, maybe in the comfort of my own home.)
I'm female & I wear Lilly Pulitzer pants or Lilly jeans with a cashmere sweater when I fly from London to the US as I NEED to be comfortable for such a Long journey. Is that considered too casual? My hand luggage is a LLBean adventure duffle with wheels and Monogrammed of course! :-)
Scarlett: Somehow your outfit could never be concidered messy or TOO casual.
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