Indulge me.................Please?

[air-waycharlie]

I know this is a web site and forum about appliances but occastionally other things do pop up and I recently made some great additions to my vintage Stewardess uniforms that I want to share.

There isn't a "Vintage Stewardess Collectors" web site with a forum that I am aware of so I am grateful I can show some things here.

I was finally able to complete the 1965-67 Braniff International Air-Strip this fall with the addition of the tunic top with matching leotards that can be seen under the Cranberry jacket and wrap-a-round skirt. The Air-Strip was designed to be removed in layers and there were several variations. This would be the uniform that appeared later in the collection. The first had Hyacinth colored harem pants that went underneath. You can see that Hyacinth tunic top underneath the multiprint tunic top. These could be worn in a number of different combinations. This is just one.

 

[air-waycharlie]

A closer look at the neckline and wings.

You can see the layering more clearly here. All items were designed by Emillo Pucci and it was quite an event when this uniform collection was introduced. It turned the industry unside down momentarily.

The hat snaps under the chin and came in pink/cranberry version as well. The only thing missing is the bubble helmet that went over the head and hat. Yes, I said bubble helmet. To keep out the elements as it says in the brochure! I've only seen one in recent years. Anybody have one?

 

[air-waycharlie]

Paging Nancy Sinatra...............

These boots were definately made for walking and a whole lot of other things too.

They also came in a reverse color scheme. The top coat matched in "Melon" and "Lime" Green and was reversable to match the boots you picked for your trip.

Talk about glamour.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Mid to late 70's Eastern

Beautiful sweater set worn by Eastern Stewardess with matching quiana blouse with continous Eastern logo and matching scarf. Back when Stews were Stews.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Meanwhile over at TWA........

Stan Herman was comissioned to design a uniform for 1974-1978. This is one of the ones he came up with. You could also get it in pale yellow and knit tops came in yellow and red, long and short sleeve. The scarf has commemorative TWA artwork on it. This was the last year of the "triple globe" wing. All pieces were mix and match and there were the pin-stripe slacks available as seen here.

In 1978 TWA debuted a beautiful 2 piece business suit designed by Ralph Lauren.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Beautiful gold badging

Wings made of eltro-plated gold or gold filled and a 15 year service pin. Beautiful work done by the Balfour company that we do not see anymore.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Charlie, very fun collection! What great colors, they would look wonderful spinning at 1140rpm! There we can make almost anything washer related

I remember those Eastern airlines uniforms as we flew Eastern or National airlines a lot when I was a kid, we always went from NYC to Fort Lauderdale (year after year after year and in the dead of summer, feh). I used to beg my parents to go so someplace more exciting to a like Chicago or Denver so we could travel on other airlines like TWA or Northwest but I got the same answer everytime, "we're going to see you grandmother and that's it".

 

[petek]

Charlie, great to see those uniforms, how many do you have now and can you still fit in any of them ? It's great somebodies collecting that stuff, I can see it being displayed in a museum or exhibition in the future. Where do you find them btw, rummaging thru the closets at a rest home for senior stewardess' ? Post some more of the wilder ones if you have them. Seems like all the ones today are much the same old navy blue or gray blazers with no pizzazz. The only uniform I ever had was from my early days as a cabin boy on the Princess Patricia cruises to Alaska back in the early 70's and I couldn't keep it, nor did I really want to when I moved on. I don't even have a picture of me in it,, just the head shot in my seamans log book which is sort of like a passport. The only airline collectibles I have is a Flying Tigers flight bag which was my dads from some trip somewhere way back when and a BOAC (pre British Airways) Junior Jet club pin and log book (again like a passport) I got when we flew to the UK back in the early 60's on a 707. It's very nice, they don't give out stuff like that anymore I don't think. That was when you still had to dress up in your Sunday best to go on a plane.

 

[maytagbear]

The airline I loved

and miss, is Piedmont!

The stews were always kind, flights were never (very) late....

Charlie--thanks for sharing your collection.

Flying nowadays is pretty dismal.

I groaned when my brother-in-law got a (admittedly great) job in Minneapolis {Honeywell Tech Center.}

Northworst anyone?

(I don't fly a lot, and when I do, I am nervous, and it's just slightly more pleasant than riding the dog.)

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[fnelson487]

Can Charlie Still Fit Into Them?

Wow - You should have seen him at the last vacuum gathering. Didn't I post the pic with him in the outfit in the top two frames? Well worth seeing, especially with the harem pants and boots!!!!

 

[drmitch]

I was a Braniff fan! Charlie what a neat collection! and they all look so pristene!

 

[air-waycharlie]

By popular request...

Here are a few more starting with, "I'm Cheryl, fly me!" The famous National for Robert.

1970-1974ish

 

[air-waycharlie]

Then came the last National

This was the uniform worn before the merger with Pan Am. About 1977 to 1980.

 

[air-waycharlie]

The Sunking Wings go away

A closer look.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Paging Edith Head.........

We need you to design a uniform for Pan Am for a debut in 1971 to 1974. A classic.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Followed by Adolpho

Worn until the end in 1991. The end of an era.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Details make the uniform

Adplpho left out nothing but kept clean at the same time.

 

[air-waycharlie]

For our Piedmont fans...........

Yours truly started with Piedmont and was there when USAir gobbled it up and wrecked a truly wonderful airline known for it's southern hospitality.

This was the 1977 to 1980 uniform. The "Pumpkin" dress was for summer wear--(or could be worn during jail time.)

 

[air-waycharlie]

Could I see those a little closer please?

Yes dear, here they are. The grey was great but that other thing...........iiccch.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Piedmont's swan song uniform

The last we wore until that fateful day in August of 1989 when US Scare came along and once again the south was defeated.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Stan Herman appears again this time for United

This beautiful, but very 1970's was United's from 1976 to 1980. Stan did a great job and the scarf was my favorite part even with his name on it!

 

[air-waycharlie]

The current United dress

Not bad, but a far cry from days gone by.

 

[air-waycharlie]

We really move our tails for you!!

Continental on parade!! From 1970 to 1986. There were lots of pieces to every uniform seen in all the pics, these are only the items I have been able to find.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Don't light a match near me..............

we are made of 100% polyester and will go up like a dry piece of grass! But they did know how to work those scarfs--my favorite part of the uniforms!

 

[air-waycharlie]

Could we tone it down for the next several years?

Yes, let's go to an earthtone ocher with merlot highlights and then a subline aubergine. Times were changing and so did the uniforms.

That is all for tonight. If you want more, let me know. There is still American, Delta, Eastern, Western, TWA, etc.

 

[retromom]

National is my fav!

I absolutely loved National Airlines! My best friends cousin and a neighbor across the street were Stews at National! I loved their sunshine logo and happy colours! We all wanted to be stewardesses when we grew up! Exotic countries, a man in every port....sigh.

Terrific collection of uniforms Charlie! If you go to Tucscon, perhaps we can model them. I just barely made the old pre-requisite 5'2" minimum height. Now if I could only do something about my age! ;-)

 

[petek]

Oh Western Airlines, now they were classy with their champagne flights. Some cheap sparkling wine served in a plastic dixie cup with a bag of honey peanuts.The efficiency of how they gathered those cups too, walking along the aisle with a green garbage bag and scooping them up. Oh I remember them, mostly from twice having broken seatbacks that fell back during take off almost hitting the person behind me LOL.. What was there logo,, Western, the only way to fly...ha.

 

[appnut]

Venus, I would not worry about your age. I've been on flights where I thought grandma was being an attendant for her second career.

Charlie, I'm interested in Delta, given my oldest sister was a stew for them for27 or 28 years.

 

[air-waycharlie]

A man in every port..........

Yes Venus, the 1970's and early 1980's were the best years in flying.

And darling you can be my personal Stew anytime! I would have hired you in minute. Cute, perky, personable, kind, good posture, teeth and nails. All the things we wanted in our new hires.

Now, would any of those neighbors still have any of their old uniforms and would they like to donate them to a worthy cause?

This applies to all, not just Venus!! How do you think I got them? Pete, old Stews just keep flying. There is no old Stew home because we are all still out there.

A friend of mine who flies for United told me about the number one in senority in Chicago. She turned 80 on Monday and has no plans to retire AND, get this, she is number 4 on the system senority list.

Meanwhile, over at Northwest, their number one system wide is a male purser who is 86! So plan on seeing me around for quite some time. Sorry.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Bob, about sis...........

Would she still have any of her uniforms left and would she like to part with them?

I'll post Delta tomorrow. I only have 1 of theirs I think. I have been looking for years to find more but they just don't seem to be out there or available.