How cabin crew fashion has changed through time If you’ve been on a plane recently and you’ve looked up at the cabin crew, bustling down the plane with the trolley, or attending to your every want and need during the flight, you might not have taken a second’s thought to observe what they were wearing. But for the cabin crew staff member, this is of vital importance. Aspiring cabin crew members primp and prime for their interviews, before landing one of the glossiest jobs in customer service. Your hair must be shiny, your nails filed, your shoes comfortable but glamorous enough to pass on a luxury jet. The high standards set by airlines for cabin crew have remained unchanged over the years, but the uniforms have moved with the times. This year, the year that Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her longest reign on the throne, Monarch Airlines have dug through their archive to observe how fashions have evolved in the sky as well as on the ground. Ruth Turner has been a cabin crew member with Monarch airlines since the early 1980s. “I have really loved wearing every different uniform I've had during my 33 years with the company,” she says. "When I put on my uniform and my heels, I instantly feel both glamorous and professional, and wearing it fills me with pride, and gives me the confidence to deal with anything that should come my way. When we're altogether as a crew, there is a feeling of belonging.” Damon Bishop has been working as cabin crew staff since 1993. When he started, there were two types of uniform – one for summer and one for winter. "There were warmer and darker colours for the winter, with gloves and heavy coats, while the summer uniforms were cooler in fresher and lighter shades,” he explains. “Male crew members wore a black blazer, white shirt with a grey and yellow tie and checked trousers, which were often referred to as Rupert Bear trousers! The crew were definitely noticed and you could see the passengers looking at the crew as they passed through the airport.” The uniform worn by cabin crew members have long made tourists turn and look. “Our uniform is a powerful symbol of the brand,” Bishop says. “It makes us stand out from the crowd and can change the mood of people around us.” “I think the hat is one uniform item that should make a return. Glamour is in the airport, on the runway and in the aisle. A hat finishes the look and gets us noticed. We wear hats for special and smart occasions and this should also be one of those special occasions. For Ruth Turner, it’s the 70s that appeal the most. “If I could have chosen a decade to work in it would have been the 1970s. Package holidays were just beginning to take off then, and the life of an air stewardess was exciting and glamorous. I would have loved to have worn the uniform with the yellow mini dress – it was just gorgeous!” But it’s your first that you remember. Turner’s debut remains her favourite: “a navy blue wool/crepe suit with a yellow Swiss cotton blouse in a navy paisley print. The hat was small, sort of like a saucer!” she says. “We also had navy uniform shoes, both outdoor and cabin shoes. The uniform was incredibly smart, classic and very comfortable to wear.” From the archives, this is how Monarch have celebrated all those years in the sky. Fashion isn’t just for the people on the ground – it even finds its way into the air space. see more: www.graziadressau.com