Fasten Your Seatbelts: Forty Years of Inflight Style

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that someone who has collected 230 stewardess uniforms should have a life-long love of aviation, and appropriately enough, Cliff Muskiet is a flight attendant for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the national carrier of the Netherlands. He’s been enthralled by civil aviation since his early childhood. “The first flight I can remember was from New York to Amsterdam in 1970, I was 5 years old. I slept during the whole flight and when we arrived in Amsterdam, I was so disappointed because I couldn't remember anything about the flight.” He began by drawing “airplanes and I started to cut airplane pictures out of travel magazines.” Then his love of aviation ballooned and “I collected everything: posters, postcards, timetables and models. Aviation sure had something glamorous in the 1970's and that made it even more special. Not everyone could afford to travel by plane and in those days flying was something special.” And it’s still his passion even now. “Everything about civil aviation fascinates me. The fact that a Boeing 747 with 400 passengers on board can fly from one side of the world to the other. The fact that an airplane can fly, it still amazes me. Flying around the world has always had something adventurous about it. I like the different types of airplanes, the airports, the different airline liveries, logo's and designs, the cabin interiors, the meal trays with china and (of course) the flight attendant uniforms.” And he is still passionate about it even though he has been a flight attendant for many years. “I still enjoy every single take-off and landing! I think the take-off is the best part of a flight. When I think of airplanes, I think of travelling and meeting many people... and I like to travel and meet people.”

When it comes to the commercialised world of civil aviation, there are an endless number of collectable items to be had (even when I was a child I collected a model plane from every holiday I went on, and had an airhostess doll in a Dan Air uniform designed by YSL!). There’s flight bags, sick-bags, in-flight magazines, luggage labels, teddy bears wearing flight-goggles and T-shirts emblazoned with the airline’s logo. Cliff collected all of these items. “I would roam the streets in Amsterdam and visit all the airline offices. I would come home with bags full of timetables, postcards, posters and information booklets of various airlines and their in-flight products. The posters, postcards, boarding passes, wings and stickers have made way for some more eye-catching collections, namely collecting stewardess uniforms. But when I was 18 years old, I got rid of all these things, except my airplane models and last year I sold all of 45 them.” It may seem a shame that Cliff has got rid of so many splendid aviation items, but it makes sense. “Now I only collect stewardess uniforms. I need all the space in my apartment to stow my uniforms so I decided to sell all my airplane models.” Cliff now owns about 230 air hostess uniforms.

This unique collection began in 1980, when Cliff was given a 1970’s KLM uniform. “At that time I thought "this is great, I want to have more!" In 1982 I got two other uniforms from two Dutch charter airlines that changed uniform in that year. From 1982 till 1993 I didn't do much to obtain more uniforms, something I really regret now because I could have had many more. Ten years later, in 1993, I was in Accra, Ghana where I obtained some old Ghana Airways uniforms without any problem. When I received these uniforms, I started to contact other airlines. Most of my 230 uniforms were obtained between 1993 and today.”

But why collect air hostess uniforms? And why not collect the uniforms worn by stewards? “Male uniforms all look the same: jacket, pants, plain shirt and a tie, most men’s uniforms are dark blue, quite boring! The ladies uniforms are so different compared to that.” And how different they are. Even a quick glance at Cliff’s collection photographed for his website shows just how infinitely varied in style the stewardess’ uniforms are. “The different styles of uniform items like the jackets, skirts, blouses, dresses and hats. The many colors that are used; dark blue, light blue, green, yellow, purple, red, orange or brown, all colors are used! The great variety of accessories make the airhostess uniforms so different and special. The blouses usually have colorful prints, stripes, dots or airline logo's or they can be plain colored. Scarves can have beautiful and colorful designs. Some uniforms have a hat and I love uniform hats! And then there is the wing on the uniform jacket, it can make the uniform look even nicer.” Cliff’s collection reflects cultures from all over the world, and it’s fascinating to see how differently the stewardesses dress, even though they are all doing the same job: the uniforms for airlines from Islamic countries, such as Iranair, Royal Brunei and Gulfair incorporate the traditional headscarf into a smart outfit, and Singapore Airlines’ uniform consists of a beautiful floor-length dress, simultaneously smart, elegant and totally Oriental. China Airlines features a lovely Chinese-style dress with a Mandarin collar worn under a neatly-cut jacket, combining Eastern and Western styles, and the uniforms worn by stewardesses on Hawaiian Airlines and United Airlines flights to Hawaii reflect Hawaiian Muu-Muu style. Tyrolean Airways takes this too another level altogether with their Tyrol peasant-look uniforms – do their airstewards wear lederhosen? Another fascinating aspect is the way that different periods of fashion affect the uniforms. Starting with the very trendy uniforms from the 1960s, such as United and Allegheny, psychedelic patterns make their way in during the early 1970’s with the Pucci number for Braniff (a fine trouser-and-tunic or dress combination ensemble!) and the 1980’s uniforms were clearly influenced by power-dressing, until we get the ultra-casual uniform from budget airline Easy Jet, with its budget uniform, which, with its baggy polo shirt and bench coat is so far removed from the elegant box cut jackets of the classic neat 1960’s uniforms.

Cliff’s favourites are the KLM uniforms from 1971 and 1975, British Caledonian, Asiana Airlines, the “groovy” United Airlines uniform from 1968 and all of the SAS uniforms. The KLM uniforms bring back happy memories for Cliff, “When I was a child, my mother and I traveled a lot on KLM. These two uniforms were worn by the stewardesses. Good old memories!” Cliff likes these because “they all have a hat; I think a uniform looks better with a hat, it makes the uniform complete.” And of course, Uppers readers will entirely share Cliff’s love for the uniforms from the late 1960's and the 1970's; “they were so cool, I like the thick synthetic fabric they are made from. The airlines used bright colors for their uniforms in those days.” It’s startling to see just how ‘trendy’ some of the uniforms are from those decades: Allegheny’s uniforms wouldn’t look out of place at a Mod do, and their white and black winter uniform from the early 1970’s looks very much like some of Rudi Gernreich’s designs from 1968. “When I saw the Asiana Airlines uniform for the first time in the late 1980's, I wanted to have one for my collection. I think it looks very nice, the uniform is very feminine and I love the hat. I finally obtained this uniform last year when I was in Korea during a layover in Seoul. SAS always had a picture of a blond stewardess on the front page of their timetable, she was wearing the light blue 1970's uniform with hat. Another memory from my childhood! British Caledonian has had very typical Scottish looking uniforms in different colors. I loved the white gloves the air hostess would wear with this uniform; they looked very smart in this uniform.” And perhaps this sums up what is so appealing about stewardess uniforms and why seeing a collection like Cliff’s is so exciting: the designers very cleverly combine smartness, elegance and a touch of local flavour into what could have been dull, purely practical clothes.

As much as it’s lovely looking at these uniforms, how practical are they? Cliff doesn’t find any problems with his own. “I am happy to wear a uniform because I never have to think what to wear to work! My uniform feels comfortable. I think most male uniforms are usually very practical. Not much can go wrong when you wear a suit with a tie.” For the ladies, however, life isn’t as easy, especially those who have to wear high-heels as part of their uniform. “Air hostesses at KLM do not have to wear stilettos. Low heels are allowed, high heels are ok too. The airhostess who wear high heels usually change to flat comfortable shoes after take-off.” Then there are sartorial problems: “if, for example, the skirt is too short or for instance, if you are a redhead and you have to wear a bright red uniform.” As much as stewardess hats are a classic part of the uniform ensemble, Cliff says that “a uniform hat is not very practical for most air hostesses; they don't like them.” This could very well explain why you see air hostesses wearing their hats when they’re milling about the airport or standing on the steps at the beginning and end of your flight, but they’re gone by the time your stewardess is pouring your tea. I suppose a sudden bought of air-turbulence might make you end up with a fab hat tumbling into your lap.

But Cliff is not content with owning merely 230 uniforms. He would welcome “all stewardess uniforms, from any airline, but especially I would love to have a Saudia one and some from JAL Japan Airlines, JAS Japan Air System and ANA All Nippon Airways, especially their uniforms from the 1970's and 1980's! The Japanese airlines sure had some very nice uniforms. Very stylish and all with scarves, gloves and hats.” You may have noticed the photo of Cliff’s 1960’s Pan-Am hat above, and “I would be very pleased if I could find the rest of the Pan-Am uniform that goes with that hat. It is quite an old uniform so it will be very difficult to find.” It would be quite a coup if he was ever able to find it – in many ways, when someone mentions the 1960’s jet-set, Pan-Am usually comes to mind. Its instantly recognisable logo appears on so many Lounge records and is a particular favourite of the Uppers Organisation: just check out the Uppers’ logo! And, even as I type, next to me hanging on the wall is a 1960’s Pan-Am flight bag. Just seeing the logo makes me smell jet fuel and hear the squealing roar of jet engines.

Someone so passionate about flight should of course find their ideal job working on a plane or in an airport, and that’s just what Cliff does. “The day I got my wing was a very memorable moment. My first flight as an air steward was also a memorable moment. When I was a young boy, I wanted to become a flight attendant. After all these years my dream finally came true! I remember I was very proud...I still am!” It’s certainly the job to have if you want to be a globe-trotting jet-setter. One of Cliff’s most memorable moments as a flight attendant was in 1989. “I was based in New Delhi for KLM for a period of 8 weeks. I was part of an 18-strong Boeing 747 crew, flying once a week from Delhi to Jakarta. After a weekend off in Jakarta we would fly back to Delhi and have 4 days off. During these four days off in Delhi, I made several trips in India. I went to Kashmir, Darjeeling, Varanasi, Jaipur, Agra and Nepal. India sure is a very beautiful country. I had a great time there, an experience no one can take away from me.” Having seen so many airports around the world, Cliff’s favourites are “Oslo's new airport, beautiful design, lots of glass and wooden floors. Very Scandinavian. Dubai; shoppers paradise and very spacious. Feels like you are on board a spaceship 3) Amsterdam Schiphol Airport because it is my hometown and home base of KLM.

Cliff is multi-lingual, which is pretty important for a job where you’re travelling the world: “I speak Dutch, English, French and German.” He doesn’t like the time differences which he regularly encounters. “One day you have to deal with a –9 hour time difference flying to Los Angeles on the West Coast of the USA, the next trip you would have to deal with a +7 hour time difference flying to Singapore in the Far East.” But this is clearly outweighed by the many plus-points he enjoys with his job: “working with and for different people, a lot of free time/days off at home, the opportunity to see places you would never travel to yourself.” Not forgetting, of course, the big advantage of travelling so much: “I meet people who can help me find uniforms for my collection!”

Should you wish to follow the same route as Cliff and don a smart uniform whilst flying the world, “First of all, you should make sure you have the right diploma's and education. Try to learn some languages. Be well prepared once you are invited for a job interview. Be yourself, believe in yourself and always keep in mind: you never get a second chance to make a first impression!!!”

These days, you might think that a job such as air-stewarding would be more respected than it has been over the years. Flight attendants have been derided as being little more than ‘glorified waitresses’ and ‘trolley-dollies’. You might think that today people would appreciate the customer service and multi-lingual abilities of their flight attendants, not to mention the rigorous safety training they undergo. But it seems that the opposite is true. “Passengers are more demanding nowadays. They want to pay as little as possible for a ticket, but they often expect First Class Service in Economy Class. Sometimes passengers are very difficult to please. There are passengers who get very angry and upset because they don't get a newspaper of their choice, even if there are plenty of other ones available. People can be very aggressive too. Some years ago one of my colleagues was stabbed in her back with a knife just a few moments before landing in Amsterdam.” It’s a great shame that passengers should have abandoned all sense of decorum and good behaviour – the constant reporting on the news of yet another ‘air-rage’ incident is appalling. It is sad that these people cannot respect the flight attendants who are employed to look after them ‘to ensure your comfort and safety’. The effort that airlines go to with their employees’ uniforms, selecting bright colours, neat cuts and elegant tailoring, shows how much attendants are valued as representatives of the airline but also how important they are during the flight. Who presents you with your smartly-packaged meal while Venice passes below? Who pours you a cup of tea while the pilot avoids a thunderstorm over the Alps? Who helps you to fasten your seatbelt while Florida speedboats cut white arcs across the surface of the blue Atlantic thousands of feet below you? Who hands out crinkly-wrapped boiled sweets before take-off and landing? Who stands by the door of the cabin and smiles warmly? Your flight attendant. Be nice to them.

Although he’s been a globe-trotter for many years and has such a wide-ranging collection of uniforms, Cliff doesn’t have a favorite airline, but he does like British Airways and Thai Airways. “I have flown BA several times on long haul and short haul flights. I always enjoyed their service and I think they have very good, professional cabin crew. Thai Airways is also a good airline, I’ve flown with them twice. I love the purple and pink airplane livery.” And when it comes to the metal birds that zoom across the sky, Cliff’s “favorite plane models are the DC-8 and the Caravelle, both "old timers".”

And so Cliff jets off to someplace in the world, ready to smile and hunt out more fantastic uniforms for his unique collection. Next time you fly KLM, you never know, it might be Cliff who takes your ticket and points you in the direction of your seat.

Comments:

Sophie-F.	mar 5 2003 12:50AM

Hi Helen, Thanks so much for such a fun and informative article and interview! I myself have been admiring those stewardesses uniforms for years, ever since I was a toddler biding my time on frequent airplane trips. I have had a few questions regarding French designers and airline uniforms collections over the years; now I know whom to adress them to! I'm looking forward to your next article. Take care, Sophie

Make your own comment

Fasten Your Seatbelts: Forty Years of Inflight Style

Some people collect stamps, some people collect records: flight attendant Cliff Muskiet collects air hostess uniforms.

Other articles on Uppers you might enjoy

Beauty and the Boeing

What to Wear in the Air

A380 Navigator or 7E7 Dreamliner?