Daily Mail - nostalgia in the skies

[603DX]

I am sorry, but it is snobbery to look down on the sartorial tastes of others and express this distaste on a public and worldwide forum! No doubt many of us might think such thoughts on occasion, but prefer to keep them to ourselves! No-one appoints us as arbiters of what our fellow travellers may or may not wear, we do not live in a totalitarian state.

One person's "pride and respect for oneself and others" can be interpreted as "personal arrogance and disrespect for others", it all depends on how you look at it ...

[BEagle]

I am sorry, but it is snobbery to look down on the sartorial tastes of others....

That might be true if the 'others' actually had a modicum of 'taste'. It is abundantly clear that many simply do not.

[Dr Jekyll]

my own interpretation of what is widely termed 'smart casual'. In temperate climates, this generally includes a shirt with collar and tie,

'Casual' means no tie as far as I'm concerned. What on earth would you regard as formal?

[scotbill]

What used to amuse me were the ones who assumed after a fortnight in Tenerife in January that the weather in Scotland must be the same - so boarded in their beach gear and flipflops.
There was a certain grim pleasure in anouncing that the temp back home was -3 Celsius - with a risk of snow.

[WHBM]

For all that some here may look down on the attire of the pax, for a piloting forum that's a bit inappropriate because the explosion of air travel across all social sectors, instead of just the "right one" of 50 years ago, has meant way more opportunities for crew employment nowadays than there was in that previous time, when it seems to have been just a select few, well-connected, ex-air force types.

[airsmiles]

603DX - we'll have to agree to differ re; snobbishness then. There's no way on earth any of my friends would describe me as arrogant and disrespectful for others!

I totally agree with the view that opening air travel out to all people whatever their background or income is a good thing for them and the people employed by the industry.

I just don't think there's a perfect correlation between the loss of the golden age of flying/enjoyment of air travel with the huge increase in the number of passengers carried. There are social factors at play and a general lowering of standards that affects all aspects of life.

[603DX]

'Casual' means no tie as far as I'm concerned. What on earth would you regard as formal?

Since you ask, my wardrobe includes a dark DJ suit, dress shirt, bow tie and cummerbund. It also includes a white tuxedo jacket for tropical climes, and a selection of dark and light coloured business suits. All of these are kept for formal occasions. 'Casual' dress for many of my generation can sometimes include the wearing of a tie with say a blazer or corduroy jacket, sometimes not. Depends on the occasion and the temperature, I will never suffer discomfort for the sake of pointless habit or convention.

What I do NOT regard as 'smart casual' attire are blue jeans (these are irredeemably working clothes, which I garden in), 'T' shirts or polo shirts. I am sure that opinions will differ widely here, it's mainly an age-related thing.

[crewmeal]

I believe it's all down to dress sense and standards. Is it true to and fair to say that all FR pax buy their clothes from Primark? We live in a world of choice and I also believe you get what you pay for. In those days choices for clothes and were limited and probably made in the cotton mills of Lancs. Now you can buy £10 jeans which can hang from your a''e. I remember when I used to buy Levis for a fortune, but they looked good, but wearing them on a long haul flight was sheer hell, because they were too tight and uncomfortable!

Maybe we should take a leaf out of the Arab dress sense, especially Saudis. Wear thobes which keep you comfortable and cool in the heat and warm in the cold. Oh yes and they are cheap to buy! (awaits for Primark to open in Jeddah)

[India Four Two]

Christ, she was ready for bed for god's sake.

A few years ago, my wife and I travelled in Thai First Class from Bangkok to London on a Star Alliance reward ticket. After take-off, we were given cotton pyjamas in that unique purple colour that Thai uses. After all the passengers had changed (in the toilet, I hasten to add), my wife commented "This looks like an upper-class lunatic asylum!"

Concerning what to wear when flying, I find it ironic that if you have paid for Business or First, you can wear what you like, but if you are hoping for an upgrade, you need to dress well, so that the agent might put those magic letters SFU (Suitable For Upgrade) in your file.

This is a fascinating thread. Sociologists in the future will find valuable source material here.

[603DX]

if you are hoping for an upgrade, you need to dress well, so that the agent might put those magic letters SFU (Suitable For Upgrade) in your file.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that most gratifying feature of going for smartness rather than sloppiness on long haul flights! When I was still working, I was usually booked on business class by my firm, and I generally asked them to put me on BA flights where possible, so the trips were never uncomfortable. But with my quaint old-fashioned custom of never dressing down, I was several times upgraded without asking, to first. And some friends in Guernsey, who are frequent travellers on "SKI" exotic holidays ("Spending the Kid's Inheritance"), share my sober dress sense, so very often find themselves with free upgrades! On their last trip, the couple of friends accompanying them were dressed entirely for comfort rather than style, and suffered the humiliation of being rejected when they asked to be treated similarly.

[What the Fug]

One other benefit of being suitably attired I found out at a young age, was them nice officers from Special Branch (Terminal One) waived you through, or at least where civil when asking the usual questions.

[Fantome]

It is not necessarily snobbishness to feel a visceral aversion to slobs, where ever they may be encountered. If you have the misfortune to be seated next to one on a long flight whose body odour would repel a skunk, then pity help you.

The underlying import of the old saying 'manners maketh man' extends to the hope, however vain, that others have learnt or will learn, to respect themselves as you respect yourself.

[Capetonian]

There is nothing wrong with being a snob and admitting to it. There is a lot wrong with being a snob and denying it.

[Fantome]

If you are disposed to say that you possess characteristics that you manifestly do not have, then you may be either purblind, deluded , stupid or all three.

There are many who would deny ever feeling superior or inferior, happy in their neutral. non-judgemental, uncritical way of being. On the other hand, if you are required to say whether something or someone is good or bad, then it is almost impossible to do this and somehow be in all truth, non-judgemental.

It is good to remain steadfast in your convictions, but retain a degree of flexibility. A declining of the verb 'firm' -

I am firm
You are stubborn
He is pig-headed

[DaveReidUK]

A declining of the verb 'firm'

Nouns decline, verbs conjugate.