Then this profession was considered something frivolous.
In the 1960s the flight attendant job in the United States was similar to the service of the gentleman’s club high-altitude and imply sexy outfits and mild degree of sex discrimination.
Before the post of flight attendant was perceived as a serious profession, girls, walking between the rows of seats in the 1960s and 1970s, was considered solely as a paper girl cocktails. At a time when airlines are struggling trying to fill the planes and to stay afloat, one of the most effective marketing tools is the idea to dress up stewardesses in short sexy dresses.
To become a flight attendant, the girl had to possess certain qualities. First, to qualify for such a position could only a lonely high school senior or University, and about men-the crew one at a time and never heard of. In addition, the girls had to be from 155 to 179 cm, weighing strictly in the range from 47 to 61 kg and have a charming smile. The girls had to be neat, friendly and willing to wear short dresses and heels all the time. Those who passed the selection and got on the training were also sent for training in beauty salons, so they can learn to do hair and apply makeup.
In this brochure, for example, describes the daily life and flight attendants. We are talking about that it is quite harmless profession involving the distribution of food to passengers and one-stop daily travel to cities such as new York, Mexico city and Chicago.
Passenger flights in those years were not like modern: meals were served on real tablecloths and porcelain, people were allowed to move about the cabin, and the drinks flowed freely. Then the passengers were mostly young businessmen and the advertising campaign was intended to bring them on Board.
Largely because of this airline was deliberately exploited the male fantasy of sexy stewardesses. From the 1960s to mid-1970s, advertising booklets, for example, released by the airline Pacific Southwest Airlines — contained an obvious, blatant sexual innuendo. On the cover depicted the band openly dressed flight attendants, accompanied by the inscription “PSA Gives You A Lift” (“PSA raises you up!” or “PSA you throw up!”).
At a certain point, Italian designer Emilio Pucci even designed special uniforms that can flick of the wrist to transform, becoming more openly: the girls began the flight in the coat and the mask, and at the time of the landing remained something an average between the long psychedelic underwear and silk harem pants.
One of the most controversial ad campaigns was conducted by the National carrier Fly and subsequently became the reason of protests of the American National organization of women. Advertising portrayed a comely flight attendant named Cheryl, and contained the slogan “Fly me” (“Take me”). Members of the National organization of women staged a protest, demanding to Fly National used in the advertising campaign in addition to the image of the woman and the image of a man. However, Cheryl Fioravanti did not agree with the protesters, becoming a perfect illustration of the fact that among flight attendants there are women of different moods.
After protests by Cheryl spoke publicly and talked about their views on the activities of the movement for women’s rights: “I’m scared, and I don’t agree with the ideas of the movement for women’s equality. I don’t think the chores need to share with my husband, because I was quite satisfied with this order of things, where I’m busy in the kitchen, and the husband pays the bills”.
View Cheryl was much more prevalent than you can imagine: the former flight attendant in the 1960s, Sonny morrow, Sims said that she got this job because I wanted to travel, not to become instead a teacher, a nurse, or someone’s Secretary.
Many of the women who are flight attendants, wanted an average life, which can be predicted years in advance, recruitment Agency airlines knew about it. Career booklets of that time could often come across slogans like “marriage is good! But shouldn’t you first see the world?”.
But still the profession of flight attendants at that time were not as attractive as you might think at first glance. Many girls have experienced undesirable experience as a result of huge range of alcohol, the predominance of women among the passengers, and the ubiquitous advertising airlines with sexual overtones. All this, coupled with the classic male fantasies laid in the heads of some customers the idea that during the flight they definitely will find some “adventure”.
Paula Kane in his article from 1974, says: “If a girl is flying for some time, it is likely that she very much hoped that the passengers-men were not to flirt with her, get drunk and make a scene. Despite this, the use of sexuality for marketing purposes was still one of the main components of this profession. Published in 1967 the book “Coffee, Tea or Me?” (“Coffee, tea or me?”), written in the form of the memoirs of the fictional flight attendants and became a best seller, only helped further popularize among men fantasies about Affairs with stewardesses, as well as illusions of the availability of sex with the stewardess as one of provide on Board services.
Despite the potential cultural implications, the form of flight attendants in the 1960s were cool. No doubt, its design, unfortunately, made many women subject to sexual harassment and contributed to the exploitation of female sexuality, but many of the girls were able to feel more confident, getting your dream job and proudly walking through the terminal to the aircraft. However, in the end, budget reductions of air and the tightening of safety regulations played a role: increasing the availability of air travel put an end to the era of roznosci cocktails in short skirts and fishnet stockings.
