Say what you want about Farage’s politics, but the man can dress up. Tweed and wax jackets are the norm. But on his way back from duty at Heathrow this week I am a celebrityHe looked elegant with his strawberry sherbet jacket and linen shirt. Okay, style is subjective, but for a man his age, options are limited. I thought he looked good (despite the boat shoes).
The most remarkable thing about his sprezzatura was that it was worn for a long-haul flight. This reminds me that most of us now fly in a variety of clothes, from diaper onesies to cheap gym clothes. In one word, it is “comfortable”. Indeed, 6am (or afternoon) at Gatwick is like a teenagers’ sleepover, sponsored by Sports Direct.
I find this a bit sad. You’re excited about escaping on vacation to some historical or exotic location, and any romantic notions of travel are dashed by hordes of zombies wearing fake fleece hoodies covered in text and slogans. As a millennial whose style options are rapidly narrowing, I channeled my inner Farage and opted for smart suits, hats and small accessories. Clobber, which lifted my deportation and helped get me into the theater of traveling to a distant land. Or France.
The golden age of fashion at 35,000 feet
As your (grand)parents will tell you, there was a time when Nige and I were not at all out of place. The “golden age of travel” from the fifties to the seventies is fondly remembered (by the few who could afford it) as a period of glamour: Krug and caviar, cigarettes and legroom.
This coincided with the dawn of the jet age, ushered in by aircraft such as the de Havilland Comet, which took the great and the good across the Atlantic for the first time. Airlines were competing with cruise lines and therefore focused on amenities rather than extra seats. At one point Air France’s stewardesses were assigned to Chanel and Dior. It might have been a bit rude to show up in long johns or nude lycra.
So when did dressing for a flight go into decline? My uncle, a long-time British Airways captain, told me there is no definitive moment. But he can pinpoint the messenger’s location: “When Boeing’s 747 Jumbo Jet arrived in 1970, it tripled the number of people who could get on the plane,” he says. So while there were still ice swans and foie gras in first class, hundreds of seats were now reserved for economy passengers.
“The price of flying dropped and everyone started going abroad on holiday. “It was great in some ways, but not so great in terms of fashion,” he says. Plurality and ostentation were, as always, inversely proportional, and the extra seats crammed into these curved air ferries were smaller and less comfortable. A new utilitarian tone was set, and the ticket price – along with lower levels of comfort – could not justify the trouble of wearing one’s happy rags. “It’s like getting dressed to catch the bus.”
But we hadn’t moved on from prom dresses to Birkenstocks yet. With the advent of low-cost air travel, the final blow of the mile-high glow would begin. But long before Easyjet and Ryanair sent us to Crete for a tenner, a British entrepreneur called Freddie Laker set the standard. The Skytrain, which first crossed the Atlantic in 1977, offered no free food, drinks or frills. Laker Airways’ return fare from Gatwick to Miami was £99, a fraction of what major American carriers charge.
“For the first time, people were coming to fly in shorts and sombreros,” my uncle recalls.
The latest top-notch fashionistas
Bucking this trend until the early 2000s, Concorde was a supersonic jet capable of flying first class only. The high countess of glamor, Joan Collins, was also a regular, and photos of her sitting in the front row with a glass of champagne were galore. When Concorde’s wings were clipped in 2003, he said it was a “ridiculous example of civilization.” Fast forward 20 years and you realize he may have been right.
Of course, you know what low-cost flying looks and feels like. Perversely early beginnings, purgatory terminals, chairs sustaining osteopathy. It makes sense that someone might want to wear comfortable self-swaddling clothes.
But what about those who avoid farrago by flying first class? The fact that many couture brands are now collaborating with sportswear brands (Gucci x Northface style) gives an idea that trends in general are flowing downwards. But a resonant theory, put forward by my other uncle, who is also a captain for British Airways, has to do with the explosion of celebrity culture in the early 2000s.
“Smartphones and selfies have increased the need for anonymity, and so stars have worn the most modest outfits possible, as well as the obligatory hat,” he says. “Their assistants copied them and thus a new type of functional fly screen emerged, even at the front of the aircraft.” Kanye West’s ‘airport sweater’ is an example of this.
Some airlines have actively rejected any form of formality: Virgin Atlantic’s latest advertising campaign highlights the pierced and tattooed individuality of its staff. Of course, our clothing choice also has to do with the new reasons we travel now. As Uncle Number Two says: “You won’t be wearing your Sunday best if you’re going hiking in the Alps – especially with today’s luggage restrictions.”
“Are not you?” I answered. While the trend of flying around in your gym gear shows no signs of abating, I’m staying on Nige’s side: ditch the trousers and fly in something a little dressier. Mainly because it adds sparkle to the proceedings. And as Victoria Beckham once said: “The airport is your runway.”
Stylish travel companions: for her
smart apartments
It was once a tradition to wear high heels on flights. There are more safety regulations these days; We’ve all seen the poster warning that your shoes could blow up the emergency slide. Opt for flexible leather pumps instead; still smart but completely relaxed.
Pumps, £350, dearfrances.com
Wrinkle free dress
Some traditionally smart fabrics, such as linen, will wrinkle when you go long distance. Brands like Cefinn specialize in fabrics that make clothing equally cool and give the same look without any wrinkling. Layer with jackets and cardigans.
Dress, £216, Cefinn net-a-porter.com
structured bag
Don’t be that person with a stuffed and spilled canvas bag. Keep your carry-on luggage zipped neatly and tidy; just remember to check the size against your chosen airline’s requirements, as a sturdy bag won’t be able to be squeezed into the EasyJet measuring box that easily.
Midori bag, £105, charlesandkeith.com
Stylish travel companions: for her
A soft structured blazer
The traveling gentleman’s best friend, a blazer with a more streamlined cut and material, combines comfort with a feeling of tailoring. Give up on tailored suits and opt for a knitted or jersey version; Its shape looks stylish but its fabric is easy for long-term use.
Harris Wharf jersey blazer, £171, yoox.com
driving shoes
If you’re someone who thinks trainers are sportswear, driving shoes are a sweet spot, especially when flying. It exudes a certain Italian sprezzatura style, but can be turned on and off with ease.
Pierson suede loafers, £49, jonesbootmaker.com
A foldable hat
If you’re more Savile Row than Stansted Express, a pristine hat brings to mind the golden age of travel. Inspire a first-class presence even on Ryanair with a stylish Panama, but most importantly, opt for one designed to fold and crease when the overhead situation gets a little worrying.
Binder hat, £84.95, borgesandscott.com
By Caroline Leaper