Traveling first class

When it comes to dressing up while flying, we don’t do it by halves.

Back in 2007 when I flew for the first time to visit my grandmother, I made a brown and white hounds tooth suit specifically for traveling. The suit has a vintage flare, so I paired it with retro heels, my mother’s brown hat and my sister’s white gloves. Traveling with me was my dashing brother in his dark suit, bow tie and top hat! We really made quite the pair, if I do say so myself. Before we had even boarded the plane, a nice gentleman asked if we were actors and then wanted to take our pictures. He appreciated that we just wanted to dress up and set a standard for the modern traveler! We heard many other comments throughout the airports, including some from pilots and flights attendants, security personnel, etc.

My grandmother did not really appreciate how dressed up we were, but we didn’t let it dampen our spirits. She has been affected by family near her and has become quite casual. Somehow I imagine it would have been the other way around fifty years ago; the kids wanting to be causal and the parents dressing up. Oh, well! On the way home, we dressed up again and had our older sister with us as well. It really was quite humorous to be casually eating breakfast with our aunt one minute and then be completely dressed up ten minutes later when she came back to pick us up! Movie stars!? Indeed.

When my four sisters and I flew to visit friends two weeks ago, we dressed up. Not quite as fancy as the trip before mentioned, but dressed up enough. Most of us wore wool skirts in various pleated, plaid or kilt designs with nice tops or sweaters, tall leather boots or classy shoes and hats. All five of us wore hats; pageboys, berets, or vintage hats. Five girls marching through the airport creates attention, but five girls marching through the airport with hats on creates *that much more* attention!

We really enjoyed some of the comments that we received! A lot of people asked if we were related. “Yes”, we replied with glee many times. Several of them went on to ask more questions and finally got to know how many siblings there are. It’s fun to shock people! At the Starbuck’s counter, a lady specifically asked “if we were from England?” She went on to compliment us on dressing nicely, because “nobody does these days.” She herself was attired in nice business-wear, but was just visiting the U.S. My personal favorite conversation was with the shuttle driver as we were exiting the bus. He asked, “Are you a singing or dancing group?” “Nope, we’re sisters”. “Nuns?” he asked in a surprised voice. “No. Sisters as in brothers and sisters” my older sister replied. I inwardly chuckled all the way into the airport.