ajeleonard

Boomer thinks it’s the 50s and hasn’t heard of athleisure

angetenar

One of my life goals is to get a "Who do you think you are?" out of someone. Maybe I need to break out the flip flops?

manneca

I'm 75 and remember getting dressed up to go anywhere. To go to the big city required gloves and at least I was young enough not to wear a hat. On the plane, I wear jeans (with lycra so they are quite comfortable), a long sleeved T (one of the few with no writing on it). athletic shoes which are removed at the earliest possible time (thick, thick socks for the squeamish out there). My sis and BIL believe in dressing up and that they get better service. BIL always wears a real jacket (he doesn't wear sports coats, so it's a regular suit jacket in navy or gray) and jeans. I always get excellent service, so I think they are just uncomfortable. Of course, I'm Platinum on UA, diamond at Hilton, and I tip very well. I read the article and wondered why anyone bothered to print it. He heard that people who dress well get upgrades. I think that went out with the middle ages.

Giggleswick

Guess what, reflexive anti-boomers? The author isn't a boomer. I'd looked him up after reading his stupid article, and saw a 2011 NYT article saying he was 35. That would make him 45 or 46 now, depending upon his birthday, so a gen-Xer.

ShopAround

I few years ago, I was flying CDG-JFK on AF and received an op-up at the gate, from W to J. I recall when my BP was scanned and I got the beep indicating my seat changed, the gate agent very obviously looked me up and down, like she was trying to decide if I was worthy of being seated in business class. I was dressed decently enough - my usual long-haul attire is all black (leggings, tunic and long sweater) with a colorful scarf and simple jewelry - but I wondered what she would have done if my outfit hadn't met her approval.

mtofell

I was born in 72 and the whole "dressing up to fly" thing was gone by the time I was of age to remember it. The funny thing is it was so far gone that I didn't even know it was a thing until I started hanging out on FT and read some of the stories about non-rev pax being hassled or kicked off the plane.

I usually just fly in jeans (not faded or torn up) and a polo or nice plain T-shirt. I do a lot of to/from Hawaii and on that route there are lots of shorts. During warm times of year I'll sometimes wear a nice pair of shorts. The whole "no elastic" thing is kind of funny. It's as if to say everyone must be uncomfortable.

kochleffel

As a first-wave boomer, I thought at first that the writer must be really young and making more money than he thinks he's entitled to. No way, as I said, am I wearing a jacket and tie for a flight unless I'm about to officiate at a funeral.

I encounter occasional judgments about boomers that are misplaced: what they really mean is the Silent Generation, that of our parents. My parents, if alive, would be 95+.
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ATOBTTR

For daytime flight, I'll wear jeans. Sometimes a polo. Sometimes a t-shirt. I generally avoid wearing shorts, which is a matter of a personal safety preference. You don't want to be wearing shorts if you find yourself ever having to go down the emergency slides.

For redeye flights, I put on sweat pants for sleeping. I usually change onboard, either right after boarding or just after takeoff. I'll change back into jeans before arrival.

The best shot an getting an upgrade in this matter is by wearing a tuxedo t-shirt, because it says you like to be formal, but that you also like to party, and oh what a party you can have in the F/J cabin with free booze flowing!

gaobest

we travel a lot as a family and sometimes I’ll be told by a pax that we are in the priority queue. I know that they’re trying to be helpful and I just nod and thank them.

he’s a boomer in a gen-X body. What a Moron.

YVRtoYYZ

Bluffworks jeans, dress shirts and blazer for all my ground travel. Once onboard, change to athletic pants and polo shirt.

Artpen100

I don't really care what others wear. You do you. And I have very low expectations for the general public. But I tend to wear a blazer and khakis - because I like to have lots of pockets for electronics. And sometimes I wear a suit - so I don't have to pack it.

Thinking dressing up would get you an upgrade is one of the silliest things I've ever heard.

CDTraveler

Be glad you never had to wear pantyhose on on a TransPac.

DELee

Sounds sweaty. But still elastic.

David

YVRtoYYZ

Do thigh-high compression socks count?

CDTraveler

Nope.

They don’t compress you in the “sensitive” areas.