Yeah, I know. I'm just putting some salsa in this thread. I could really care less what you wear, as long as you don't stink.

I acknowledge that there are no actual rules on pax dress for US-flag carriers, except for very basic ones (e.g., can't be naked). Now if you're in the last row of economy, then I feel for you -- be as comfy as possible!

However, if you are in business or first class, then a part of the service is the ambience, as it is in a nicer restaurant vs. McDonald's. On United, you're served a meal on china on a white tablecloth, with cloth napkins, wine glasses (not plastic), etc. It is not 5-star service, but it is markedly better than the experience in the economy cabin. The passengers are part of the ambience. While nobody is forced to dress a certain way, how people dress (and behave) does affect the overall environment of the cabin, just as is true in a higher-end restaurant.

I live and work in D.C., which is somewhat more formal than many cities in the U.S. I wear a suit 2-3 times a week and a sports jacket (with shirt and tie) 1-2 times/week. Most of the meetings that I attend are filled with males in suits, in generally boring colors (blue suit, white shirt, red tie), or females in analogous clothing. Just look on C-Span and see your senators and their staffs.

I'm one of those AARP oldies who took my first flight in 1958. Back then, we were taught to look neat and clean in public, and that has stayed with me all these years. I don't dress up now the way I did for that first flight, but I'm never ashamed to be seen, either.

Thank Goodness somebody else noticed it... ^

I live in St. Louis and work all over the place. I work in factories, where we make things, on the shop floor. There is dirt, dust, metal chips, assorted oils and lubricants, and all sorts of other junk around.

I don't ever wear a suit, except for job interviews. Wearing a suit would be completely counterproductive to my job, plus I'd spend a lot of money on replacement suits. If I showed up in a shirt and tie, even, our shop guys would write me off immediately.

When I fly from A-B, whether in first, business class, or last row of coach, I wear either jeans and a t-shirt/polo shirt, or occasionally shorts if departing Dallas in mid summer. I don't feel bad about this at all.

Not everyone works in an office environment. While I respect people who do, I sometimes empathize with our shop guys who complain about "the suits from corporate." There's another world out there, folks. Most here don't live in it, but that's no reason to pretend it doesn't exist.

Me too. From LGA to BUF. The stewardesses (as they were then known) plied me with chocolate chip cookies, against my mother's wishes.

Before we landed, I gave them all back.

Or so I'm told. I know we were well dressed since we were non-revs.

Please also dress so that your naked flesh does not touch my body. And cover any hairy parts of the body save for the head.

Then you must be posting from beyond the grave. The DC-3 is still flying. As of today you can step in a DC-3 left seat and fly it. Just go to ATL. Don't worry, the plane is only 71 years old. Don't forget our Trip Report. ^

^^^

In terms of the feet covered thing, in my opinion flying is one of the few times the combination of socks and sandals is A-OK... although I will usually just wear sneakers rather than adding socks to my usual sport sandals.

My typical flight is a long haul in coach - my short flights are SFO-JFK. I'm gonna go for comfort - anything longer than that, I need something I can sleep in - and for something which doesn't look awful when I get there despite as likely as not having not one but two meals on the way.

As for appearances, well, I'm short, fat, dress at the casual end of business casual (in mostly non-name-brand clothes), and I always get treated well. I also make sure to be clean, not smell, and treat the folks working the flight with respect. My guess is that that has a great deal more to do with the quality of the treatment I get than anyone else's suit.

A good idea, although I'd personally make an exception for attractive women


Weather-appropriate short pants on other guys don't bother me, and I've got hairy enough arms that I might need to take exception to that comment: I don't wear long sleeve shirts except in rare cases of dressing up - although when it's cold enough I'll wear a jacket (not the formal kind, but the poly or microfiber outerwear kind.)

It's rarely that cold on airplanes.

^ Couldn't agree with you more. Personally, I believe that sweatpants in public = "I give up." Really, I am amazed at what some people will wear in public (on a plane or someplace else). I support the old Billy Crystal line from SNL: It's not important to feel good as long as you look good. (And, darling, you look mah-velous! Besides, my Allen Edmonds slip-ons are the epitome of comfort.

And as for sport jackets, I am very much less than 60 and I wear one nearly every day to work, and on weekends when I go out (restaurants, church, some shopping, etc.).

Not all the time...there is a certain segment of the population that can pull it off and are very pleasing: usually the pink ones with Juicy or Hollister strategically printed on the back.

^

I'm like you, if I ever showed up in a shirt and tie at one of my worksites, I'd lose every bit of credibility I might have ever had, plus I'd get laughed at.

I actually kind of enjoy it when folks think I obviously don't belong in business or first class because of what I'm wearing, they're usually the folks that are headed back to coach when they see me. I'm fortunate that almost all of my flying and all of my trans-ocean flying is in fully paid J/C.

As far as what I do wear: golf shirt, t-shirt or docker's style shirt, clean blue jeans with sneakers or maybe even steel toed work shoes if I'm tight on weight. My jacket will be a wind breaker or fleece, depending on destination and time of year.

mpc1

So look/act European instead of American??

Yes, that sort of ruins the Gregory Peck "Roman Holiday" effect.

^^^ Glad to see there's some other FTers that appreciate fine footwear, even when flying. For me, I also like AE slip-ons when flying and then change to JL or EGs if it's an important business meeting I'm attending.