Nowadays, airport style is all about comfort, and rightly so. As airlines squeeze passengers for every last cent they can get, seats have gotten smaller, legroom is scant, and you can absolutely forget about having an empty seat next to you. But there was once a day where flying was a chance to get dressed up.
The airport has always been an opportunity for celebrities to showcase their style, as it was a reliable press opportunity. Nothing epitomized glamour like descending the stairs of a plane in a fabulous outfit. But a lot has changed about air travel, be it security restrictions to the social shift against private jets. Now, flying is no longer a leisurely activity, but Herculean effort. It’s a somewhat humbling experience for all who don’t own the aforementioned private jets, as everybody is forced to contend with long wait times, lines, and obscene markups on subpar airport food.
Now, we’ll take comfort wherever we can get it, and celebrities are no exception to that rule. But we didn’t just jump from mink coats and pillbox hats to tracksuits and Uggs overnight. Below, take a look at how we got from the dazzling travel looks of the past, to the present day airplane ‘fit, decade by decade.
1950s
Back in the days where air travel was still exclusive, boarding a jet was a fashion opportunity. Stars turned out in suits, heels, and fur coats.
1951: Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, and Katharine Hepburn return from filming The African Queen. While Bacall chose a capelet and heels, Hepburn—famously a fan of pants—opted for a chic white suit and flats.
Bettmann
