The Flight Attendant’s Shoe
Come fly, come fly away….
Stiletto heels, miniskirts, bobbed wigs, shiny new technology and exotic locations were all part of the cosmopolitan life style of the Qantas flight hostesses. Today there are over 9000 flight attendants in Australia traversing the skies, all wearing a corporate uniform.
The Flight Attendant’s Shoe is the story of the Qantas uniforms and the uniforms of other airlines. It is a story about etiquette and protocol, about nationalism and internationalism, and the way the Australian fashion industry and international designers such as Emilio Pucci and Yves Saint Laurent created a range of designs for flight crew, from khaki military style, to burnt-orange miniskirts and on to the Morrissey-designed Indigenous boomerang print.
Through their uniforms the men and women of the Qantas cabin crew wore the hopes of a young nation forging its identity. Stitching together fashion history, social history and industrial history, this book celebrates an era when flying was truly glamorous.
Dr Prudence Black is a Research Associate in Gender and Cultural Studies at the University of Sydney. She has worked at the Powerhouse Museum and the Australian Museum as a curator and researcher for exhibitions about fashion, design and Indigenous culture. She has also broadcast on local ABC and Radio National about fashion and contemporary design.