Say what you will about Farage’s politics, but the man can dress. Tweed and wax jackets are the norm. But this week at Heathrow, when he returned from his stint I’m a celebrity, he made something elegant in a strawberry sorbet blazer and a linen shirt. Okay, style is subjective, but for a man his age, the options are limited. I thought it looked good (despite the boat shoes).
The most remarkable thing about his sprezzatura, however, was that it was worn during a long-haul flight. It reminded me that many of us now fly in clothes ranging from diaper rompers to cheap casual clothes. In a word: one’s “comfortable”. In fact, 6am (or pm) at Gatwick resembles a teenage sleepover sponsored by Sports Direct.
I think it’s a bit sad. You feel like escaping on vacation to some historic or exotic place, and any romantic idea of travel is crushed by hordes of zombies wearing fake fleece hoodies covered in letters and swooshes. As a geriatric millennial whose style options are rapidly narrowing, I’ve channeled my inner Farage and prefer smart suits, hats and pretty little accessories. A blow that improves my posture and helps me immerse myself in the theater of traveling to a faraway land. Or France.
The golden age of fashion at an altitude of 10,000 metres
As your parents and grandparents will tell you, there was a time when Nige and I wouldn’t have been out of place at all. The ‘golden age of travel’, from the 1950s to the 1970s, is fondly remembered (by the few who could afford it) as a time of glamour: krug and caviar, smoking and legroom.
It coincided with the dawn of the jet age, ushered in by planes like the de Havilland Comet, which carried the great and the good across the Atlantic for the first time. The airlines competed with cruise ships and therefore focused more on amenities than extra seats. At one point, Air France flight attendants were dressed in Chanel and Dior. It might have been a little awkward to show up in long johns or flesh-colored lycra.
So when did dressing up for a flight take a nosedive? My uncle, a long-serving British Airways captain, tells me there was no definitive moment. Although he can point to the harbinger: “When Boeing’s 747 Jumbo Jet arrived in 1970, it tripled the number of people you could get on a plane,” he says. So while there were still ice swans and foie gras in first class, there were now hundreds of seats reserved for economy travelers.
“The price of flying plummeted and everyone went on holiday abroad. In some ways that was great – but not so good for fashion.” he says. Plurality and glamor were, as always, inversely proportional and the extra seats crammed into these bulbous ferries were smaller and less comfortable. A new utilitarian tone was set and the ticket price – along with the lower level of comfort – simply didn’t justify wearing your glad rags. “It would be like dressing up to catch the bus.”
But we hadn’t gone from ball gowns to Birkenstocks yet. The final blow to miles of glitz would be heralded by the advent of cheap air travel. But long before Easyjet and Ryanair whisked us off to Crete for a tenner, a British entrepreneur called Freddie Laker set the standard. His ‘Skytrain’ – which crossed the Atlantic for the first time in 1977 – offered no free meals, drinks or frills. Laker Airways’ fares – Gatwick to Miami for £99 return – were a fraction of the fares charged by the major US airlines.
“For the first time, people showed up to fly in swim shorts and sombreros,” my uncle remembers.
The latest high-class fashionistas
Bucking the trend until the early 1990s was the Concorde, a supersonic jet that flew only first class. The High Countess of Glamor herself, Joan Collins, was a regular, and there are numerous photographs of her sitting at the front with a glass of champagne grafted onto her hand. When Concorde had its wings clipped in 2003, she said it was a “mockery of civilization”. Twenty years later you realize that maybe she had a point.
Of course you know what cheap flying looks and feels like. Perversely early starts, purgatorial terminals, osteopathy support chairs. It makes sense that you might want to wear self-swaddling comfort clothes.
But what about those who avoid the farrago by flying first class? The fact that so many couture labels are now collaborating with sportswear brands (à la Gucci x Northface) offers a picture of trickle-down trends in general. But one theory that resonates – posited by my other uncle, also a British Airways captain – concerns the explosion of celebrity culture in the early 1990s.
“Smartphones and selfies increased the need to go incognito, so stars wore the most modest clothing possible – along with the obligatory cap,” he says. “Their acolytes copied them and a new type of functional flight clothing was created – even in the front of the plane.” Kanye West’s ‘airport sweater’ is a good example of this.
In the case of some airlines, there is an active abandonment of any form of formality: Virgin Atlantic’s latest ad campaign promotes the pierced and tattooed individuality of their staff. Of course, our choice of clothing is also related to the new reasons why we travel now. As uncle number two says: “You’re not going to put on your Sunday best when you go hiking in the Alps – especially with the current luggage restrictions.”
“Not you?” I answered. While the trend of flying in your Jim Jam shows no signs of abating, I still side with Nige: kick off the pants and fly in something hipper. Especially because it gives the procedure extra shine. And as Victoria Beckham once said: “The airport is your runway.”
Chic travel companions: for her
Smart apartments
In the past, it was common to wear high heels during a flight. Nowadays there are more safety regulations – we’ve all seen the poster warning that your shoes could pop off the emergency slide. Instead, opt for smooth leather pumps – still chic, but totally comfortable.
Pumps, £350, dearfrances.com
The wrinkle-free dress
Certain traditionally smart fabrics, such as linen, will wrinkle if you travel long distances. Brands like Cefinn specialize in fabrics that are equally cooling to wear and give the same look, without wrinkles. Combine with jackets and cardigans.
Dress, £216, Cefinn op net-a-porter.com
The structured bag
Don’t be the person with a filled and spilling canvas tote bag. Keep your carry-on luggage neatly zipped and structured – just don’t forget to check the size against the requirements of your chosen airline, as a sturdy bag won’t easily be squashed into the EasyJet sizing box.
Midori bag, £105, charlesandkeith.com
Chic traveling companions: for him
A blazer with a soft structure
The traveling gentleman’s best friend: a blazer with a more flexible cut and material combines comfort with a sense of sincerity. Skip standing suits and opt for a knitted or jersey version; the shape looks nice, but the fabric is easy for long-term use.
Jersey blazer from Harris Wharf, £171, yoox.com
Driving shoes
If you’re the kind of guy for whom trainers are gym clothes, then the driving shoe hits a sweet spot, especially while flying. They exude a certain Italian sprezzatura style, but are easy to put on and take off.
Pierson suede loafers, £49, jonesbootmaker.com
A foldable hat
If you’re more Savile Row than Stansted Express, an impeccable hat is reminiscent of the golden age of travel. Conjure up a first-class attitude, even on Ryanair, with a sleek Panama, but above all, opt for one that’s designed to fold and fold when the overhead situation gets a little fraught.
The Folder Hat, £84.95, borgesandscott.com
By Caroline Leaper