A perfectly fitting bun, accurate make-up, skirt and high heels: flight attendants still embody the flawless beauty of the skies for many to this day. Between hand luggage, passengers and dining car, they fulfill every female cliché - and that is just as mandatory. Each airline determines what its flight attendants should look like individually, but the uniform regulations overlap in some points. Wearing the so-called “pillbox”, the traditional headgear, is often just as stipulated as the scarf and skirt with high heels - until now. The Ukrainian low-cost airline Sky Up found this no longer appropriate and presented the new uniforms of its on-board staff at the end of July.
From autumn, sore feet and nylon tights will be history for your flight attendants.
Together with the Ukrainian fashion brand Gudu, the airline designed bright orange trouser suits.
There is also a trench coat made of Italian eco-leather and white Nike Air Max sneakers.
"Times have changed and women in particular have changed," writes Sky Up on its social media channels.
They want to emphasize "freedom, individuality and natural beauty".
Gender neutrality heats the mind
The airline designed the new uniforms based on survey results among flight attendants. They are an expression of their new vision: Sky Up Champions - as the company's crew is called. It is also reflected in the order in which to wear uniforms. In the future, the airline will rely on a more natural and relaxed appearance of its employees. There is no more room for the perfectly fitting bun and the strict scarf is a thing of the past. Instead, a silk scarf that was created in cooperation with the Ukrainian brand Gunia Project is attached to the shoulder.
The strict rules that stipulate the appearance of flight attendants have repeatedly caused heated discussions in the past. The issue of gender neutrality is particularly hot. More and more airlines are saying goodbye to the classic stewardess style and allowing their female crew to wear trouser suits, for example - but high heels are usually still mandatory. In addition to Sky Up, the Icelandic airline Play, which has been new since the summer, has opted for a casual look and received not only plenty of applause, but also criticism: The new clothes seem unprofessional and inappropriate - and thus confirm the fear of many airlines. The unisex street wear uniform comes along with white sneakers and colorful suits with red sunglasses and does not include instructions on what make-up, hairstyle,As far as tattoos or nail polish are concerned.