People-watching is often at its best in an airport, so last week, before boarding an airplane bound for Chicago, I decided to make a study of it. Here are the highlights of 45 minutes spent in a Dallas airport terminal, paying particular attention to the other travelers' fashion choices.
The first woman of mention arrived in a black chauffeured car that stopped in front of the curbside check-in where my husband and I waited in line. She was nipped and tucked nicely for a woman in her sixties, and money seemed to drip from her faux French-manicured nails. Her platinum blond ‘do was perfectly coiffed and sprayed, and her expensive knit sweater emphasized suspiciously perky bosoms. This woman's beauty was not natural, but the kind that takes hard work to achieve. That's not a criticism; I thought she looked great. I should look so good when I'm her age.
Next I noticed a young black woman behind me in the security line as I took off my shoes. Before I saw her, however, I observed her bright pink, patent leather, high-heeled sandals, poking out from beneath her jeans. Hmmm…I wondered. What else is she wearing? I was disappointed she had paired those darling pink open-toed shoes with a dark green, loose-fitting sweater -– not a color match, not color-coordinated, not even close. Maybe she had something else to go with those sandals -- a jacket or purse, perhaps? While I reclaimed my belongings waiting on the conveyor belt, Ms. Pink Patent Leather passed by. Her sweater swooped low in the back and one side fell off of her shoulder, revealing a pink bra strap -- the exact same color as her shoes. I gave her a mental thumbs-up. Atta girl!
Heading down the concourse, my husband and I walked behind an elderly woman in no hurry. I admired her beige cable-knit sweater that had the look of a cherished garment, well loved, yet well-taken care of. I touched the woman on her shoulder to tell her so. Her face lit up as she told me that her daughter gave it to her, brought back from a trip to Ireland. "I thought your sweater might be hand-knit," I said. "It's lovely." She returned my smile, and I was glad I had taken a moment to stop her on the way to our gate.
As my husband and I waited for our turn to board, we watched the passersby crisscrossing in front of us, commenting how passengers were once expected to dress for their ride in the sky. Nowadays anything goes. Many dressed casually and comfortably; some wore business attire. A young woman in pointy high-heels winced as she pulled a carry-on suitcase behind her, while an older lady in athletic shoes strode by with determination, arms swinging. A pilot and two flight attendants whisked by in navy uniforms, careful to avoid bumping into a perplexed traveler who stopped smack-dab in the center of the corridor to look for directions.
Just about the time to go, a colorful middle-aged man entered our sphere. Even before we saw him, we heard his boisterous laugh, above the din of the intercom announcements, the cell phone conversations, and the clattering heels hitting linoleum. His girth was as wide as his grin, his skin was as black as black, and by contrast, his short-sleeved Zoot suit was pure white. But what amused us most was his cheery red shirt and matching fedora hat, proof that men --not only women -- can make powerful fashion statements. Now this guy had style!
I stuck with practical when choosing what to wear for this trip: basic black blouse and pants to disguise any potential spills, some slip-on walking shoes and minimal jewelry to speed up the process of going through security, and a light-weight jacket, just in case I got chilly on the plane. I wasn't going to win any awards for the best-dressed traveler, but after watching this traveling fashion show, I couldn't help but wonder: What do other people think when they observe me? I looked at myself with a critical, yet forgiving eye. Maybe it's a good thing we can't always see ourselves as we are.
From the publisher:
As I was reading this piece by EJ, I thought of the recent news articles about Southwest Airlines pulling female passengers who's outfits do not meet their... er.... standards of decency. One young woman was pulled off a plane because a flight attendant said her short skirt, tank top and cardigan were "offensive" to other passengers. Considering there is no dress code for air travel on most, if any, airlines, this cause quite an uproar. I wonder if EJ would have even noticed her fairly commonly-seen outfit among a sea of travellers in an airport.
A related article can be found here.
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