The Flight Attendant’s Shoe

Stiletto heels, miniskirts, bobbed wigs, shiny new technology and exotic locations were all part of the cosmopolitan life style of the Qantas flight hostesses. 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. Stitching together fashion history, social history and industrial history, this book celebrates an era when flying was truly glamorous.