It’s almost certain that the good folks at the airport probably have seen just about every type of person come through those security lines in order to board a plane and jet off to some destination or other. They see a continuous stream of men and women in business suits, teenagers in jeans and hoodies, and a whole range of ages dressed in clothes designed to make sitting still in Coach class for hours a little more bearable. I’m sure this gets boring after a while, really. So in my generous way I decided that I would break the monotony for them by wearing something really outstanding the next time I flew–something that would stick in their minds and perhaps provide a few minutes of entertainment.
Actually, I just wanted to fly wearing something odd and cool. No altriusm about it.
This determination to don unconventional flying fashion led me, therefore, to choose this outfit when I went off to visit a dear friend a few weeks ago:
Stuck somewhere between Victorian England and Steampunk.
The reactions of my fellow passengers were really interesting, actually. Mostly I got either curious or sort of scornful looks, but I got a few more extreme responses. Mostly it was delight and a little bit of confusion, but one other passenger went so far as to pretend I didn’t exist for the whole three hours I sat next to her.
I’m probably being unfair. Maybe she just didn’t like my feathers. I do, though!
The most awkward thing about the whole process was getting my hat through security. The little rubber flaps on the X-Ray machine would have made a hash of the feather spray, so we had to take some extra measures to make sure that both the hat and everyone else came through intact and bomb-free.
Comfortable trousers, crazy high boots. Love the lace and buttons.
The other hard thing was NOT breaking my ankles in these boots. They are absolutely smashing to look at, but rather dodgy to walk in if you’re not used to very high heels. It would have been easier if I hadn’t had to run to catch a connecting flight!
“Bring the carriage ’round, Bane, I’m off to visit Miss Peabody!”
All in all, it was a really fun thing to do, and the clothes were remarkably comfortable. People always assume that “fancy” means “unwearable”, and that’s certainly NOT the case here! Want to recreate the look? You’re in luck! Everything but the shirt and the trousers is easily obtainable online.
The beautiful leather hat was handmade by the wonderful people over at http://www.blondeswan.com. They’re a traditional hattery based out of Ohio, and their work and service is top notch!
The coat and attached vest actually come from http://www.angel-secret.com, a small company based out of Hong Kong that specializes in elegent and slightly unusual clothes for women and men.
The shoes are a product of Pleaser USA, a shoe company that makes shoes for just about every occassion! These particular Funtasma ”Splendor” boots have a very comfortable microfiber upper and a zip closure to go along with the very classy Victorian inspired lace and button details.
The particular gloves I’m wearing are fashion gloves from http://www.hottopic.com though any black leather or leatherette gloves will work.
The shirt is a vintage piece I picked up some years ago, though it’s not so hard to find a button blouse with a ruffled front and cuffs as it used to be. The trousers also I found some time ago, but any pair of gouchos or fitted pants would work just as well.
So–next time you fly, don’t be afraid to let your quirky side show! It can be fun, and as long as you don’t make any of the security people nervous, it’s perfectly safe and stress-free as well.
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