Are you my deadhead?

This is my mother when she was a "stewardess" for Pan Am circa 1966 (she WILL correct you if you say flight attendant). I had the photo colorized a few years ago. The stories that she tells -about how in order to be a stewardess at the time you had to be a certain weight and height (and you'd get a write up and put on an action plan to lose weight if you were too heavy), had to wear stockings, and COULDN'T be married (and if you did get married, it was called "marrying out" - which she did) - are outrageous. She has Alzheimer’s now, but before, during and after being a stewardess, she travelled all corners of the world for many years and those are some of the best memories she still has and loves to talk about traveling.

This is so adorable and cute. It is nuts the standards they imposed on women back then.

But she looks super happy and I love seeing younger photos of people back then.

In a lot of ways they were so different than they are today of course. Gives you a glimpse into their life in the past.

Haha, I immediately thought of "Catch me if you can" as well

What‘s the difference between a stewardess and a flight attendant?

Nothing, but the term stewardess fell out of favor years ago (probably 30), I think primarily because of its gender connotation (even though steward is a word) and the rise in male flight attendants. Now flight attendant is used and you don’t have to gender the term.

Thanks for taking the time to explain!

Nice picture. Legendary Company. Did she watch the Pan Am Series.

And one cliche question:

Married to a Pilot?

Haha. Thanks. Yes, my wife and I bought her the DVD (pretty sure it only lasted one season). She DID marry a pilot, but not a fixed wing pilot. My father was a helicopter pilot for Air America.

Pan Am. Indiana Jones preferref Flight Company. And Zeppelins

Thanks. I’m not 100% sure (and she no longer remembers), but I suspect that she is so happy here because this was her first day on the job.

Funny thing is, I've always felt that the title "stewardess" was actually more glamorous and empowering for these ladies. "Flight attendant" to me almost gives images of being a servant, while the other gives the idea of them enforcing the rules and being in charge to an extent. Same thing for the men with the title "steward".

What makes the stewardess standards back then look even more insane is when you look at what the US MILITARY required of their servicewomen of the 50s and 60s. Even THEY didn't have stuff like these height restrictions (or at least ones that restrictive) and allowed the ladies to marry and keep serving in the vast majority of cases.

Agreed. Well put.

I still say air hostess but a friend of mine always corrects me to cabin crew

Looking so mature and so young at the same time.

Is she back to reconcile with your overbearing mom, who really means well, after finding your uncle burned out in an airport after he followed a mid level rock band on tour for a major magazine article? She seems nice.

Not sure what you mean, but yes, she's nice and is the best mom ever.