In the years after World War II, the airline stewardess became one
of the most celebrated symbols of American womanhood. Stewardesses
appeared on magazine covers, on lecture circuits, and in ad
campaigns for everything from milk to cigarettes. Airlines enlisted
them to pose for publicity shots, mingle with international
dignitaries, and even serve (in sequined minidresses) as the
official hostesses at Richard Nixon's inaugural ball. Embodying
mainstream America's perfect woman, the stewardess was an
ambassador of femininity and the American way both at home and
abroad. Young, beautiful, unmarried, intelligent, charming, and
nurturing, she inspired young girls everywhere to set their sights
on the sky. In The Jet Sex, Victoria Vantoch explores in rich
detail how multiple forces-business strategy, advertising, race,
sexuality, and Cold War politics-cultivated an image of the
stewardess that reflected America's vision of itself, from the
wholesome girl-next-door of the 1940s to the cosmopolitan glamour
girl of the Jet Age to the sexy playmate of the 1960s. Though
airlines marketed her as the consummate hostess-an expert at
pampering her mostly male passengers, while mixing martinis and
allaying their fears of flying-she bridged the gap between the
idealized 1950s housewife and the emerging "working woman." On the
international stage, this select cadre of women served as
ambassadors of their nation in the propaganda clashes of the Cold
War. The stylish Pucci-clad American stewardess represented the
United States as middle class and consumer oriented-hallmarks of
capitalism's success and a stark contrast to her counterpart at
Aeroflot, the Soviet national airline. As the apotheosis of
feminine charm and American careerism, the stewardess subtly bucked
traditional gender roles and paved the way for the women's
movement. Drawing on industry archives and hundreds of interviews,
this vibrant cultural history offers a fresh perspective on the
sweeping changes in twentieth-century American life.
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