Check out all the Air Canada uniforms from 1938 to 2012

By Kevin Naulls | March 6, 2012

By Kevin Naulls | 03/06/2012

Air Canada uniforms from the 1930s and beyond (Image: David Pike)

Ever wonder what flight attendants and pilots looked like in the 1930s? We were kind of curious, so we took to the Air Canada hangar to check out a uniform retrospective (after we checked out their awesome new airliner). Over the years, Air Canada staff have been dressed like the Jetson family, hip moms who still go to nightclubs and the title character from ’60s–’70s sitcom That Girl. Check out all of the uniforms from 1938 to 2012 in a gallery after the jump.

Check out every Air Canada uniform from 1938 to 2012 »

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2000–2012: male flight attendants receive a jaunty tie

2000–2012: pilot uniform or navy costume?

2000–2012: more women begin to join Air Canada’s staff of pilots

2000–2012: another neon vest–clad ramp worker

2000–2012: Celine Dion sported this uniform during her performance for employees in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. All colours were chosen to reflect the new interiors of Air Canada’s fleet

1996–2004: this ramp agent looks striking in a fluorescent vest

1996-2004: a simple three-piece suit for a male airline agent

1996–2004: the double-breasted jacket returns

1996–2004: this airline agent gets to wear a fun scarf and walkie-talkie

1996–2004: Air Canada’s signature blue became a deep forest green with a maple leaf crest on the breast pocket

1987–1996: the airline agents even got an upgrade

1987–1996: this flight attendant knows he looks more dapper than the others

1987–1996: a double-breasted suit to celebrate Air Canada’s 50th birthday

1987–1996: Leo Chevalier made these dresses to celebrate Air Canada’s 50th birthday. This was also the year that Air Canada became the first airline to ban smoking on its aircraft

1978–1986: this pilot gets to wear a preppy tie

1978–1986: at this time, more and more male flight attendants had been hired, so Air Canada retured to a simpler uniform in navy, red and white

1973–1977: a casual turn for Air Canada, this uniform included many styles so flight attendants could mix and match. Designed by Leo Chevalier

1970: here’s a somewhat equestrian look that didn’t last very long, with a high-top hat, white gloves and a boxy jacket

1968–1973: and here’s Jane (okay, no more *Jetsons* jokes)

1968–1973: introducing Judy Jetson for Air Canada (kidding, but check out this A-line Peter Pan–collared dress)

1964–1968: ground agents wore beige cotton pants with a tucked-in beige shirt

1964–1968: a green wool suit designed by Michel Robichaud, complete with a green or white felt cap, white blouse, calf shoes, kid gloves and a handbag

1950s: a dressier light blue four-button collarless linen suit with a pencil skirt and short jacket to accentuate the waist. This little number was inspired by Christian Dior runway

1950s: Air Canada moved to a lighter blue with contrasting lapels

1940s: a navy serge suit with white braiding on the sleeves (and check out those regulation shoes and military-style cap). Designed by Tip Top Tailors

1938: a sober beige gabardine business suit with a two-button jacket. Purchased off the rack at The Bay

6 thoughts on “Check out all the Air Canada uniforms from 1938 to 2012”

Betsey says:

March 7, 2012 at 9:31 am

The person doing the commentating is not only boring as hell but also can’t seem to get the photos (or garb) straight. Clearly they have confused the two light blue 50’s flight attendant outfits; the first one, photo 5, with the pill box hat and shift dress was inspired by Dior and photo 6 is the outfit with photo 5’s caption/description. Photo 7 caption says it has a green felt ‘cap’, the cap is unmistakably a pill box hat which is clearly white, if you can’t see that you really shouldn’t be commentating on this stuff. Next we have photo 13 in the 70’s where the caption states the outfit has a ‘high-top hat’, gah, this is clearly meant to be an equestrian skull cap! A top hat is COMPLETELY different and very distinguishable hat, everyone in their right mind knows what a bloody top hat looks like, and it’s not called a ‘high-top hat’.
peachy says:

March 7, 2012 at 1:43 pm

what a missed opportunity. someone needs to wrench the account from richards simmons, rob ford, bobby brown or whoever has it and hand it over to a grade 3 class. i don’t know any grade 3’s who would take so little pride in their work and appearance. buck up ac…
V says:

March 7, 2012 at 4:56 pm

They should f the uniform updates and focus on better service. Every person I know who has flown AC has nothing good to say.
Jan says:

March 16, 2012 at 2:07 am

I wore that green uniform in the 60s with long black leather gloves and the green felt hat. Here I see short white gloves and a white pillbox. What a disappointment.And never with those clunky shoes. Eek!
Knotigal says:

March 17, 2012 at 4:08 pm

I was an Air Canada stew from 1969 to 1976, and that uniform in picture 13 was definitely NOT our uniform in 1970. I don’t even think it was a passenger agent uniform, because I remember they wore dresses somewhat like ours except theirs were light green. We went directly from the red white and blue mini dresses (they also had matching pants to wear under the dress in the winter) to the hideous brown, brick red, white and blue mix and match wardrobe in 1973. I can’t tell you how many times friends would see me either leaving for a flight or coming home and ask me why I wasn’t wearing a uniform – because they just didn’t look like a uniform.

The 1969 uniform featured back patent leather pumps of our choice, and included mandatory clip-on black bows that hurt the top of your feet. We also were required to wear hair bows (clip-ins again) and if you were spotted by a supervisor without one there was trouble!

Memories!
Wanda says:

September 1, 2012 at 2:50 pm

I was a stewardess in the 1950’s when you had to be an RN. The uniform was light blue for the summer and navy blue in the winter. I still have pictures. I thought they were quite sharp. Many mooms ago!~~~~~~~Wanda