PAN AM: Costume lust & recreating the look...

Last year, we were treated to a fabulous new TV Series, Pan Am, out now on DVD. If you didn't see it... the story line follows the pilots and stewardesses of the airline as it operated in 1963. This was the beginning of the commercial Jet Age, when WWII and Korea are history, but a new cold war is underway. 

       Pan Am was the biggest name in the luxury travel business, with pilots treated like rock stars and their stewardesses the most desirable women in the world. In their individual quests for adventure, the Pan Am crew experience opportunity and peril as they juggle their lives, hopes and dreams while flying to glamorous destinations worldwide. The show has a wonderful cast including Mike Vogel, Christina Ricci, Kelli Garner and Margot Robbie. 

One of the reasons I love Pan Am is because 7 years ago I used to work as Cabin Crew (that's what you call Air Hostesses these days). It was a great experience but wasn't as glamorous as I expected it to be. Maybe I watched Catch Me If You Can just a little too much! I was proud of wearing my uniform and wings though and it was certainly exciting not knowing where you were being flown to sometimes.

     The long and unsociable hours and being on standby is a whole different thing and it is amazing what effects flying can have on your body. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to being 35,000ft above the ground. Most of the time I would suffer from swelling feet, nausea and dizziness whilst still having to maintain that pristine and charming look. It was hard! All that said, I really loved it and don't regret the experience ;) I do find the airport an exciting place. I love to people watch, wonder where folks are jetting off to and what awe-inspiring adventures they'd experience. It's a truly tremendous place.

Ane Crabtree

On first watching Pan Am I instantly fall in love with the costumes (on and off-duty), which were designed by Ane Crabtree who has a lifelong obsession with vintage. My kinda girl!

     The designer has a huge amount of experience after working on the The Sapronos and LAX. She re-created the Pan Am uniforms working from old photos and stock footage. 

      Pan Am must have been by far her biggest challenge to-date. She says, "Here, our work is compounded by the fact that we depict costumes from one to four countries per episode. I feel like, 'Who gets to do this in the land of TV? It feels very film-world.'  

She was constantly challenged by the writers and there were often unexpected castings, sometimes having just half an hour to put something together.  The Pan Am uniforms had to be made from scratch with some alterations to fit the modern figure. Body shapes and diets were very different in the Sixties. Crabtree also had a pile of vintage that she would pick from; sourced from either Ebay, from costume houses and best of all, from grandmothers.

    The costumes the girls wore when off duty are really important as these clothes help to establish the characters personalities, while the minimalist beauty of the uniforms represents the equalizing reality of Pan Am.

"The truth of the character comes out in the clothing beyond the uniform because you're not trying to hide yourself. You're taken to exotic places, in beautiful, individual looks, then you return to a place of simplicity and truth with the Pan Am uniform. The uniform is resplendent in its clean lines and utilitarian design. In a sense, you're striving away from reality and then turning around and returning to where you were, all in one episode."

Here are some illustrations of some of the off-duty costumes Crabtree designed...

Karl Lagerfeld was clearly inspired by Pan Am's look as his 'Jet Set' Spring 2012 collection for Chanel testifies. Showcased on a runway designed to look like the inside of commercial airline cabin (complete with overhead lockers and cock pit), each outfit was inspired by flight, with the majority of the outfits in a sky blue hue and a wide bateau neckline. The drop waist dresses screamed of the Sixties.

set like the fuselage of a commercial airliner

set like the fuselage of a commercial airliner

set like the fuselage of a commercial airliner

So it has been proven, empirically, that the Pan Am look works perfectly on the catwalk and I think that it can easily peasily be recreated at home. So much so that I decided to put my money where my mouth is. This is how it went . . .

For my on-duty look I wore:

vintage blue pencil skirt that used to belong to my Mother, 

knitted Sixties cream top that used to belong to my Grandma, 

vintage white gloves,

white tights from American Apparel,

my old wings as a brooch,

and vintage pearl earrings.

For my off-duty look I wore:

1960s mellow yellow dress from Vintage Owl Boutique

vintage white gloves

and white tights from American Apparel

Hair and make-up were kept very simple. I curled the ends of my hair with rollers to give it more of a Maggie look, then pinned into place. I replaced my usual black liquid eyeliner with a blend of cream & brown eyeshadow from Chanel and lashings of black mascara. I wanted quite a dewy look and achieved this by using santa rose blusher and quite a neutral lipstick from Rimmel. Easy peasy!

I have 3 copies of PAN AM The Complete Series on DVD* to give to my lucky readers. If you would like to win please check out my previous post and answer the question via the rafflecopter.

Big love and good luck!
AKA Hooting Miss Owl

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PHOTOS OF ME TAKEN BY MR. D

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THANK YOU!

 *Pan Am The Complete Series is being released on DVD in the UK on March 3rd 2013 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment