The jet sex : airline stewardesses and the making of an American icon
(Book)

Book Cover
Average Rating
Published
Philadelphia, Penn. : University of Pennsylvania Press, [2013].
Physical Desc
287 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
Status
Spanish Springs Library - Adult Nonfiction
387.742 VANTOC 2013
1 available

Description

Loading Description...

Also in this Series

Checking series information...

Copies

LocationCall NumberStatus
Spanish Springs Library - Adult Nonfiction387.742 VANTOC 2013On Shelf

More Like This

Loading more titles like this title...

More Details

Published
Philadelphia, Penn. : University of Pennsylvania Press, [2013].
Format
Book
Language
English

Notes

Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Description
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 this book, the author 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.

Reviews from GoodReads

Loading GoodReads Reviews.

Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Vantoch, V. (2013). The jet sex: airline stewardesses and the making of an American icon . University of Pennsylvania Press.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Vantoch, Victoria. 2013. The Jet Sex: Airline Stewardesses and the Making of an American Icon. University of Pennsylvania Press.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Vantoch, Victoria. The Jet Sex: Airline Stewardesses and the Making of an American Icon University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Vantoch, Victoria. The Jet Sex: Airline Stewardesses and the Making of an American Icon University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.

Staff View

Loading Staff View.