Airline personnel must dress in uniform and meet certain criteria that helps them stand out from the passengers in flights. When selecting your airline personnel uniforms, know what you are requiring for their uniforms to make them look professional and be comfortable.

Understand the difference between a regular shirt and a pilot shirt. It is also important to know what shoulder tabs, epaulets, wings, flight socks and base layers are to help you outfit your airline personnel appropriately.

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Pilot shirt

Pilot shirts are specially designed to meet the specific needs of airline pilots. They are made to be comfortable and durable, while maintaining their fresh look after hours of travel. They are made with special features such as shoulder tabs, epaulets, flap pockets and pencil slots all made with a stretchy material so pilots can reach for the controls to operate the plane.

I recommend: Landerwood Corporation explains why pilot shirts must be comfortable and stretchy to allow your pilots to operate the controls.

Epaulets

Epaulets worn on a pilots shirt are part of the uniform and worn to show rank. They are also called epaulettes, a shoulder bar or a pilots stripes.

I recommend: A Cut Above Uniforms has a great explanation of what epaulets are, how they are used to complete the pilots uniform and how they represent rank.

Piloti shoes

Piloti shoes were developed for racecar drivers, but their ability to give their wearer precise control over the pedals of any vehicle has made them a hit with pilots as well. The shoes provide excellent comfort and the added safety feature of being fire retardant, which is extremely important for all airline personnel.

I recommend: Read all about Piloti shoes at Steen Aero Lab.

Wings

Pilot and flightcrew wings are an essential part of any airline personnel's uniform. These small pins are worn to differentiate between the crew and the passengers and are used to symbolize security.

I recommend: Johnson's has an explanation of what pilot and flightcrew wings stand for on an airline personnel's uniform, along with photographs.

Flight socks

Flight socks are cooler, and more comfortable than regular cotton socks. Many also offer a compression feature to improve circulation and reduce the chance of blood clots in the elevated pressure. Flight socks are also called compression hosiery.

I recommend: The Flight Attendant Shop offers an explanation of flight socks and different options to choose from with pictures.

Base layer

A base layer describes a specific type of shirt that can help to regulate an individual's body temperature when worn underneath other clothing. Airline personnel wear base layer under garments to keep them comfortable when sitting on the runway or flying through the air.

I recommend: Elbeco offers a base layer for uniforms and explains the perks of wearing base layer clothing.

From airline pilot gear to airline crew gear to behind-the-counter attendant uniforms, find airline uniforms for sale from a variety of distributors, designers and manufacturers.

Airline uniforms include such items as blouses, skirts, polo shirts, dresses, sweater, sweater vests, vests, blazers and slacks, and the airline personnel gear will depend on the position of the employee and the security measures taken by the particular airline.

To locate the appropriate airline personnel gear for you:

1. Determine what articles are required for your airline personnel gear.

2. Find out if your airline has a preferred uniform service provider. If not, piece the outfit together through various vendors.

3. Make sure that you are including the additional supplemental items as well such as required badges, scarves, pins, ties and more.

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Purchase airline pilot uniforms

Find a wide variety of airline pilot uniforms and uniform separates to complete your pilot outfit.

I recommend: Check out the men's single- and double-breasted pilots jackets from Tally-Ho Uniforms. Tally-Ho Uniforms also carries a wide variety of other men's and women's airline employee uniform separates and accessories. Take a look at the pilot shirts from CrewGear. They also offer a large selection of other clothing items from jackets, to caps, to sweaters and more. Consider the men's pilot shirts from Pilot House. Pilot House also offers women's pilot shirts as well as command bars and neckties. Take a closer look at the pilot uniforms from Elbeco Incorporated.

Look for airline crew gear

Check out airline crew gear from a variety of dealers.

I recommend: Purchase Delta Approved flight uniform apparel from airline uniform suppliers like Abbott Airline Uniforms. Their payment options include secure on line credit card transactions or payroll deduction options. Look into H&H Uniforms for your flight crew or pilot needs. They also offer uniforms for ticket agents as well. Tarpy Tailors is another flight crew uniform vendor. They can offer you custom, made-to-measure men's and women's airline uniforms.

Find the perfect airline personnel gear accessories to complete the outfit

Buy airline personnel gear supplemental accessories to put the finishing touches on your uniform. From wing pins to ties, hosiery and more, locate the perfect airline crew accessories for your outfit.

I recommend: Purchase flight crew wings to help identify aviation personnel and add that extra element of security from Johnson's. Johnson's offers a wide variety of specialty wings including air ambulance, state patrol and other corporate or the airline crewmember pins. Consider the flight attendant hosiery and socks from The Flight Attendant Shop. Check out the colorful selection of pilot and flight crew-ladies crossover ties from Image First Uniforms. Civilian pilots can even wear their own set of licensed general aviation pilot wings from Sporty's.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Airline personnel gear is often time designed by big name designers. Flight attendant uniforms have been conceptualized by such big names as Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, Bill Blass, Nina Ricci, Pierre Cardin and Halston. As an airline, consider utilizing a big name designer for the cut of the uniform and for the PR opportunities, as well.

Choosing airline personnel gear for your airline is an important choice that takes some consideration. The uniforms for airlines are as much part of the marketing, as they are the first impression your passengers will have of your airline. And, as everyone knows, first impressions are powerful as well as difficult to change. Choosing the right airline employee uniform for your employees can go a long way in reassuring your passengers that your airline is professional and means business.

Below, you will find information that will help you in your airline personnel gear education and training, be it airline pilot uniforms, airline crew gear, flight attendant uniforms, or airline crew gear. You will also be able to find information about airline crew accessories as well as airline uniform suppliers and airline uniform manufacturers.

1. Find airline uniforms for the crew.

2. Choose flight attendant uniforms.

3. Pick airline pilot gear.

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Learn about airline crew gear

The airline crew can be the first people your passengers will see, for they will be the people driving up and down the airport delivering passengers and luggage to various gates. The people at the ticket counters can also be included in this group. The airline personnel uniforms can be simple, such as plain cotton shirts, dark trousers, and appropriate accessories. Whether or not you wish to include ties for the men and women is up to you. However, ties might not be appropriate for those who handle luggage. You can get an idea of the history of air-related uniforms by looking at past uniforms worn in the military.

I recommend: Places like Abbott Uniforms are certified to provide airline uniforms and airline crew accessories and can help you with your education and training. Air America has a collection of images from past ground crew uniforms.

Educate yourself about flight attendant uniforms

Flight attendant uniforms can resemble military uniforms with their fitted blouses or shirts. Should you desire, you can also include some kind of decoration like pins in the shape of planes or pins that have the airline logo.

I recommend: Use information provided by The Field Shops, a company that provides flight attendant uniforms for a number of airlines. Uniform Freak can be a useful resource should you decide to design your own airline employee uniforms. Airline Freak, a part of the site, is a visual museum of airline uniforms.

Read about how to attire your pilots with airline pilot gear

The pilot uniforms can closely resemble the dress military uniforms that have epaulets at the shoulders. Hats can also be a part of the uniform, as can dress coats. You can choose colors that echo that of the other uniforms, thus creating continuity in the airline uniforms.

I recommend: Joe Pilot can be an educational source of pilot uniforms. CrewGear is also a good source to use for airline pilot uniforms. Armed Forces Outfitters has information about the U.S. Air Force dress uniforms, which can be used as a guide for creating your own airline pilot uniforms.