I saw a PDT IOE instructor today in PHL, he completely trashed a new hire because of the way he wore his uniform. His biggest complaint was that his stripes were on backwards. "No Captain is going to respect you as a pilot or what you have to say if you look like a SLOB!!!"

Personally, I think the guy went just a tad bit crazy. But I do know what hes talkin about. Anyway I guess my point is just to help out some of you new guys who havent worn a Uniform yet. Cuz I too have seen it myself. So yeah.....the wide end of your stripes are supposed to be furthest away from your neck.

As somebody who's received two sets of stripes (one from M&H and one from my company), I've never seen instructions on which direction they should face. Sounds like the CKA had a bug up his you-know-where.
I seem to be one of the few pilots who wears the full uniform, and even I don't wear the full uniform. The hat comes with me on all trips, and I actually wear it. However, I do not put my brass on my shirt while wearing the summer uniform. The brass that CHQ wants on our shirts is the same brass that they want on our jackets, and I'm not putting holes that big in my shirt.
Show me five pilots, and I'll show you five different ways to wear the same uniform.

Well where's your blazer? You know November to May....

And it looks like half your crew meal is smeared on your lap.

Oh, I'm sorry, you probably can't see that!

Probably had the seam on the bottom of the epaullets showing.

I don't see what's so hard about iorning your shirt and pants and running a bottle of shoe cleaner/polish across your shoes every once in a while. Then again, it can be quite an adventure when you're 22 years old and have never used an iorn or polished a pair of shoes. I sure as hell didn't do it very often before I had to wear the monkey suit.

What is that? A PLEDGE PIN! On your uniform?

Coming from the military the uniform standards and enforcement in the airlines is a joke. Try preparing your uniform for an hour or so everytime you wear it. Iron your pants and shirt, starch your collar and keep the shoes at least clean if you are not going to shine them. If you want to go above and beyond cut all of those little loose threads off your shirts. That is a bare minimum and takes no more than 10 minutes or so.

Epaullets are idiot proof, the seam on the bottom..you do not want to see that, the wide part goes towards your shoulder and the skinny part goes towards your neck.

Don't wear a shirt that is three sizes too big. Saw a guy walking around the school house today with way too much fabric above the waist. It looked like trash.

Timeless

Should the CKA have dressed the new guy down in public? No. Remember, praise in public and reprimand in private.

That said, how we present ourselves to the public including how wear our uniforms influences our customers' image of the crew, the airplane, and the company. If you want to be respected as a professional, [B]look[B] professional. But if you want to look like someone who is inconvenienced by having to go to work, then wear your unpressed shirts, ipods, loose ties, backpacks, cheesy sunglasses, and spiked hair with the "uniform".


Oh, and on a side note, don't pre/post flight while talking on a cell phone. Your girl/boyfriend doesn't really need to know you are on a 15 minute turn in Peoria and have a two hour sit after this leg. (And the Feds take a pretty dim view of this too)

It seems like every major uniform company did away with that problem by making "Athletic Cut" shirts....however.....M&H hasnt jumped on that band wagon yet.

I too wear the full uniform....I got lucky with my hat though....it actually fits my head....i see some guys with hats at least one size too big...it looks retarted...like a 5 year old dressing up in his dads clothes.

I wish our uniforms were a little more distinct. Anyone doin flying for airways (AWAC RAH TSA Colgan) we all were the same thing. I dunno my inner toolness is coming out. I still think the coolest lookin uniforms were the Old School Pan Am ones...double breasted jackets and white hats....I wouldnt mind wearing something like that