A former flight attendant has revealed a little-known reason why female cabin crew wear red lipstick – and it’s more than just a fashion statement.
Heather Poole, who spent two decades flying for a major U.S. airline, revealed in her memoir, Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet, that the bold red lip once served a surprising purpose.
During her time in the air, red lipstick was part of official grooming standards, but it also had a specific safety function.
According to Poole, the distinguishable shade was worn so that passengers could read flight attendants’ lips during an emergency.
She explained that in a loud, chaotic situation, passengers might not hear what flight attendants are saying, but they could see their lips moving.
The idea is that a vivid lip colour can assist in non-verbal communication, a critical tool when trying to direct panicked passengers toward exits or life-saving equipment.
She also suggested that the colour red projects authority, giving the impression that flight attendants are ‘in control’ of the situation.
However, veteran flight attendant Sydney Anistine told Reader’s Digest she’s ‘never heard’ of lipstick being used for safety purposes, adding: ‘These days, if you see someone wearing a bright lip, it’s just a style choice.’
A former flight attendant has revealed a little-known reason why female cabin crew wear red lipstick – and it’s more than just a fashion statement
According to Heather Poole, the distinguishable shade was worn so that passengers could read flight attendants’ lips during an emergency
Kristine Eksteine-Nizka, a longtime cabin crew member and travel writer, agreed, noting that for many airlines, especially luxury carriers like Emirates, the red lip is more about branding than safety.
She said: ‘Emirates has a specific makeup look that the flight attendants need to adhere to – they even have makeup training for their girls.’
Still, the image of the glamorous, perfectly polished flight attendant has deep historical roots, with lipstick being ‘serious business,’ according to Poole.
In the golden age of aviation during the 1950s and 1960s, airlines like the now-defunct Pan Am enforced strict appearance codes.
Former Pan Am stewardess Sheila Riley recalled how makeup choices were micromanaged.
She said: ‘If you were caught wearing, say, blue eye-shadow or scarlet lipstick you were told to wipe it off because they wanted us to look natural and wholesome.’
The airline even mandated Revlon’s Persian Melon lipstick and matching nail polish – incidentally, the make-up brand’s founder Charles Revlon was on Pan Am’s board of directors at the time.
Elsewhere, travellers have discovered a hidden detail in the Virgin Australia staff uniforms that few have noticed.
However, Kristine Eksteine-Nizka, a veteran crew member and travel writer noted that for many airlines, especially luxury carriers like Emirates (pictured), the red lip is more about branding than safety
In the golden age of aviation during the 1950s and 1960s, airlines like the now-defunct Pan Am (pictured) enforced strict appearance codes on flight attendants
The airline even mandated Revlon’s Persian Melon lipstick (pictured) and matching nail polish – incidentally, the make-up brand’s founder Charles Revlon was on Pan Am’s board of directors at the time
The cherry red uniforms might seem identical at first, but there’s a glaring difference between those worn by flight attendants and guest services agents.
Flight attendants wear a lilac and deep purple neck scarf along with a winged pin, whereas ground staff wear a purple and red neck scarf and do not have a specialised pin.
While millions fly the airline everyday, many weren’t aware of the subtle difference in the uniforms.
Virgin staff recently shared a video revealing the differences and debunked common myths.
