The Dress Code

Strange as it may sound, some places still exist where you can't just show up wearing whatever you want.

Let's begin by jumping in the "way-back-when" machine for a moment.

Imagine it's Christmas week in 1955 and you're getting ready to board an airplane to head back home to grandma's for the holidays. If you're getting on the plane at all it means that you're probably having a very merry Christmas given that your bank account must be fatter than Santa's. Commercial air travel is still a fairly new concept in 1955, and the tickets are outrageously expensive. A flight from Phoenix to Chicago could cost up to $138 round trip, which equates to $1,168 in today's money.

Of course, you might not mind, given that you're served a meal of lobster on real china and glassware, and all your drinks (alcohol included) are free and unlimited. You stretch out in your seat with the extra three to six inches of legroom and relax.

And, of course, you are properly attired for the occasion. Flying on an airplane is a sophisticated adventure in 1955, which means "dressing to the nines": suit and tie for men,...