The aviator scarf has become synonymous with the image of an early 1900’s or World War I pilot.
Still worn today by many who fly vintage planes or trick planes, it can often be seen trailing from the neck of a pilot as he goes zooming by. An essential part of the early pilot’s uniform, it was not only a fashion item, but also served a much needed purpose. The aviator scarf actually has a long history that starts before the airplane was even in it’s testing phase.
Prior to the Wright brothers inventing the airplane, the aviator scarf was worn by men primarily in the upper classes. A fine white silk opera scarf was a refined gentleman’s most used accessory in the cooler months, along with his gloves and top hat. It was not only a sign of wealth and status, but served the purpose of warmth and protection. Top coats of that era were primarily made of some pretty harsh and heavy wool fibers, the now known aviator scarf not only protected its wearer from the cold and wind, but more importantly from the chaffing that would result from the scratchy woolen collar of his coat.
After the invention of the airplane, the aviator scarf received its new name and purpose. After a few flights in the cool air of higher elevations, it soon became clear to early pilots that they needed a way to keep warm. Even when wearing a coat or jacket, the cooler winds from flying in an open cockpit plane found their way down a pilot’s coat, making it pretty much obsolete. Pilots began to take their soft silk opera scarves and wear them around their neck to keep the cold breezes from traveling down their necks and into their coats. The aviator scarf became not only a fashion item, but an essential item to wear when flying a plane.
The aviator scarf gained widespread commercial recognition and popularity with the start of World War I. The famed Red Baron was always depicted with his trailing silk blowing in the wind. Posters and movies of the dogfights with US pilots also depicted both sides wearing not only white, but black, red, blue, and even polka dotted scarves. The US Air Force even issued an aviator scarf as a standard part of its uniform, not as a fashion item, but to protect from the elements and the chafing from leather coats and scratchy woolen uniforms. As the scarves became better known, the public demand for identical styles grew. Many main-stream stores began selling their version of the aviator scarf to be worn by both adults and little boys acting as their favorite war hero. Thus, the notoriety of the aviator scarf began.
Go here to see the different aviator scarves >> Aviator Scarf
