In message , vincent p.
norris writes
Ed, I suspect he was talking about the military.

No, it was at a civilian flying club in Southend, UK.

Mike

Thanks, Mike. But that arouses my curiosity. Did you usually show up
for a flying lesson wearing a tie? Did most students? How long ago
was that?

But of course! I worked for Marconi's at the time!

As a fly fisherman, I've seen many pics of gentlemen fishing the chalk
steams of Merrie old England wearing suists, complete with white
shirts, ties, and vests, not to mention bowlers.

'Suit' to me implies a dark, office-style arrangement, in which case
I've never seen those. But a patterned or check-style, yes. No bowlers,
though. Flat caps, usually.

How did you know they were wearing vests?

Did that custom carry over into aviation?

Not to my knowledge. But I have a vague memory of a civilian MoD test
pilot at Boscombe Down who wore a bowler off duty. A somewhat portly
man.

Mike
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M.J.Powell