Cool, or dorky?

Cool or dorky?

  • Total voters
    56
  • Poll closed .
judypilot

judypilot

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Judy Parrish
OK, here's the issue. My husband recently gave me his leather bomber jacket (which isn't grossly big on me because I'm tall and he's not). He was an ATP helicopter pilot until he lost his medical, and is very proud of my flying. I'm going to start working on my ATP soon, as the only aeronautical experience I'm still lacking is night hours, and I'm going to make a concentrated effort to log those.

Anyway, he keeps telling me that I should get some captain's epaulets because I am, after, captain and PIC of my airplane. So I got some. They look cool with the jacket, but hard as it might be to believe from my posts, I'm actually a rather modest person in some ways, and so I'm caught in this limbo of being proud to wear the epaulets but wondering if it isn't kind of dorky.

So here's a poll so you can help me decide.

Thanks
Judy
 
The jacket sounds cool and you should go ahead and wear it. But the epaulets...I have to go dorky on that one. That is sorta like wearing a uniform when none is required.

Here is an intereting thought to go with my 'I think it is dorky position' In Illinois the government here has made impersonanting an airline pilot a crime. Well what is the legal definition of an airline pilot? I think we all have opinoins on what it could be but I do not believe there exists a statued that accomplishes the goal. If you were to wear the jacket with the epualets while on a flight and happen to transit ORD could you be arrested?
 
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If you like it, it's cool, wear it with pride. Don't worry if others think it's "dorky" as I'm sure if you spent time with any of them you will find some of the things they do or wear to be "dorky" as well. "Dorky" is in the eye of the dork :D
 
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OK, I gotta be very supportive on the jacket itself, I think that is totally cool.

But the epaulets? The sentiment is appreciated, but I don't know that I'd actually wear them... :lightning: :D
 
The leather jacket is cool. The epaulets are dorky. Every time I see a Southwest pilot with them on his jacket, I cringe.
 
Show it off! You're the captian. You rule the cockpit. If the 4 gold/silver bars does it for you, have at it.
I'm proud of my PPL and don't mind sharing it (hence the many bomber jackets, aviation memorabilia, and wings). If someone takes exception to it, too bad.
I say:
COOL!
 
I say do whatever feels right to you. Who cares what anyone else thinks!

However, as someone who is required to wear epaulets (on my shirt, not my jacket), I would ditch them if I could. I think a lot of times they get stares and sometimes they become the object of weird questions. "I know those stand for something. What it it?" "Are you in the military?" "I know, you're a PILOT!" Ok, ok, just let me crawl into my hole now. :rolleyes:
 
Jacket = cool
French decoration = dorky
 
I think they're cool because your dad suggested it, and simply don;t care what anyone else thinks about it.

Just don't wear it to a job interview!
 
I'd have to see it to decide. Having worn uniforms for so long, I'd have to agree with Everskyward, they can be a pain. I was glad the day I didn't have to mess with them anymore. At least on a jacket you don't have to take them on and off all the time for laundering. I'd still like to see a picture though. (The jacket is WAY cool though, I have my fathers and I love wearing it)
 
ausrere said:
Having worn uniforms for so long, I'd have to agree with Everskyward, they can be a pain. I was glad the day I didn't have to mess with them anymore.
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Your a cop? Cool! I like women in uniform. You should see the UPS babe around here. :)
 
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Anthony said:
Your a cop? Cool! I like woman in uniform. You should see the UPS babe around here. :)
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Yep.. but thankfully not in uniform anymore! Although not having to think about the daily wardrobe for so many years didn't really prepare me for plain clothes work! All I owned was jeans! lol
 
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Cool is in the eye (or mind, maybe) of the beholder. If you think it looks cool then go for it!

Good luck on the ATP rating, Judy.
 
Are you a professional pilot? If not, I consider it silly. It diminishes the importance of the title, and the accomplishments necessary to obtain it professionally. Just my opinion.

Of course, it certainly won't hurt anything if you want to have some fun.

Tony
 
SCCutler said:
I think they're cool because your dad suggested it, and simply don;t care what anyone else thinks about it.

Just don't wear it to a job interview!
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Methinks the counselor should learn how to listen. That'll be 50.
 
Lady pilot, cool.
Lady pilot in bomber jacket, way cool.
Lady pilot in bomber jacket with captain's epaulets, dorky.
 
I have mixed feelings on this Judy. In general I think most folks would think you were trying to be something you aren't with the epaulets so I'd if I were you I'd be reluctant to wear them in public. OTOH your husband obviously want's to show you off because he's so proud of your achievments in aviation. Therefore I think you should wear them for him, but only under certain circumstances like around the house, or when you fly with him (or by yourself) in your plane. Of course that means you need to make them removeable. I suggest using a bit of velcro to hold them on and have a couple american flag patches to take their place the rest of the time.
 
tonyliotta said:
Are you a professional pilot? If not, I consider it silly. It diminishes the importance of the title, and the accomplishments necessary to obtain it professionally. Just my opinion.

Of course, it certainly won't hurt anything if you want to have some fun.

Tony
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As there is no title "professional pilot", I'm not sure what you mean. I am a pilot, I behave and fly professionally, I have a commerical certificate, I am PIC pretty much all the time now, and I even earn a few bucks here and there doing intro flights. So am I professional pilot or not?

Judy
 
SCCutler said:
I think they're cool because your dad suggested it, and simply don;t care what anyone else thinks about it.

Just don't wear it to a job interview!
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My husband, not my dad. I am at that point in life where it is not impossible that I will never have a job interview again, so no worries there.

So far, it sounds like my instinct that the jacket is cool but the epaulets are borderline to completely dorky is right on. The epaulets, by the way, slip over the shoulder straps, so they are easily removable.

Judy
 
Only if the PIC is wearing the gold epaulets in the bedroom, or while actually flying an aircraft in a Third World country... -then they're cool.
 
One other thought (non-sequitur)- Dave Siciliano said that, by virtue of being the "Captain" of his aircraft (notwithstanding its size), he was given considerably more respect by authorities in Mexico.

Sorry I got confused about the "dad" vs. "husband" thing; as noted by Richard, I need to "listen" better! Can't change my vote now, but with that difference, I now say, "dorky." But I also still say, if you like it, go for it.
 
being that I wear a bomber jacket, I have to say that is cool.

While I have a place for epaulets, I don't wear them....because thats dorky.

Also - the captain's shirt with epaulets - dorky, even though I got one for Christmas. Go figure.
 
All right, I'm getting the picture. Although there are still a few "cools", the "dorkys" win out. Like I said, I had an instinct that might be over the top.

Of course, I'm a dork in other ways, and proud of it, but I try to be a little sensitive to these things. ;)
 
Leather jackets are always cool. (unless it's pink or something)

Epaulets? Napoleon Dynamite caliber dorky
 
I'd say pass on the decorations. They have substantial significance to members of the armed forces, and unless the jacket is a hand-me-down from someone who earned those decorations, I personally wouldn't add them.

The jacket itself, however, sounds totally righteous. ;)
 
judypilot said:
So far, it sounds like my instinct that the jacket is cool but the epaulets are borderline to completely dorky is right on.
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If your flying as a mercenary in some third world h*ll hole, you could probably get away with the epaulets.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Napoleon Dynamite caliber dorky
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My wife and I watched that movie on cable Friday night. Very strange, but at least we know what the "Vote for Pedro" T-shirts mean.
 
Now that the group has voted for "dorky", I think we should get to see a picture!

--Kath
 
Anthony said:
If your flying as a mercenary in some third world h*ll hole, you could probably get away with the epaulets.
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Of course, East Coast liberals think Idaho IS a third world h*ll hole.:goofy:

Judy
 
p8cleared2land said:
Hey! I mean to say...hey!
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Hey back. I see you are from Idaho, too. Do you disagree that East Coast liberals think of Idaho as a third world country? :)

Are you remaining incognito, or can you divulge where in Idaho you are? I live and work in Idaho, but have to hangar my airplane in Washington (PUW).

Judy
 
judypilot said:
East Coast liberals think of Idaho as a third world country? :)

I live and work in Idaho, but have to hangar my airplane in Washington (PUW).
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Haven't invented hangars yet in Idaho?

(sorry, couldn't resist such a juicy straight line!):D
 
judypilot said:
Of course, East Coast liberals think Idaho IS a third world h*ll hole.:goofy:

Judy
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That may be OK, if they then stay permanently away from it!
 
Judy,

I'm southwest--I fly out of Caldwell. You must be around Lewiston/Moscow?

Bill--heck, we have hangars, I even have one for my "every day outfit." :)

Petra
 
judypilot said:
Of course, East Coast liberals think Idaho IS a third world h*ll hole.:goofy:
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I live in Colorado now. I know how cool Idaho really is. :yes:
 
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