How to Dress Like Amelia Earhart

American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart made her mark in history by being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. As one of the most celebrated female faces of her time, Earhart set various records and wrote best-selling novels that described her flying adventures. Her legacy continues to endure because of her mysterious disappearance over the Pacific in 1937. Not only was she a strong role model for being the first aviatrix to exceed male established records, she was also a fashion pioneer. Earhart designed a clothing line for "the woman who lives actively." Garbed in well tailored menswear with a feminine fit, Earhart was one of the first women to step into men's shoes.

Instructions

1. Purchase a leather bomber jacket. This is the pivotal piece to Earhart's iconic look.

2. Wear a collared button-up top. Earhart would wear a button-up beneath her leather bomber jacket. Sometimes, she was seen pictured without the jacket and with the button-up itself.

3. Choose a scarf. A neck-tie scarf was one of Earhart's favorite accessories. She sometimes wore the scarf beneath her button up shirt or on top, below the collar.

4. Select trousers. Earhart's pants were crisp, well fitting trousers. Sometimes they were a slender fit, and other times they were of the wide legged variety. According to black and white photos, these trousers were worn in both dark and light colors.

5. Find a belt. Earhart sometimes wore a dark belt with her trousers.

6. Slip on a pair of aviator sunglasses. Earhart was often pictured in aviation goggles. Instead of goggles, aviator sunglasses would translate well into real-life fashion and be more practical for those of us who don't plan on leaving land.

Tips & Warnings

• Just because Earhart's frame was slender, doesn't mean that she settled for large roomy fits. Earhart wore form fitting clothing that perfectly fit her structure. When seeking the menswear "look," find attire that is well fitting.

Resources

• View a slide show of Amelia Earhart photos at Style.com.
• Official Amelia Earhart Website
• Smithsonian: The Flight Stuff