Vintage Airport Swank in Palm Springs

Flying in for Modernism Week? Be sure to check out the Virgin America gate.

NOW LANDING: Mid-century chic touched a lot of areas of a lot of lives back in the day. Clothing shops, with their zig-zaggy entrances, and living rooms, with their giant glass fronts, and restaurants, with their Eames-cool furniture, all effortlessly conveyed the '50s-into-1960s aesthetic. And while you can see mid-century-ism, in some form, in all of those places still, one place where it is less seen is an airport or on an airline. The art of flying has changed a lot, stylistically, in the last half century, and that "Mad Men"-like vibe that was often seen back in the day is pretty hard to find at most major plane ports. It's a style that is missed by many, though, and, with that in mind, Virgin America and Modernism Week are pairing up to do something a bit splashy at the Palm Springs International Airport.

DURING THE MODERNISM WEEK RUN, which takes up the bulk of mid-February, the Virgin America gate at the airport will take on a colorful and interactive throwback look courtesy of Marc Joseph, the owner of Wonderama, a Palm Springs shop specializing in art and vintage furniture. It's fun news for two reasons: One? Our airport gates rarely, if ever, get the full gussy up, specifically in a period that was once the Thing, capital T, fifty years ago. And two? We do long for those chic days of travel, when getting a little fancy for a flight was simply the thing to do.

LET MODERNISM FLY: Virgin America is also behind a "fly-away contest" which involves "a chance to win a stylish getaway for two to Modernism Week," a chance that involves roundtrips on the airline and a four-nighter at The Saguaro Palm Springs. That's cool, but so is this: Dress up in your mid-century best and pose for a photo at the gate during the 2016 Modernism Week. Then hashtag it #LetModFly for a chance for an upgrade with the company. If you nab that upgrade, though, will you dress mid-century for your actual flight? Dressing fashion-forward for your time in the air used to be done on the regular. Might funky and fabulous fashion once again reign when we fly?

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