Jet set
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| + | "The French term ''[[Gallantry|galanterie]]'' slipped from its original meaning of [[courtly love]] in the Middle Ages to the amorous and [[jet set]]-like pursuits of the idle, rich aristocrats in the 18th century." --Sholem Stein | ||
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| - | :''[[worldwide]]'' | + | In journalism, '''jet set''' is a term for an international social group of [[wealth]]y people who travel the world to participate in social activities unavailable to ordinary people. The term, which replaced "[[café society]]", came from the lifestyle of travelling from one stylish or exotic place to another via [[jet plane]]. |
| - | '''"Jet set"''' is a journalistic term that was used to describe an [[international]] [[social group]] of [[wealth]]y people, organizing and participating in social activities all around the world that are [[unreachable]] to ordinary people. The term, which replaced "[[café society]]", came from the lifestyle of travelling from one stylish or exotic place to another via jet [[fixed-wing aircraft|airplane]]s. | + | |
| - | Although jet passenger service in the 1950s was initially marketed primarily to the rich, its introduction eventually resulted in a substantial democratization of air travel. Today air travel is functional but without glory, and the term "jet set" no longer has cachet. The faded term "jet set" may still be valid today if it is understood to mean those who can afford to travel in privately-owned or leased aircraft. {{GFDL}} | + | The term "jet set" is attributed to [[Igor Cassini]], a reporter for the ''[[New York Journal-American]]'', who wrote under the pen name "Cholly Knickerbocker". |
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| + | Jet passenger service in the 1950s was marketed primarily to the upper class, but its introduction eventually resulted in a substantial democratization of [[air travel]]. Although the term "jet set" can still be found in common parlance, its literal meaning of those who travel by jet is no longer applicable ''[[per se]]''. | ||
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| + | It has continued to be used, however, to refer to those who have the independent wealth and time to travel frequently and widely for pleasure. | ||
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| + | ==History== | ||
| + | [[BOAC]] inaugurated the world's first commercial scheduled jet service on 2 May 1952, using the [[DH106 Comet|de Havilland Comet]], followed by the introduction of the Comet 4 in 1958 after a series of accidents in 1953–1954. The first successful service, from October 1958, was the typical "jet set" route, [[London]]–[[New York City]]. [[Pan American World Airways|Pan Am]] followed suit with the [[Boeing 707]], making its first scheduled flight between New York City and Paris on 26 October 1958. | ||
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| + | Other cities on the standard jet set routes were [[Las Vegas]], [[Los Angeles]], [[San Francisco]], [[Athens]], [[London]], [[Madrid]], [[Paris]], [[Rome]], [[Hong Kong]] and [[Tokyo]]. Jet set resorts, invariably with white sand and salt water, were circumspect by modern standards; [[Acapulco]], [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]] with [[Huntington Hartford]]'s new [[Paradise Island]] (opened in 1962) were taking the place of [[Bermuda]]. Meanwhile, [[Cannes]], [[Capri]], [[St. Tropez]], [[Marbella]], [[Portofino]], and selected small towns on the [[French Riviera|French]] and [[Italian Riviera|Italian]] Riviera were on the jet set itinerary. Greek Islands such as [[Mykonos]] were included in the loop around 1974. | ||
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| + | The original members of this elite, free-wheeling set were those "[[socialite]]s" who were not shy about publicity and entertained in semi-public places like restaurants and in [[night club]]s, where the "[[paparazzi]]"—a jet set phenomenon—photographed them. They were the first generation that might weekend in Paris or fly to Rome just for a party. The jet set was celebrated in popular culture, for example, [[Federico Fellini]] captured their lifestyle in ''[[La Dolce Vita]]'' (1960), and many record albums of the era promoted flying to foreign lands for honeymoons and getaways, such as Capitol Records ''Honeymoon in Rome'' (1956). | ||
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| + | A sign that "jet set" had lost its glamorous edge was ''[[Vogue Magazine]]'' 's coinage of the term "the Beautiful People" in the spring of 1962, an expression that initially referred to the circle that formed around [[President of the United States|President]] [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis|Jacqueline Kennedy]]. Readers of the 15 February 1964 ''Vogue'' could learn "What the beautiful people are doing to keep fit." The two phrases ran for a time in tandem; in 1970, [[Cleveland Amory]] could fear "that the Beautiful People and the Jet Set are being threatened by current economics." | ||
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| + | A more serious economic threat was the [[1973 oil crisis]], which cast a pall over the idea of jetting about for pleasure. A sign that "jet set" had passed from urbane use was the 1974 [[country music|country]] song "(We're Not) The Jet Set", in which [[George Jones]] and [[Tammy Wynette]] claim they are "the old [[Chevrolet]] set," as opposed to leading a glamorous, "jet-setting" lifestyle. Books and movies about or referencing to this class include ''[[Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough]]'' (1973 novel, 1975 film) and the 1986 [[teen film]] [[drama]], ''[[Fire with Fire (1986 film)|Fire With Fire]]'', the latter movie consisting of jet set parents who sent their daughter to a [[convent school]] and were planning to send her to a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] [[finishing school]] after graduation from the convent's high school, further depriving her of normal adolescent [[rites of passage]] and family contact. | ||
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| + | The flagging "jet set" gained its second wind with the introduction in 1976 of the supersonic [[Concorde]]. Scheduled flights began on 21 January 1976 on the London–[[Bahrain]] oil executive route and the distinctly jet-set Paris–[[Rio de Janeiro]] (via [[Dakar]]) route. From November 1977 the Concorde was flying between standard jet set destinations, London or Paris to New York City; passenger lists on initial flights were gossip-column material. The Concorde restored the term's cachet: "From rock stars to royalty, the Concorde was the way to travel for the jet set," according to the ''[[Nova (American TV series)|Nova]]'' retrospective special "Supersonic Dream". However, the Concorde was doomed by its [[sonic boom]], inability to achieve global fly-over rights because of the boom, its huge thirst for jet fuel, and [[Air France Flight 4590|a disastrous crash]]. The aircraft was retired in 2003. Meanwhile, the [[Boeing 747]], densely packed with passengers, was the craft that took over and dominated air travel by reducing travel cost and increasing airport capacity, accelerating the social changes already brought about by the jet age. | ||
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| + | Where English is a second language, the term has seen continued usage—in the early 1980s, the Argentinian rock band [[Soda Stereo]] recorded a successful song "¿Por qué no puedo ser del Jet Set?" ("Why can't I belong to the jet set?"), and in the French comedy ''[[Jet Set (film)|Jet Set]]'' (2000) made fun of this ''art de vivre''. | ||
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| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | *[[Celebrity culture]] | ||
| + | *[[International Debutante Ball]] | ||
| + | *[[Jet Age]] | ||
| + | *''[[Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous]]'' | ||
| + | *[[Pan Am (TV series)|''Pan Am'' (TV series)]] | ||
| + | *[[Playboy (lifestyle)|Playboy]] | ||
| + | *[[Setjetting]] | ||
| + | *[[Elite]] | ||
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| + | {{GFDL}} | ||
Current revision
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"The French term galanterie slipped from its original meaning of courtly love in the Middle Ages to the amorous and jet set-like pursuits of the idle, rich aristocrats in the 18th century." --Sholem Stein |
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Featured: |
In journalism, jet set is a term for an international social group of wealthy people who travel the world to participate in social activities unavailable to ordinary people. The term, which replaced "café society", came from the lifestyle of travelling from one stylish or exotic place to another via jet plane.
The term "jet set" is attributed to Igor Cassini, a reporter for the New York Journal-American, who wrote under the pen name "Cholly Knickerbocker".
Jet passenger service in the 1950s was marketed primarily to the upper class, but its introduction eventually resulted in a substantial democratization of air travel. Although the term "jet set" can still be found in common parlance, its literal meaning of those who travel by jet is no longer applicable per se.
It has continued to be used, however, to refer to those who have the independent wealth and time to travel frequently and widely for pleasure.
History
BOAC inaugurated the world's first commercial scheduled jet service on 2 May 1952, using the de Havilland Comet, followed by the introduction of the Comet 4 in 1958 after a series of accidents in 1953–1954. The first successful service, from October 1958, was the typical "jet set" route, London–New York City. Pan Am followed suit with the Boeing 707, making its first scheduled flight between New York City and Paris on 26 October 1958.
Other cities on the standard jet set routes were Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Athens, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Jet set resorts, invariably with white sand and salt water, were circumspect by modern standards; Acapulco, Nassau with Huntington Hartford's new Paradise Island (opened in 1962) were taking the place of Bermuda. Meanwhile, Cannes, Capri, St. Tropez, Marbella, Portofino, and selected small towns on the French and Italian Riviera were on the jet set itinerary. Greek Islands such as Mykonos were included in the loop around 1974.
The original members of this elite, free-wheeling set were those "socialites" who were not shy about publicity and entertained in semi-public places like restaurants and in night clubs, where the "paparazzi"—a jet set phenomenon—photographed them. They were the first generation that might weekend in Paris or fly to Rome just for a party. The jet set was celebrated in popular culture, for example, Federico Fellini captured their lifestyle in La Dolce Vita (1960), and many record albums of the era promoted flying to foreign lands for honeymoons and getaways, such as Capitol Records Honeymoon in Rome (1956).
A sign that "jet set" had lost its glamorous edge was Vogue Magazine 's coinage of the term "the Beautiful People" in the spring of 1962, an expression that initially referred to the circle that formed around President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Readers of the 15 February 1964 Vogue could learn "What the beautiful people are doing to keep fit." The two phrases ran for a time in tandem; in 1970, Cleveland Amory could fear "that the Beautiful People and the Jet Set are being threatened by current economics."
A more serious economic threat was the 1973 oil crisis, which cast a pall over the idea of jetting about for pleasure. A sign that "jet set" had passed from urbane use was the 1974 country song "(We're Not) The Jet Set", in which George Jones and Tammy Wynette claim they are "the old Chevrolet set," as opposed to leading a glamorous, "jet-setting" lifestyle. Books and movies about or referencing to this class include Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough (1973 novel, 1975 film) and the 1986 teen film drama, Fire With Fire, the latter movie consisting of jet set parents who sent their daughter to a convent school and were planning to send her to a Swiss finishing school after graduation from the convent's high school, further depriving her of normal adolescent rites of passage and family contact.
The flagging "jet set" gained its second wind with the introduction in 1976 of the supersonic Concorde. Scheduled flights began on 21 January 1976 on the London–Bahrain oil executive route and the distinctly jet-set Paris–Rio de Janeiro (via Dakar) route. From November 1977 the Concorde was flying between standard jet set destinations, London or Paris to New York City; passenger lists on initial flights were gossip-column material. The Concorde restored the term's cachet: "From rock stars to royalty, the Concorde was the way to travel for the jet set," according to the Nova retrospective special "Supersonic Dream". However, the Concorde was doomed by its sonic boom, inability to achieve global fly-over rights because of the boom, its huge thirst for jet fuel, and a disastrous crash. The aircraft was retired in 2003. Meanwhile, the Boeing 747, densely packed with passengers, was the craft that took over and dominated air travel by reducing travel cost and increasing airport capacity, accelerating the social changes already brought about by the jet age.
Where English is a second language, the term has seen continued usage—in the early 1980s, the Argentinian rock band Soda Stereo recorded a successful song "¿Por qué no puedo ser del Jet Set?" ("Why can't I belong to the jet set?"), and in the French comedy Jet Set (2000) made fun of this art de vivre.
See also
- Celebrity culture
- International Debutante Ball
- Jet Age
- Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
- Pan Am (TV series)
- Playboy
- Setjetting
- Elite
