Airlines / VS · Grooming
Virgin Atlantic — Appearance & Grooming
Virgin Atlantic has gone further than any other European carrier on appearance: make-up optional since 2019, visible tattoos permitted since May 2022, and a gender-neutral uniform policy from September 2022 that lets crew choose which uniform they wear. Personality is recruited for rather than groomed out.
Grooming · Virgin Atlantic
- Hair
- Worn neatly and safely for the cabin, with no gendered rule about length or style. The standard is about looking put together on a premium long-haul product rather than conforming to a single prescribed look.
- Make-up
- Optional for everyone. Virgin dropped the requirement for female crew to wear make-up in 2019, alongside allowing trousers and flat shoes by choice, and the 2022 policy update extended that freedom of presentation across genders.
- Facial hair
- A neatly kept beard is accepted; Virgin's standard is grooming quality rather than a clean-shaven rule. Keep it trimmed and maintained for a premium cabin.
- Nails
- Neat and well kept, without a prescribed palette. The airline's approach across appearance is to set a professional bar rather than list approved shades.
- Glasses & contacts
- Prescription glasses are accepted on duty and Virgin does not publish a frame restriction. A spare pair is worth carrying on an all-long-haul network.
- Piercings
- Discreet piercings are workable within a policy that is deliberately less prescriptive than its rivals'. The airline does not publish a numbered limit, so use the premium-cabin test rather than assuming anything goes.
- Jewellery
- Discreet, professional pieces are fine. Optional pronoun badges were added as part of the 2022 inclusivity update, alongside the uniform changes.
- Tattoos in uniform
- In May 2022 Virgin became the first UK airline — and the first in Europe — to let uniformed staff display tattoos of any size on arms, wrists and legs, so a forearm sleeve is no longer a barrier here. Face, head and neck tattoos remain restricted and offensive designs are barred, which is the whole of the remaining rule.
- Headscarf
- Virgin Atlantic does not publish a headscarf option as a named uniform item. Given how far the airline has gone on inclusive presentation, ask recruitment directly rather than assuming a restriction.
- Uniform
- Vivienne Westwood's red and burgundy designs, which since September 2022 are no longer categorised as male or female — pilots, cabin crew and ground staff choose the red skirt suit or the burgundy trousers according to their gender identity. Optional pronoun badges are part of the same package.
Grooming rules change more often than any other requirement. Verify them on the airline's official careers page before you buy anything or book a hair appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Can Virgin Atlantic cabin crew have visible tattoos?
Yes. Since May 2022 Virgin has allowed uniformed staff to display tattoos of any size on arms, wrists and legs — a first in Europe. Face, head and neck tattoos remain restricted, and offensive designs are barred.
Do Virgin Atlantic cabin crew have to wear make-up?
No. Virgin removed the make-up requirement in 2019 and also made trousers and flat shoes a free choice. The 2022 policy update extended that freedom across genders.
Can Virgin Atlantic crew choose their uniform?
Yes. Since September 2022 the Vivienne Westwood uniforms are no longer labelled male or female — crew, pilots and ground staff pick the red or burgundy option that matches their gender identity.