Imagine applying for a job where your weight, teeth, and even the way you walk mattered more than your skills. That was the reality for flight attendants in 1954, as revealed by a viral Reddit post showcasing a typewritten list of absurd qualifications from Chicago and Southern Air Lines.

The job criteria read more like a beauty pageant rulebook than a professional requirement. Applicants had to be single women, aged 22 to 28, weighing between 100 and 120 pounds. They needed slender legs, even teeth (without gold fillings), good posture, and natural hair color. Beyond looks, they were expected to have four years of college or equivalent business experience, plus the ability to "carry on a lively conversation."

Reddit users were quick to call out the ridiculous and sexist standards. One joked, "This sounds like a group of guys brainstorming qualifications while one keeps adding, 'Oh, and don't forget...'" Another user, whose mother worked as a flight attendant in that era, described the harsh realities- daily weight checks, forced smoking, shaming for bloating, and zero protection from harassment.

The training was just as strict, flight attendants were even taught how to walk, with tests like balancing books on their heads and walking downstairs with perfectly positioned feet.

Summing up the absurdity, one Redditor quipped: "The golden age of aviation-where safety was optional, but slender legs were non-negotiable."

We've come a long way, but this blast from the past is a reminder of how far workplace standards have evolved, for the better!