Sydney Fashion

FASHION OZ STYLE

Australia is one of the few countries in the world that does not have its own national dress, but has (some call) a style all of its own. And Aussie’s being European in culture have gotten this national style from their forebears that they have modified to suit the changes of the last 200 years and the ever present weather conditions that make Australian society anything but European.

The Aussie national dress style has local variations also and as you move from the beach through the city and suburbia to the country and outback you will see some elements of the national dress style becoming more pronounced while others are being lessened. For example: even in the summer heat it is common for country people to wear jeans, while a beach bum would never dream of such a crazy idea. Leaving their jeans at home until winter comes. The use of flannelette as a shirt material and the wearing of moleskin trousers also become more prominent the more you move out into the country. Although cool teeny boppers from bay side suburbs of most major Australian cities also like wearing flannelette or ‘flanos’ as well.

Maybe, subconsciously identifying with their history?

But, the Australian national dress style has several markers that give it a unique quality when compared to other European and American dress styles. It is the elements of ease, a larrikin and easy going, slightly irreverent attitude, defined by life lived in the outdoors (even if it is only a bbq)and a process of borrowing from migrant communities and other influences that make it unique.

Australian beach wear in particular has become both a statement of national identity and a source of pride for many Australians involved in the fashion industry with the success of Australian brands like Billabong, Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Mambo and Okanui gaining acceptance throughout the world. These brands also traverse the divide between the country and the beach being worn by Australians of all ethnicities, and locales. Jenny Kee, Peter Morrissey, and Linda Jackson, were the principle designers behind the Mambo brand who was responsible for the outfits worn by Australian athletes at the Sydney Olympics. They were asked by the athletes involved in the games to dump the formal ties and other more stuffy paraphernalia and develop a costume close to the actuality of what Australian’s wore. The ochre jackets, copper trousers and loose fitting shirts were a part of this design.

But, the most remarkable development of the Australian national dress style occurred in the 1930’s when the image of the squatter’s daughter and woman aviator was popularised in film and on radio. The ‘aviatrix’ as this icon was referred to become the figure most responsible for the wide spread acceptance of trousers by Australian women during this period. And, it was during the time of the Second World War that cemented the trouser as a staple of Australian women’s fashion popularised by volunteers in the Women’s Land Army. While the Fletcher Jones company, with its large immigrant workforce popularised the Italian designed trouser for Australian men of the era and beyond.


The bush was not left out of the revolution either.

Country Traders like R.M Williams and Akubra have become international brands accepted throughout the world. Akubra even supplied Indiana Jones with his famous ‘Australian Fedora’ that he wore to great effect in those movies. It was as a reaction to the Aussie colonial bush experience, that the clothing worn by stockman and other people who made their living from the rural sector based their style of clothing along the lines of practicality and toughness. Australia with its unrepentant environment was downright destructive to flimsier materials like lace, and other Eurocentric fabrics. The people of the bush had to develop clothing that was environmentally appropriate. So they concentrated on using materials and fabrics like those taken from animal hides. Oilskins, rabbit felt, and sheep’s wool. These materials fell into this category with hats, boots, jackets, jeans, and other articles of clothing being made from them.

If the bush and the city have played a significant role in defining the Australian national dress style than it is the ‘larrikin’ that has an equal measure in this trinity of city, surf and country. The ‘larrikin’ element can be defined as the easy going, and inherently democratic nature of Australian city life. In one sense more Australian than the bush with its traditional hierarchy still present in many towns across the country. The ‘larrikin’ element in Australian fashion started with the ‘Push’ a group of artist’s, journalist’s, and actor’s who made Sydney their home in the 1950’s and 60’s. These young people belonged to no particular political philosophy while holding onto a loosely held together concept of genteel anarchism and free thought.

The 60’s ‘Rocker’ and the 80’s ‘Beven’ are also linked with the ‘Push’ in attitude, if not in dress style, but hold to elements of the mentality of the ‘Larrikin’ style. Young Australian men, just home from the Vietnam conflict made up another important contributing element to this style. And, it was the ‘Larrikins’ with their disregard of formality that gave Australian’s their most defining national article of clothing.


The humble Thong!

The Thong was first patented by a New Zealander and it was based on the design of the Japanese sandal that servicemen working in that country saw as they made their daily rounds of the newly occupied territory. Maurice York who patented the thong came up with the idea in 1957 and within a few short years thousands of them were being sold in the United States and New Zealand. But, it was when an Australian manufacturer Dunlop imported 300 000 of them into the Australian market that they become popular. The thong became widely accepted by the ‘Larrikins’ in the 70’s and are now worn throughout the world as a fashion staple. Even being encrusted with precious stones by devotee’s of high fashion on the subcontinent.