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Women's Fashion

 

Before World War I, women’s fashion in Australia had been influenced by the American concept of beauty, the 'Gibson girl', promoted  by Dana Gibson, a well-known American graphic artist. The 'Gibson girl' was tall with a dainty curvy figure.  Clothing, it was believed, should modestly show off a woman’s bust and hips, aided by a corset, which would emphasize her small waistline. Necklines should preferably be high. The perfect woman would wear long flowing dresses brought in tightly at the waist with her hair piled high on her head, sometimes with curls loosely hanging, to emphasize her thin neck and height. In Australia hats extravagantly decorated with hand-made flowers were added to the ‘look’.

 

 

The refinement and beauty of the ‘Gibson girl’ was meant to also reflect a changing feminine ideal, that of an independent and capable woman.

 

During the war, newspapers concentrated on addressing traditional female tasks such as cooking and cleaning, especially since thriftiness and restraint was being called for to show support for the war effort. Trends and developments in fashion, however, continued to be an area of interest to women, influenced by the desire to dress well but overlaid by a more practical approach. Since the government had to prioritize the supply of all materials for the war effort, long dresses and gowns with bustles were gradually replaced by shorter and more comfortable wear for both daytime and evening wear. Undergarments such as corsets also became less rigid and less restrictive, without the need to lace them up.

 

Pinafore dresses or coat frocks became popular, requiring less fabric.  Blouses of lighter fabric such as lawn and linen were worn underneath the pinafore, at first decorated with ruffles but later more often with broad V-shaped collars decorated with velvet ribbon or hem stitched.  Women no longer owned so many underskirts or petticoats and starched collars and cuffs were conspicuously absent. A straw boater hat was often worn with long hair that was pinned up underneath the hat, but in a less fussy manner than before the war. 

 

By 1916 serge skirts and blouses became the “only wear”, especially in the hot summer months.  Blouses became more dainty over time, made from crepe de chine with decorative beading, lace, embroidery and with straighter sleeves.  The old style flounces and frills were replaced with fashion which was lighter and more comfortable. 1917 saw the long skirt make way for calf length skirts, and a change in day wear to a military style coat frock, a trend which continued in 1918.  Covered buttons, large cuffs and large waist bands mimicked a military style.  By 1918 hats had also changed significantly and were now much smaller and much plainer.  Colours throughout the war became very subdued – browns, blacks, navy and dark stripes- as mourning became widespread.

 

While most women wore plain black leather lace up shoes at home, dress shoes were often black or dyed to match particular outfits and featured pointed toes, often decorated with ribbons or buttons or buckles.  Court shoes were also very popular. At home, woolen stockings were practical and were darned if snagged or holed, whereas silk stockings were reserved for the very best occasions.

 

While Rayon or ‘artificial silk’, the first synthetic fabric, was to become very popular in the 1920s as a cheap alternative to commonly used materials including cotton, its impact was felt only marginally at the end of the war.  The impact of rayon in the 1920s saw the replacement of boring (and huge) white cotton underwear with softer and more alluring bras, camisoles and all in one cami-knickers.