Australian Fashion
♥Australian Fashion♥
As a born and
bred Queensland, Australian citizen, I grew up loving the beach, hating shoes,
constantly dripping with sweat from the humidity & indulging on iced
coffees & chocolates (anything iced really!). Apart from traveling to a few
colder regions closer to Australia like New Zealand and Japan, it was always
difficult to escape the heat of an Australian summer. You learn how to develop
a wardrobe that caters to the endless humidity and long summer evenings spent
close to the bay where a cool breeze breaks the scorching temperature that
otherwise won’t let up! It is a well-known fact that the Australian sun is
extremely different to that of Europe, Asia and the USA; from my
understanding, due to excess holes in the o-zone layer we will burn to a crisp
without sun screen after about two hours! (so if you ever visit in summer, put
on sunscreen!!!!)
Anyway, you get
the fact that it’s a hot climate & even our Queensland winters feel warm
during the peak of the day when the sun is shining through those holes in the
atmosphere π… however, how do
we cater to this fact through our clothing and style?
Well, just like
every country you have differing fashion from state to state, city to city.
Melbourner’s have a sophisticated elegance which incorporates evidence of a
colder lifestyle, think trench coats from trendy local boutique’s &
designer beanies from Flinders Lane! Melbourne is my absolute favourite as
their style is something I would expect to see on the snowy winter streets of
Paris or Italy! Australian’s have unique takes on fashion that speak to a
global audience, however I feel as though we aren’t all about the international
designer look. I love the fact that we are multicultural and have our own
separate ideals of beauty and style that doesn’t necessarily fit with the
international image. Basically, we aren’t controlled by global runway brands as
we portray more of an easy going outlook to fashion.
I know it is a
consensus among many that fashion in outback Australia and probably
Queensland as a state is practically none existent… and in some ways … it
really is!!!....
There are
actually some very unique boutiques & style that circulate around Australia
and occasionally you see the odd girl that actually gets it right! I personally
cope with the Queensland heat by trying to pair a basic T-shirt, singlet, skirt
or pants with a statement piece that makes the look a little more edgy.
That statement
piece doesn’t need to be a Chanel blazer or Louis Vuitton's, honestly you would
look pretty out of place wearing those types of things in Brisbane City. More
so a peach coloured Bec and Bridge ¾ slip dress with a black tailored military
blazer from Witchery & a pair of black ballerina flats from Nine West! A
basic chic dress paired with a structured blazer is absolute perfection &
in this summer heat you can stay cool outside whilst remaining warm in an air
conditioned office = flawless π
A predominant
style which is currently influencing Australian fashion is festival style,
think Coachella! Chockers, brimmed hats, crop tops, under wear as outerwear
& western style ankle boots with frills and tassels are heavily in demand
for weekend fashion. This isn’t necessarily something you would wear to the
office but more so to the beach on the weekend or to a trendy city bar for a Sunday
afternoon drinking session. These accessories are usually accompanied by some
high waisted denim shorts, a body &/or play suit or a flowy wrap dress.
Historically, the Aussie fashion industry relied on adapting &
adjusting looks from an international stage. Watching runways & researching
the most in demands looks from Europe & America was how designers created
their new season looks down under; in a way this makes sense as overseas seasons
are always ahead of ours! The Australian contemporary fashion industry has also
evolved in the last 10 to 20 years. With the shift in the global industrial practices,
Australian designers are collaborating with local fabric makers and artisans in an effort to emerge into a new era in which it is easy to reap the rewards. The use of
online sales is also assisting Australian designers with the influx of sales!
A big part of
Australian fashion is built into smaller no name boutiques where you can
purchase that one of a kind investment piece like a day to night silk dress,
luxe trench coat or a trendy leather jacket. I read recently that approximately 85% of the Australian Fashion
industry is represented by small to medium businesses; that’s something I really
love about the industry down under… we support local & new businesses instead
of continuously purchasing overseas luxe goods(even though they’re amazing π). I personally love David Jones & Myers department stores as they support all of these independent labels by selling them in stores.
Some of my
favourite Australian labels are:
Camilla &
Marc
Bec & Bridge
Carla Zampatti
Viktoria & Woods
Zimmermann
Saba
Asillio
Basque
Aje
Alex Perry
Mischa
Collection
By Johnny
Cooper St
Ok, I could
really go on & on, but check them out especially 'By Johnny' if you’re
looking for some unique, structured and one of a kind party dresses ❤.
Let me talk quickly about quite possibly the biggest
trend to sweep not only Australia, but the entire globe (but especially Australia
since we are extremely relaxed with style and opt for the most comfortable outfit) of course i'm referring to the 'Sport Luxe' trend.
This isn’t always a good thing though... I must admit that personally I absolutely hate
this trend. It should never be ok to wear your sweaty gym clothes to the movies
and out on a shopping date, yes it’s definitely comfortable but skin tight leggings are
not fashion. Gigi & Bella Hadid seem to be making this a massive trend
right now, and although they look absolutely amazing in this luxe sportswear… I
still don’t love it, but hey, each to their own right π!! Leave a
comment if this is one of you favourite trends or Vice Versa if it isn't & tell me
why π!
Below is my own
personal Aussie style look book that I have put together to showcase the best
of Australian Fashion & to provide you with endless inspiration on how to
stay cool in the Australian summer heat (this includes some of the sport luxe trend for those of you who like it!).
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