'Well,
the great day is over, and now we can rest on memories of the
Commonwealth celebrations of 1901. We are, at last, a united nation,
and our intercolonial pettiness shall henceforth be buried, like
the proverbial hatchet. No more jealousies, in fact, every women's
frock from every other colony we now must recognise as good as
ours, and we may only smile complacently when comments are made
to the contrary.'
Letter
from Winifred to Nina, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser,
5 January 1901, p. 16
The
fashions worn by the men, women and children who attended the celebrations
marking the Federation of Australia were transitory styles between
the stiff, formal lines of late-Victorian fashions and the looser,
more comfortable Edwardian clothing. While men's clothing during
the period 18901910 continued to be quite conservative, women's
clothing broke free of late-Victorian constraints. Stiff damasks,
satins and plush Victorian fabrics were discarded in favour of frothy
chiffons and intricate lace, light mohairs, fine cashmeres and all
types of silks. These clothes were not any more conducive towards
an active life for women. Pampered women, whose role in life was
restricted and who could rely on servants to launder their clothes,
wore these time-consuming and extreme fashions. However, as gentlewomen
chose to work and study, fashions modified to accommodate the needs
of the 'New Woman' and became more practical.
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