Fashion history of Australia

Published: July 28, 2026 · Updated: July 28, 2026

Australian dress began with the climate-adapted dress of Indigenous peoples over 65,000 years — the possum-skin cloak of the south, body painting and adornment — and after 1788 transplanted British dress was overlaid. Modern Australia is known for a practical, relaxed outdoor style, from the wide-brimmed hat to surfwear.

Fashion history of Australia — Author: Tom Roberts — Shearing the Rams (1890) Public domain Source

Overview

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples used minimal dress and body adornment in warm regions, and the sewn possum-skin cloak in the cold south.

The story of dress

After settlement in 1788, British dress was brought and adapted to the climate. Through the gold rushes and the world wars, modern Australia grew a relaxed, outdoor style — the akubra hat, the Driza-Bone coat, and surf and beach wear.

Periods

Fashion in Indigenous Australia c. 65,000 years ago – 1788
Fashion in the Age of European Exploration 1606–1788
Fashion in the Colonial Era 1788–1850
Fashion in the Gold Rush Era 1851–1900
Fashion in the Federation Era 1901–1914
Fashion in Australia during the World Wars 1914–1945
Fashion in Modern Australia 1945–present