When you think of Australian fashion you assume that it mainly consists of swimwear since water activities are so important in this culture, while the searches in this country were completely different from what I was waiting. Until the mid-1990s Australian fashion was not the subject of much attention due to limited funding in this specific sector. The people of this country prided themselves on not caring about the details of their appearance, which is very tied to masculinity in this culture. Before Australia became urbanized, fashion was boring, with clothes that looked minimalist and very neutral. Many indigenous people stripped down, wearing only kangaroo and possum skin while branding their bodies with different earth pigments as a form of accessory, to imitate Western styles. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The definition of fashion in this country is now very different with the spread of various trends across the world. Film and music contribute greatly to the casual clothing that teems Australian streets. Clothing nowadays is more provocative and less conservative, similar to Western style, but skirts, shirts and flowy dresses will always be in fashion for women. As for men's fashion, it is overtaking the women's clothing industry and could be the future for Australia. Designers are thinking above and beyond, stepping outside the norm and using recycled materials to cultivate vintage-looking clothing. Since it is warm for many seasons, the fabrics are made more ethereal and light. Although using recycled materials for clothing is considered cool and different, Australia is not known for this, nor for any specific fashion item or trend. Since this country fashion is basically a break from Western styles and culture, as well as receiving a lot of influence from Great Britain, they are mainly known for geography and not fashion; although many great designers and brands have come from Australia. In all honesty, men's and women's fashion are very similar, using the same fabrics, styles and patterns. Only changing in shape even those that are gender specific/non-specific items, for the simple reason that most styles and prints are gender neutral anyway. No item of clothing in the world we live in today has a specific gender attached to it, especially in the United States, so why should Australia be any different. Between the positive trade balance and being the 23rd largest country with an export economy in the world, Australia is ranked as the second richest nation, which plays an important role in fashion fabrics and how/ who provides what is readily available for use. In the cutthroat world of fashion, because Australian designers are not at the top of the food chain, they are starting to pave their way into this fashion-obsessed world. Designers like Collette Dinnigan, Zimmerman, Akira and many others dominate catwalks around the world. The Australian lifestyle is so intriguing and sought after with its beautiful summers and springs, accompanied by many collections becoming popular overseas, making swim/surf clothing their strongest apparel export. However, with the main religion of this country being Christianity, you would think that it would play a big role in how men and women dress. This was true in the early 90's, but just like in America today everyone seems to dress however they want and stray from what's trendy.