Finding Period Old Clothing In Australia Is Impossible

[Shangas]

Yeah $1,100 for a cardigan expensive

For a thousand hundred bucks, that better be spun from the Golden Fleece.

 

[dr greg]

Do what I do: get in your car, take a swag, and go into small country towns off the main highways, it's a lottery and the internet has ruined a lot of the big name charities but I always find it worthwhile....and if you want suits, go where there was big money in wool and wheat in the old days, and it's COLD.....

 

[The Rag And Bone Man]

Do what I do: get in your car, take a swag, and go into small country towns off the main highways, it's a lottery and the internet has ruined a lot of the big name charities but I always find it worthwhile....and if you want suits, go where there was big money in wool and wheat in the old days, and it's COLD.....

I'm doing exactly that today dr g having a bit of a tour around. But like you said it only takes a couple of other people to think what I am thinking, and already its gone. You gotta be quick these days.

 

[The Rag And Bone Man]

Apart from our small population, you need to keep in mind that until the late 40's almost 50% of Australia's primary goods (wool, wheat, hides, food etc) were exported to the UK and in turn, most of Australia's imports were from the UK. It was in the UK's interest that Australia did not have a larger manufacturing base as that would result in loss of revenue from exports to Australia.

There were definitely more retailers than GB's, DJ's & Gowings. Off the top of my head I can think of Farmers, Murdochs, Waltons, Mark Foys and Anthony Hordens and Sons. They were just the larger department stores in Sydney, so there must be lots of others around Australia.

Clothing manufacturers that I can think of are Berlei & Hestia (though I don't think you'll need any of their products ) Tailors such as Zink and Sons that were established in 1895 are still in business.

Rag and Bone Man, I'm not sure where abouts in Aus your'e from, but if you are from Sydney there is a very interesting exhibition at the Sydney Jewish Museum about Jewish postwar migration and it's contribution to the fashion trade in Australia. http://www.sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au/Exhibitions/Current-Exhibitions/Dressing-Sydney

I tend to agree with Cookie, not only about Akubra's, but clothing generally, "I suspect they were worn to death and chucked".

Goodness knows there were lots of Akubras in Sydney, here's a picture in the Domain taken in 1936.

I never did thank you for that link, Thanks.. and what a fantastic picture, just look at those feds..

 

[SHOWSOMECLASS]

Really sorry, I read your first thread and many along the way but not all. I find that here in the capitol city of our mid western state 50s or older clothes are not offered for sale. Most people from that generation have worn their clothes beyond its expiration date. Second most here did not buy designer names or clothes. The clothes they bought were meant to be worn until they were incapacitated.

 

[The Rag And Bone Man]

Really sorry, I read your first thread and many along the way but not all. I find that here in the capitol city of our mid western state 50s or older clothes are not offered for sale. Most people from that generation have worn their clothes beyond its expiration date. Second most here did not buy designer names or clothes. The clothes they bought were meant to be worn until they were incapacitated.

Mate thanks for your input, I quite often get to see a fair bit of your state Iowa on the TV here, as Frank and Mike from the show American pickers, would have to be one of my favourite shows on the TV at the current time, they as you would know travel around quite a bit, and I am always amazed at how many, collectors you have out that way in your neck of the woods.
I have seen those both guys pass up some great early clothing, on there travels, Iowa must still have plenty of history, and some great places to find interesting items.

 

[Finnola]

What a wonderful photo! It is causing huge interest over at a Facbook group called Lost Sydney.Eveyone wants to know what is the reason for the meeting of all those men in gorgeous hats! Could you share where the photo came from, or why they were there?

Apart from our small population, you need to keep in mind that until the late 40's almost 50% of Australia's primary goods (wool, wheat, hides, food etc) were exported to the UK and in turn, most of Australia's imports were from the UK. It was in the UK's interest that Australia did not have a larger manufacturing base as that would result in loss of revenue from exports to Australia.

There were definitely more retailers than GB's, DJ's & Gowings. Off the top of my head I can think of Farmers, Murdochs, Waltons, Mark Foys and Anthony Hordens and Sons. They were just the larger department stores in Sydney, so there must be lots of others around Australia.

Clothing manufacturers that I can think of are Berlei & Hestia (though I don't think you'll need any of their products ) Tailors such as Zink and Sons that were established in 1895 are still in business.

Rag and Bone Man, I'm not sure where abouts in Aus your'e from, but if you are from Sydney there is a very interesting exhibition at the Sydney Jewish Museum about Jewish postwar migration and it's contribution to the fashion trade in Australia. http://www.sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au/Exhibitions/Current-Exhibitions/Dressing-Sydney

I tend to agree with Cookie, not only about Akubra's, but clothing generally, "I suspect they were worn to death and chucked".

Goodness knows there were lots of Akubras in Sydney, here's a picture in the Domain taken in 1936.

[/QUOTE

 

[Finnola]

What a wonderful photo! It is causing huge interest over at a Facbook group called Lost Sydney.Eveyone wants to know what is the reason for the meeting of all those men in gorgeous hats! Could you share where the photo came from, or why they were there?

 

[Shangas]

It was the inaugural meeting of the Australian chapter of the Fedora Lounge, the global gentlemen's club that existed before the formation of the online community.

 

[lolly_loisides]

Hi Finnola. The picture was taken by Sam Hood at The Domain in 1934 (not 36 as I previously stated) they were there to hear a Communist Party speaker. It's from the NSW State Library Archives (link follows) http://www.flickr.com/photos/statelibraryofnsw/5513334045/

 

[MikeBravo]

It was the inaugural meeting of the Australian chapter of the Fedora Lounge, the global gentlemen's club that existed before the formation of the online community.

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

 

[Shangas]

Sorry Mike. It had to be said

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I've never had any particular trouble finding 30s/40s gear on my visits to Australia. I always come away with a suit/jacket/plenty of ties from charity shops and the odd vintage shop. I have a nice tip for an Australian eBay British 30s tweed jacket if anyone 38-40R is interested. It's going for AU$80 or so. Badly listed/mis-dated.

Some thoughts on Australian vintage.

1) Don't kid yourself that the UK is jam packed full of 30s stuff. My impression is that there's around the same frequency of finds in Australia and the UK.

2) Remember that the vintage "thing" in Australia happened much earlier than in the UK. It wasn't really big here until the last 10 years or so … my wife tells me that in the early 80s it was already massive in Australia. So, lots of the good stuff might have been snapped up long ago.

3) Relative poverty of Australia/Australians until relatively recently, meant that stuff simply got worn out, especially pre-60s.

 

[The Rag And Bone Man]

Newton in Sydney is what most consider to be the vintage capital of Sydney, must admit there are plenty of so called vintage shops.
I only recently spent a whole weekend down there looking for certain items, and came a way with nothing, I got chatting with one shop owner who basically said that he was struggling to find true vintage, even though he has been in the "vintage" scene for many years.
After like I said a whole weekend looking around, I came to the conclusion most of what I was seeing was 70's 80's and 90's stuff, but mostly 80's 90's.
I do consider myself to be a seasoned thrift shop picker, but even that is becoming less frequent, due to the insane prices they want for items that look, marginally old, my brother has just returned to the UK after spending three months here, and he was horrified by the price of the charity shops here, so like I said that is something I am doing less of.
Now if I look for 40's 50's clothing its always ebay usa or sometimes UK, even though you are paying the shipping, it works out cheaper than paying charity shops here, in some cases, that may sound a little over the top but I can assure you its not.
Depending here which charity shop you want to visit, suits range from 350 dollars to 5 dollars, its that crazy, and that's what we have to put up with.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

40s suits were running at $80 in Newton last time I was over there (I think 2010 or 2011). I bought one that Benny found there for about the same price back in 2006/07. I was shocked by the number of extremely heavy 30s overcoats on that coast, and over in Perth (my most regular Australian haunt) the charity shops were full of them! They can't shift 'em apparently. Mostly priced at around $30, IIRC. I can't believe it gets cold enough to wear anything that heavy, but having listened for so many years to the wife's whining about cold (Kalgoorlie apparently doesn't get very cold ), maybe I'm wrong …

bk

 

[Miss Sis]

I just wanted to add that it seems the same in NZ - small population at the time (only 1 1/2 million!) means far less about than in larger countries to start with, it got worn out, cut up and reused in the Depression and War. After my Grandfather died during the War, my Nana sent one of his suits to her nephew, and he told me how grateful he was to get it, due to the clothing restrictions. I'm pretty sure he wore that suit until it was worn out!

Only place I managed to find anything much on my last visit home was at an Antique Fair at the Napier Art Deco Weekend. The dealer who was from the South Island that I bought my early 1930s evening dress specialises in clothing and she said she saves all her 20s and 30s stuff to take to Napier as that's where she'll sell it. I did look at the menswear and there wasn't anything pre 1960s. If dealers can't get hold of it, you don't have much chance finding it in a charity shop, that's for sure.

Not saying that you can't find little bits and pieces here and there, but the major items are like hen's teeth.

 

[lolly_loisides]

40s suits were running at $80 in Newton last time I was over there (I think 2010 or 2011). I bought one that Benny found there for about the same price back in 2006/07. I was shocked by the number of extremely heavy 30s overcoats on that coast, and over in Perth (my most regular Australian haunt) the charity shops were full of them! They can't shift 'em apparently. Mostly priced at around $30, IIRC. I can't believe it gets cold enough to wear anything that heavy, but having listened for so many years to the wife's whining about cold (Kalgoorlie apparently doesn't get very cold ), maybe I'm wrong …

bk

Perth has the highest percentage of UK immigrants in the Australia, I wouldn't be surprised that all those heavy coats were brought over by British migrants and never worn again.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yes, an overcoat designed for Perth, Scotland may just have been useful as a tent or shack-building materials in WA if no hessian was to be found … but not much use for anything else to the intrepid gold-digger.

 

[The Rag And Bone Man]

You are correct about the heavy overcoats here, like lolly said more than likely brought here from overseas and never used again. There also seems an abundance of fur and faux fur, the genuine fur seems to be making a comeback, and charity shops must have picked up on this, as most furs I see today run into the hundred mark and that's not the best. The last tuxedo suit I picked up that looked like it could be as early as the 30's was in Rozelle vinnies charity shop, I eventually found the price tag and it was, 345 dollars, I nearly collapsed, then proceeded to ask the attendant why was the price so high, she said oh, my dear we are going to change the price on that now, today the new price will be 240 dollars. So like most of the stuff I pick up lately back on the rack it went.

 

[Mojito]

I've never had any particular trouble finding 30s/40s gear on my visits to Australia. I always come away with a suit/jacket/plenty of ties from charity shops and the odd vintage shop. I have a nice tip for an Australian eBay British 30s tweed jacket if anyone 38-40R is interested. It's going for AU$80 or so. Badly listed/mis-dated.

Some thoughts on Australian vintage.

1) Don't kid yourself that the UK is jam packed full of 30s stuff. My impression is that there's around the same frequency of finds in Australia and the UK.

2) Remember that the vintage "thing" in Australia happened much earlier than in the UK. It wasn't really big here until the last 10 years or so … my wife tells me that in the early 80s it was already massive in Australia. So, lots of the good stuff might have been snapped up long ago.

3) Relative poverty of Australia/Australians until relatively recently, meant that stuff simply got worn out, especially pre-60s.

I've never had any particular trouble, although it does take hunting - and I collect primarily 1920s. I've built relationships with some fabulous Australian retailers, and they tell me that the amount of vintage in circulation in Oz has increased in recent years due to purchases from overseas and the globalisation of the market. Some things have become scarcer, others more easy to obtain.

I agree that the vintage "thing" did happen here earlier - I have a friend who loves to make my mouth water by telling me all about her vintage discoveries at a huge shop located in Bondi dedicated to vintage that she fossicked through in the 80s.

Can't agree with your third point and wonder where you get the idea that Australians were relatively poor until recently - such is not the case at all. In fact, Australia achieved the highest global income per capita a few decades after European settlement - and remained there until around 1900. Since then, although we lost the very top spot, we've kept a global leading position throughout the twentieth century, and it's been reinforced through the current mining boom. My ancestors - from first fleet convicts to political prisoners to poor Irish and Swedish immigrants - all came here in poverty and became prosperous. Through much of the 19 - 20th centuries Australia as a destination to make your fortune has been something of a literary trope - because there was some truth in the idea. Yes, we suffered in the Great Depression and have extremes of poverty, but by and large we are and always have been one of the world's wealthiest nations. Some writers have gone so far as to warn us as far back as the 1960s (if not before) that we shouldn't take our economic prosperity for granted for a variety of reasons, but while it's difficult to compare data from different countries, we're still right near the top (in 2011 Credit Suisse went so far as to name us the wealthiest nation on earth on a per capita basis...other studies put us second behind Switzerland).