Australian History of the 1980`s

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THEMES BIG IDEAS/ IMPACT EVIDENCE/ HISTORICAL EXAMPLES
FASHION *Fashion designed for the older generation

*Materialist values

*Fashion used to flaunt wealth

*Imitation of celebrities/ Pop culture

*Used to express power

*Used to express fitness

*Non-conformist fashion Clothes were designed with the intention of displaying wealth. Sequins, designer brands and showy jewellery were used to promote an image of wealth and success.

Coming back to success, the 1980`s power suit (sharp-cut suits w. wide shoulders) were popular in the workplace to impress an air of power and intimidation. This was also popular with women, who had recently gained the right to work with equal pay to men and were eager to prove themselves.

Celebrities such as Madonna encouraged more risqué fashion trends such as visible underwear, while Michael Jackson also held influence over teenage boys fashion. Popular movies and television shows such as Flashdance(1983) and Dynasty also helped influence trends.

Fitness became an important part of the Australian lifestyle, as a direct result of materialism and celebrity influence. People began focusing more on fitness in order to look better and stay in shape. Fitness clothes, popularised by singers such as Olivia-Newton John, were in bright colours and stretchy fabrics, completed with 80`s fashion staples such as legwarmers and headbands. The look soon gained popularity due to its convenience.

Punk-inspired fashion developed as a rebellion against both the idealism of the hippie subculture, but also the heavily materialistic climate of the 1980`s. The fashion was inspired by punk/ rock bands such as the Sex Pistols and consisted of torn clothing, heavy boots, short, unnatural coloured hair and silver jewel...

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...tail of significant events, though could have had more detail
4 PDF Australian 1980`s entertainment timeline http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/pdf/education/80s/80s_entertainment_timeline.pdf Powerhouse Museum 14/3/
14 Same as above.
5 PDF Womens rights in Australia over the last 20 years http://www.fitzroy-legal.org.au/cb_pages/files/Women_Their%20rights%20in%20Australia%20over%20the%20past%2040%20Years.pdf Fitzroy Legal 3/3/
14 Very useful in finding out about womens rights, though did not contain much about the 80`s.
6 Website Princeton https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Pub_rock_(Australia).html 2011 7/3/
14 Helped inform about pub rock but was too short.
7 Textbook RetroActive 2 Maureen Anderson, Ian Keese, Anne Low: Jacaranda; 2005; Australia 3/3/
14 Gathered information about women’s rights, though there was not enough material.

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