Australian Dress Register

"The Waters of the Rhine seem to mount high, and over all rides the triumphant voice of Florence Austral as Brunnhilde. Her singing can justly be called queenly. Even after hearing the glorious singing of Frida Leider on other records, Austral's triumphant voice remains in the mind." -Neville Cardus, Manchester Guardian, 1928.

Florence Austral was a prominent figure in the opera world in the early 20th Century.  It was in 1914 that Austral won first place in two voice catagories in a competition in Ballarat. With this she recieved a scholarship to study in New York. From there she traveled to London and made her Covent Garden debut on 16 May 1922 as Brünnhilde in Wagner's Die Walküre. During the mid-1920s she made the first of more than 100 recordings for HMV. She recorded operatic arias as well as songs, sacred music and oratorio extracts. In 1930 Austral become a principal singer with the esteemed Berlin State Opera. This same year Austral showed the first signs of multiple sclerosis. From here her opera career suffered as a result of the advance of this debilitating disease. Austral did however continued to do recital and concert work. She was forced into retirement in 1940 and returned to Australia in 1946, almost completely paralysed with the multiple sclerosis. Due to economic circumstances Austral needed to make an income so she taught singing at the Newcastle Conservatorium from 1954 until her retirement in 1959.  

We can only imagine that along the way she bought and wore examples of the latest fashions from America and England and would have brought them back to Australia with her. It appears that she gifted her blouse to the daughter of her accompanist.

This blouse is a beautiful example of 1920's womens day wear. The fabric choice of silk, its flame red and black colour and geometric print design scream the 'Jazz Era'. Fashion used dramatic geometric patterns and strong colours in the era and a distinct move away from the pervious period of organic and romantic influences. This is an era when designers of womenswear introduced seperates. Wearing blouses and skirts as seperates for day wear became the norm and dresses were mostly reserved for evening wear. 

Author: Justine Malinowski, 14/7/14.

1920's style blouse, features cross over front press studded to waist edge. Neckline has a 'floating' collar that is bias cut and attached into neckline. Short sleeves with asymmetrical float panel stitiched down over bias trimed shoulder seam. Front waist is finished with a bias trim with 2 deep and 1 shallow pleats on each side of front. Back bodice features a 'V' panel running to centre back waist using selvedge edges of fabric. Back neckline has narrow bias edge. Floating edges are finished with a zig zag stitch. Fabric features a geometric circular spot print in red and black. Garment bodice is lined with same weight plain red silk.