Streuth! Crikey! WTF? To Aussie National Costume

Arghhhh ... my eyes!

When  you  switch on the TV come August 23 to watch the Miss Universe pageant, which I know you all will, please disregard this crazed ensemble on Australia’s entrant. High-heeled Ugg boots, a sheepskin shrug and a cutout cossie, that’s a swimsuit in Oz-speak: Is this really worthy of a national fashion identity?

Please, Ugg boots shouldn’t be seen outside of your cold apartment in the dead of winter, or at least that’s my take on them, let alone adorned with heels and on a catwalk. Hideous. But, what do I know. Jesinta Campbell, the 18-year-old Aussie pageant queen, is chuffed with the costume, which she will wear to represent the land down under in the national costume section of the contest. “Isn’t it incredible,” Campbell said when revealing the outfit, which a-la-pageant style also reveals plenty of her.

Well, yes Jesinta, it is incredible, in the same way that the Crocodile Dundee stereotype was incredible, and horribly embarrassing. The costume was designed by Sydney’s Natasha Dwyer who works under the Arthur Ave label, and the swimsuit bares a design hand-painted by an Aboriginal artist. To be fair, I actually don’t loathe the multi-layered skirt, but I am not sure how it really speaks to Australia. Perhaps the color palette is reflective of the earthy reds and ochres of the landscape, and common in indigenous art. Or perhaps Jesinta is headed to Rio for Carnival after her Las Vegas jaunt?

Please, before you judge Australian fashion sense based on this national garb,  think Sass & Bide,  Lisa Ho, Peter Morrissey, Richard Tyler, Collette Dinnigan, Carla Zampatti – there are plenty of great designers to emerge over the years, and they really are incredible. Oh and feel free to smack me silly if heeled Ugg boots catch on!

7 thoughts on “Streuth! Crikey! WTF? To Aussie National Costume”

  1. Slap me silly, but I love, love , love this outfit. I think it shows a great deal of self depricating humor and it is light, pretty and original. I think high heel uggs are very much part of it. Now, would you know what did the Poles and Russian do?

  2. OMG. I am speechless. I think I may have to renounce my citizenship.
    PS Your post comes up with Google Ads for ‘Bargain Ugg Boots. 100% Australian”.

    1. hehe, i know, pretty funny really. I actually own Uggs, but never would I leave the house in them … I adore them, but as slippers indoors only, not streetwear, and certainly not with heels, a swimsuit and Flamenco skirt!!

  3. Unfortunately, UGG is a brand name everywhere outside of Australia. This is owned by the American company “Deckers” and so Aussies continuing to call them “Ugg Boots” only helps Deckers. Their sales have gone from 115 million in 2005 to 717 million in 2009. Aussies including Jesinta should abandon the name “Ugg” and call them “sheepskin boots”. Big high profile events like this are great advertising for Deckers and will surely increase their sales. What if Jesinta called them sheepskin boots and stated that “Aussies don’t wear UGG boots, that is an American company and has nothing to do with Australia”. Wouldn’t that be more patriotic and give the Aussie sheepskin boot companies a plug instead of Deckers?

    1. This a completely valid point Heather. Indeed friends and family are stunned when they visit NY and see all the “Ugg” stores here, commenting that there aren’t any in Oz. From hereon, I shall do my bit and try to refer them as sheepskin boots!

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