Lifestyle Effects
Jobs/ Duties
Before the war, the most common form of employment for woman was as a domestic servant, with a small number employed in what were seen to be suitable occupations including teaching, nursing and office work. When war broke out, the expectation of women was to take on the duties that were previously the responsibility of men. This included factory workers, bank workers and store clerks. The idea of women working was met with much resistance due to the widespread belief that a woman’s place was in the home. This belief was exhibited in their wages; a women’s salary could be up to 50% lower than a man’s in the same job. Women were also not supported by trade unions. This meant that women did not have a sturdy position in most jobs. Employers would effortlessly fire them when they got married or if men applied for the job. Working life was very tough for women, with a standard working week in most industries being 48 hours.
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Charity and Voluntary Work
There were not nearly enough positions available for the number of women applying for work during World War 1, so they began to do a great deal of voluntary work. There were over 200 women’s voluntary groups formed around the time of Word War 1 that all used various methods of fundraising to assist and raise money for the men fighting overseas. They did things like compile packages for the men containing luxury items such as soap, toiletries, food and games. They also began supplying clothing and medical supplies, and established homes for wounded soldiers to recover in.
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Girls' Roles
From the very beginning, children were taught to imitate the roles of their parents. Girls were encouraged to behave like the stereotypical ‘Aussie’ mother at the time. They were taught to sew, knit and keep the home front intact.
Girls and children in general, were eager to be involved in Australia’s war effort. This was encouraged by schools with many lessons spent raising money for various activities to assist those at war. These activities included welcoming returned soldiers home and celebrating victories. |
Fashion
World War One had a considerable impact on the world of women’s fashion. Preceding the start of the war, Australian women spent their time in corsets, skirts and blouses ornamented with frills and lace, in an attempt to replicate the ‘Mother Country’, Britain. After the outbreak of the war, any money spent on fashion was seen as a waste that could be better spent to assist the soldiers overseas. Women also began dressing based on practicality for new working roles rather than aesthetics. The freedom women experienced during the war was shown in their clothing choices after the war. They stopped copying the British and developed their own style of clothing. Within this new sense of fashion, they began to express their sexuality with shorter hemlines, exposing their legs and wearing more revealing swimwear.
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Technology
During the First World War, as mass production flourished, women began to stray away from family sewing machines and move to more advanced technologies. There was also the introduction of electricity within homes allowing new inventions including washing machines, electric irons and improved refrigerator. These advancements gave women more free-time, giving them more time for leisure activities.
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