OCG Costume Key Terms

Question 1

Ripped or Tattered Clothing

Answer 1

Costumes that depict the harsh living conditions and physical hardships experienced by the convicts in the penal colony

Question 2

Shift Dress/Chemise

Answer 2

All of the female convicts will wear this. It is a white underdress which will be made of linen as this is not expensive. Their shifts will all be loose fitting, torn and stained at different rates depending on the character.

Question 3

Brown Peasant Clogs

Answer 3

All of the convicts will be wearing these, they are made of wood and were common at the time

Question 4

Breeches

Answer 4

White linen trousers that all of the male characters will wear. The convicts trousers will be loose fitting and an off white (stained, torn etc) and the officers will be a clean and bright white showing their status.

Question 5

It’s important to note that the clothing provided to male convicts was…

Answer 5

often basic and of poor quality

Question 6

The convicts’ clothing would have been subject to…

Answer 6

wear and tear

Question 7

Distressing

Answer 7

Distressing is the act of making an item of clothing look more worn and old - it should increase as the play progresses

Question 8

Hitching up clothing

Answer 8

The more rebellious characters like Shitty Meg + Liz Morden + Dabby would hitch up their dresses. This could be to show more skin (Meg) or so they can move more freely (Dabby + Liz)

Question 9

Tricorn hat

Answer 9

A type of hat with a wide brim that is folded upward on three sides - creating a triangular shape when viewed from the top. Commonly associated with the fashion of the 18th century in the context of colonial America and European military uniforms.

Question 10

Cockade

Answer 10

A decorative emblem or rosette worn on a hat or lapel as a symbol of allegiance + rank + affiliation

Question 11

What accessories would Ketch have?

Answer 11

A rope sewn into his costume

Question 12

What material would the convicts use to fix their clothes on the ship?

Answer 12

A coarse and rough dark-coloured material made from goat hair, camel hair, or other coarse fibres

Question 13

What would the Aboriginal wear?

Answer 13

• Fibrous Materials
• Decorative Elements

Question 14

Fibrous Materials

Answer 14

Indigenous Australians utilised plant fibres (such as those from bark or reeds) to create various garments. They would weave or twist fibres to make skirts + belts + headbands and other accessories.

Question 15

Decorative Elements

Answer 15

Traditional clothing often featured decorative elements, such as:
- Feathers
- Shells
- Kangaroo teeth

These were incorporated into headpieces and necklaces or belts

Question 16

The area surrounding Botany Bay was home to various Aboriginal groups, primarily…

Answer 16

The Dharawal and Gweagal peoples

Question 17

What should you take into consideration as a clothing designer regarding Aboriginal clothing…

Answer 17

Aboriginal culture is diverse, with different groups having their own distinct traditions and clothing styles. There is no singular “Aboriginal clothing” that applies universally to all Indigenous Australian groups.