Format: Glass photonegative
Notes: Amateur photographer Frederick Danvers Power had a concealed detective camera, which he used to snap these women crossing Martin Place at George Street, with the Post Office behind them. This image gives us a more accurate idea of what women actually wore, than formal studio photographs or magazine illustrations. People wore their best outfit to the portrait studio and parasols and hats, which shaded the face, were not permitted. On the other hand, the idealised renditions of fashion published in magazines show neither creased clothes nor worn shoes.
Find more photographs of early Sydney on Discover Collections - Sydney Exposed:
www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/society_art/photog...
From the collections of the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
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