(no subject)
I would like to note here that I like steampunk. I like the stories behind the outfits, I like the tales in books and movies and more. I love the victorianesque clothes.
I don't much care for the snobbery that I see about the subculture sometimes. Or in Lolita (not the Nabokov type, people). Or in SCA. Or in just about any freaking subgroup.
It's not that I don't get it. Some people put an ass ton of work into creating their outfits and creating their stories (or disabusing the notion that there is a story in others). There are people who give their lives over to the subculture they're into. I understand the love people have and the anger they feel at people not representing the group correctly.
But when it comes down to it, it also scares people away sometimes. I'm sure that's what some people are going for, but really, is it necessary? The people who aren't as into it and just want to wear clothes that they think are cool aren't actually hurting you. Even if they're wearing clock parts or goggles for no good reason, or when they think that wings fit with a Medieval costume just because they're sold at Ren Faire, or if they're wearing dresses made of cheap fabric with bad lace.
And for god's sake, when you're part of a group that has all kinds of their own rules (the dresses must be within an inch of your knees, and if there's too much lace it's bad and if the ribbon isn't soft enough it isn't ok, and brand trumps off brand any day, even if you must be a certain size to be able to wear brand), it's just bad form to scare someone away from a generally equally interesting and visually stunning group by stating that there are too many rules (because general practice is to have a story...oh noez!).
For the record, almost everyone I've ever dealt with in any subculture, be it Lolita or Steampunk or SCA or Cosplayers or Goths or Punks or whatever have been cool with people who didn't quite "do it right," and more than that, they've been happy to share and explain. But because I follow both steamfashion and egl , I've come to the realization that while members of the first encourage stories and creativity and I think the most negative thing I've ever heard from someone over there has been "not my style, but it could be cool," the latter almost constantly has someone nattering on about how some company or other is too cheap, or EGL is getting to popular, or some girl at x con did it wrong, or "you can't possibly wear those two colors together." I continue to watch egl for the eye candy (of which there is plenty), but have long considered leaving because of the elitests.