Steampunk thoughts

[sstormwatch]

Looking around at steampunk things online, patterns, fashions, corsets, spats, whatever... just trying to get a feel of the genre, and seeing what's going on locally. And I am realizing that the local scene things seem to be more on the vampire/goth style (not all the pics, just a few). Well, I kind of outgrew vampire when we left the Camarilla

Comments

[isabelladangelo]

Although I've seen a lot of pictures online of girl's just wearing their bloomers and corsets, the events I've been to, all the ladies are far more covered. It might just be my area type thing but I don't think anyone could get away without at least wearing a skirt and a shrug over their bloomers and corset.

I know you are thinking local but have you looked at Steampunk Fashion on flickr? Some of those outfits are just unbelievable.

My local steampunk group if you are curious. :-) Most of us tend to go more Edwardian than Victorian but you'll see both.

[sstormwatch]

I was seeing lots of mini skirts, corset, maybe a chemise, more often not, maybe a wrap of some sort. The one bustle thing I saw made me sick from the layer colors, not to mention the odd contraption built as the bustle. Then there are the one teen who said that a vest (just a simple modern black vest to me) was "steamy". It was getting bad out there.

Thanks for the links. I am looking through them now.

[isabelladangelo]

Depending on what you pair it with, a black vest could be steamy. I wouldn't call it steampunk on it's own though.

I've seen a LOT of bad but there is also just as much good and the good steampunk looks to be overtaking the bad. I've seen some really cute outfits lately.

Some more photos from my local group

[sstormwatch]

It was just a black vest, black short thin skirt, I don't recall if there was a shirt, and a cameo.

And in the Steampunk Fashions on Flickr, just saw a simple black dress. Actually saw several, one obviously 80s prom dress, one a modern simple black dress. I'm not seeing "Victorian" let alone "steampunk". And then on the other side, I am seeing people dressed in Disney uniforms being called "Disney Steam"... uh, that's their main street uniform. How is that steampunk? Or those dressed in lovely Victorian bustle dresses, beautiful things... but I am missing what sets that into the steampunk look, and not just a lovely victorian gown.

There is much I need to understand. My reference points (Jules Verne, tv show "Adventures of Jules Verne", H.G. Wells, etc.) I think are too old fashioned to understand how things have morphed into this new style of steampunk.

[anabeig]

I've been feeling the same frustration with trying to make a full outfit and yet have it be steampunk. My other problem is the goth/punk crossover, and I like Color!

I think there's room for it, if by not other means than making it ourselves.

[sstormwatch]

Making it ourselves will have to do, as I otherwise won't put time into the genre for something I don't like. :-)

[anielmom]

I think that with steampunk as it's defined today, you have a lot of room to go where you want. So do what makes you happy. I'm no spring chicken anymore either, So no way would I be caught out in just a corset and my bloomers! Gar, I'd frighten the young'uns!

[sstormwatch]

lol, so would I.

[hsifeng]

I say go full-fledged Victorian and come out to Dicken's with us next year (then again, you can go in Steampunk as well)!

[sstormwatch]

Ah, but which era of Dickens? I prefer bustle which is later than the range I was seeing. A day dress for CW will be too light for Dicken's usual cold/wet weather. If I do Steampunk, it will be 1880s to 1900s, which is definitely later.

But I do want to go in full garb, whatever that might be.

[hsifeng]

On our trip last weekend we saw the whole range of the Victorian era (early to late). I don’t believe there is a ‘year’, but most folks seem to fall into the 1860-1870’s range. Which means you can do almost any sized hoop, with or without a bustle for the later era (depending on how early in the 70’s you fall).

[parnasus]

Hey sweetie

[anielmom]

Oooh! These are fantastic! That first one is like Borg meets bustle! Beyond awesome!

[sstormwatch]

Those are some wonderful pics. The first one, Rose, seems to be made as a mechanical doll, rather like the one in Girl Genius some issues back. Wonderful work there.

And it is good to see that there is a wide variety I can work with. It was the local scene that perhaps got me down, as I'm too old to be running around in just my undies.

Thank you so much for sharing these photo links with me. It's inspiring.