Asian-Inspired Steampunk

[costumemerc]

I'm posting this with some trepidation since this is hardly Victorian in primary inspiration. Taking cues from the 1920s cheongsam and other Chinese clothing, I came up with the following two outfits. There's a lot of playing around with ideas and props we had at hand (including rice hat and opium pipe). I do think I was playing to type rather than

Comments

[khaoskomix]

I really like this. I love steampunk which takes inspiration from cultures besides victorian Britain and America. I've been meaning to do a Japanese themed steampunk character at some point and this is total inspiration!

[staticlights]

Lovely! I love the idea of other Steampunk influenced by other cultures.

[bookwyrm]

I love them! Both seem very steampunky, as well as gorgeous.

[shadowedrabbit]

I particularly like the fact that, were you to leave the props at home, the influence is subtle enough that they could easily fall under the "everyday steampunk" category. Lovely job!

[costumemerc]

I always feel a little sheepish about this, but we have a tendency to wheel out all the "steamy" props for this sort of shoot since the fine line between subtle and absent isn't one we want to err on the wrong side of.

But very flattered!

[shadowedrabbit]

well absolutely - photo shoots *need* the accessories. As do conventions, LoJ, etc etc etc.

But it's nice to see outfits that could stand alone as they are, should you wish to wear them to a function that's not specifically steampunk (like to a job, or as the young lady who was asking on this forum just recently about something she can wear to two weddings this year - either of the outfits you pictured would fit such a bill)

[mwezzi]

Steampunk ideas from cultures all over the world is what I've wanted to see for a long time - people always go up to me saying how limited and elitist Steampunk is and I'm forever convincing people that it doesn't all have to be Industrial Revolution-era Victorian Britain/USA. Lots of cultures had clockwork, steam power, hydraulics etc before we did and had lots of interesting applications for the technology, and using that knowledge can really add depth to the Steampunk aesthetic and community. I love your outfits, would really like to see more of this sort of thing!