Steampunk fashion part 1 - the clothes

Steampunk fashion photography by Kat Bret. Check out also her website.

I have to write more about steampunk and especially the fashion/clothing aspect of it since it´s pretty much the only thing I´ve been thingking about for the past few days. Unlike it´s sister-gendres cyberpunk and goth, steampunk is not dark, gloomy or spooky but innovative, elegant and beautiful. Propably the best online source is Flickr group Steampunk Fashion. Also check out Steampunk Clothing Collective.


Photo. Photography copyright Vorpal Images, 2008.

Steampunk devotees are almost always DIY people. They sew and assemble their own fashions, an imaginative mix of neo-Victorian, Edwardian and military style accented with sometimes crudely mechanized details and accessories like brass goggles, harnesses, clockwork pendants and of course the mandatory decorative steampunk ray gun dangling at the hip. Steampunk style is corseted and high-buttoned with crinolines, waistcoats, high-arced sleeves and top hats, bowler hats or aviator caps. Sort of 1890 "academical-inventor-chic" that you wear to a Jules Verne teaparty or a Time Travellers ball.



Photos by Amanda Scrivener. The green dress is made from charity shop curtains. Steampunk trashion...


Image via Wikipedia


Photo via Erwinevol.com

The thing that I admire most about steampunk fashions, is that as the gendre demands they must do a lot of research to get it right. You know, visit museums and libraries! Unfortunately no brand or webstore covers steampunker´s fashion needs complitely. After three hours of www-surfing all I found was Gypsymoon, Abneypark, Ebay and Etsy. Let me know if you know more links! Few patterns can be bought online (see links below). I would imagine that since "steampunk" gets almost 2,9 million hits in Google someone would set up a shop soon. The consumers are there!


Photo by TheCassettes



Photos by hmschronabelle


Photo by Suzanna


Steampunk corset dress by Scoundrelle


Steampunk corset by Scoundrelle


Steampunk corset by Louise Black


Victorian hat available from Ebay.

Steampunk fashion links:
Dreadnought Designs
Lorimarsha
Ms.Antiorder
Jaborwhalky

Victorian pattern links:
Dover Publications
Farthingales Historic patterns
Oldpatterns.com
Westernersoutfitter